Former Bills' Starting WR Hits Comeback Trail After ACL Tear Ended Reunion

Could another comeback be in the cards for a former fourth-round draft pick?

It's been three months since Buffalo Bills' wide receiver Gabe Davis suffered a torn ACL during a wild-card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the free agent has made noticeable progress on the road to recovery.

Davis, who tore his meniscus on the same knee in 2024, posted a snap from a weightlifting session on his Instagram story. Wearing blue Nike shorts and a sleeveless white tank top, Davis held the bar in the photo. He added a text overlay saying, "Yo kinda loaded ... ."

Most notably, Davis wore nothing around on his surgically-repaired knee, which was crushed by a low hit from Jaguars' safety Andrew Wingard back on January 11. It was a stark contrast to the image of the wide receiver riding a cart to the locker room with a towel draped over his head.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis (13) is carted off after an apparent injury during the fourth quarter of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

First comeback cut short

Davis, a 2020 fourth-round pick, left the Bills as a free agent following the completion of his rookie contract. He signed a three-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024, but didn't make it past his first season.

After Davis suffered a season-ending meniscus tear midway through 2024, the Jaguars decided to cut ties with their $39 million free agent signing. While working his way back from the injury, the former starter reached an agreement to reunite with the Bills.

Davis spent the season's first 10 weeks on Buffalo's practice squad before debuting with three catches in a win over Tampa Bay on November 16, 2025.

Just as he was seemingly returning to pre-injury form, football was again taken away from Davis with Wingard's hit unceremoniously ending a the comeback story.

One more time?

Although Davis likely won't be ready until after the 2026 season starts, it wouldn't be surprising to see him reemerge at One Bills Drive at some point in the future.

As we learned last year, Davis maintains a friendship with quarterback Josh Allen, and general manager Brandon Beane has shown an openness to run it back with former players.

At the least, a healthy Davis provides a positive locker room presence and a battle-tested reserve. With the high volume of injuries throughout a NFL season, it would be a luxury of sorts to have a wide receiver of his caliber on call.

Gabe Davis TD — Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis catches a pass for a touchdown despite New York Jets cornerback Ja'sir Taylor trying to break up the pass at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 4, 2026. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over his rookie contract, Davis averaged 6.7 touchdown receptions per season for the Bills. In 2023, then-offensive coordinator Joe Brady praised Davis, who is known for his blocking ability, for his no-catch performance in a 32-6 win over the New York Jets.

"Gabe Davis had zero catches in the game, but, in my mind, was the Player of the Game," said Brady. "It was a selfless mindset, what he was doing in the run game, what he was doing in the pass game to get guys open."