4 options to fill Bills' roster spot vacated by injured Mecole Hardman

The Buffalo Bills opened up a spot on their 53-man roster prior to Thursday night's disappointing dud against the Houston Texans.

While elevating wide receiver Gabe Davis and Keleki Latu from the practice squad a few hours before kickoff, the Bills also decided to place recently-acquired wide receiver Mecole Hardman on Injured Reserve.

Less than one week ago, Buffalo signed Hardman to the active roster to replace return specialist Brandon Codrington, who was waived and eventually re-signed to the practice squad.

The 28-year-old Hardman, a 2019 second-round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs, made his Bills' debut in the November 16 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but a calf injury prematurely ended his day. He didn't practice during the short week and was ruled out on Wednesday. Now, he's on IR for at least the next four weeks.

With the Bills now needing a 53th player on the roster, here are four practice squad options that make sense to fill the spot in the coming week.

WR Gabe Davis

It really seems that we can stop right here. Davis appeared destined for the 53-man roster ever since he re-joined the franchise in a practice squad reserve role while working his way back from knee surgery.

Once fully healthy, the Bills inserted their former fourth-round draft pick into the starting lineup as a Week 11 gameday elevation, and it was instantly clear that he has quarterbacks Josh Allen's trust.

Buffalo used the second of three allotted elevations on Davis Thursday night, so they need to make a decision sooner or later. The fact that he played 55 percent of snaps on short rest suggests he's ready to be a part of the plans down the stretch.

Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis (13) runs the ball against Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

DL Morgan Fox

The Bills need more juice on their injury-depleted defensive line, and Fox seems worth a try. The 31-year-old veteran, who can line up at multiple spots along the front, has 27.5 career sacks to his credit.

"Veteran player. Excited to watch him today," said Bills' head coach Sean McDermott when Fox was signed a little more than one week ago. "It's been a little bit of time since he's played as well, so we got to take our time with that. Position flexibility. Plays hard."

Fox was without a team since late August when the Atlanta Falcons released him, but may be able to provide more than Javon Solomon has produced thus far. He played in 100 consecutive regular season games through the end of the 2024 campaign, including all 17 for the Los Angeles Chargers last year.

Dec 8, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) leaps while passing as Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Morgan Fox (56) defends | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

RS Brandon Codrington

This option would provide the Bills with a designated returner for both kickoffs and punts, and it would remove wide receiver Khalil Shakir from facing greater injury risk as the punt returner.

The problem is that Codrington provides no position flexibility, meaning the team would be dedicating a full roster spot for a return specialist. The fact that the Bills did not elevate Codrington for the November 20 game likely indicates that they're fine with a returner by committee approach for the time being.

Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Brandon Codrington (29) carries the ball on a kick-off return against the Atlanta Falcons | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

DT Zion Logue

Logue has been maxed out of practice squad elevations since Week 5, so Buffalo must add him to the active roster before he can dress again on gameday. The Bills may want to see if the second-year player can contribute more than struggling rookie TJ Sanders or over-the-hill Jordan Phillips.

The 6-foot-6 Logue also made two appearances for the Bills as a rookie in 2024 while spending a few weeks on the 53-man roster.

Aug 9, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) throws a pass in the third quarter as Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Zion Logue (93) rushes at Highmark Stadium | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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