Bills' Apparent NFL Draft Target Would Create Instant Competition for Returning Specialist

The Buffalo Bills re-signed free agent punter Mitch Wishnowsky last month, but he may not have a clear path to the starting job.

Despite being the only punter currently on the Bills' 90-man roster, Wishnowsky seems bound to face competition in the coming months, and there could be a local flavor to it.

Buffalo brass has noticeably spent time evaluating multiple punter prospects in this year's NFL Draft pool. When it happened at the NFL Combine, we wrote about the Bills' reported meetings with Syracuse's Jack Stonehouse and Michigan State's Ryan Eckley in Indianapolis.

Now, multiple sources are reporting that Buffalo has taken additional steps in a potential pursuit of Stonehouse. Per New York Upstate's Ryan Talbot, the Bills hosted a local Pro Day on April 10, and the Syracuse punter met with three important figures.

Oct 18, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange punter Jack Stonehouse (41) kicks during the second half against the Pittsburgh Panthers at the JMA Wireless Dome. | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Stonehouse apparently spoke with general manager Brandon Beane, assistant general manager Brian Gaine and head coach Joe Brady on Friday. The meeting happened one week after the Orange's record holder participated in a virtual interview with Bills' new special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers.

Bills last drafted punter in 2022

Buffalo made "Punt God" Matt Araiza the No. 180 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to make his Bills' debut.

Due to lingering allegations regarding potential transgressions during Araiza's time as a San Diego State student-athlete, the Bills, under public pressure, released the promising punter only four months after drafting him.

Subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing, Araiza landed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024 and has since made 34 consecutive appearances.

Aug 13, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza (19) makes contact with the ball in the second quarter pre-season game against the Indianapolis Colts at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Looking to upgrade?

The Bills dumped veteran punter Brad Robbins after one game this past September, turning to former Pittsburgh Steelers' starter Cameron Johnston.

When Johnston suffered a Week 4 leg injury, the Bills moved on to Wishnowsky, who was released after six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers last May.

The Aussie-born Wishnowsky performed adequately for Buffalo, but it was not good enough to lift the team out of the bottom half of the NFL in net punting average (41.0). He netted 41.8 yards per punt.

The average performance coupled with a new coordinator could prevent Wishnowsky from retaining his job this summer.

Buffalo Bills punter Mitch Wishnowsky kicks the ball to New England during first half action at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Oct. 5, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jack Stonehouse's NFL bloodlines

Yes, they're related. Stonehouse is cousins with former Tennessee Titans' All-Pro punter Ryan. In an even closer NFL connection, his father, John, punted for both USC and the New York Giants.

Starting his collegiate career at Missouri, Stonehouse transferred to Syracuse where he averaged 45.8 yards per punt over a 38-game tenure. More than 38 percent of his kicks were fair caught.

Oct 20, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Tennessee Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse (4) makes contact with the ball in the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images