Bills elevate RB royalty, edge rush help for Sunday's playoff opener vs. Jaguars

Staying ready is essential for an NFL practice squad player.

After not receiving a call-up for the entire regular season, Buffalo Bills' practice squad running back Frank Gore Jr. is in line to make his NFL debut in the January 11 wild-card playoff road game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Bills used their two allotted gameday roster elevations for Gore and defensive end Andre Jones Jr. Both are likely, but not guaranteed, to be active for Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff.

MORE: Jaguars' castoff 'happy to be back' on Bills' side for Sunday's postseason matchup

Buffalo elected to not elevate kicker Matthew Wright, meaning veteran Matt Prater is ready to go and unlikely to reaggravate his calf injury.

Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Frank Gore Jr. (20) runs past Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Markees Watts (58) during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Bills' RB situation

Gore's call-up suggests that third-down running back Ty Johnson may be limited, if available at all, on Sunday.

After missing back-to-back practices, Johnson improved to limited participation on Friday while earning a questionable tag for the game. He injured his ankle in the first quarter of the regular season finale against the New York Jets, but missed only a few snaps before finishing out the game.

Johnson, starter James Cook and backup Ray Davis are the lone three running backs on the 53-man roster. While Cook sees a majority of the reps, Johnson plays a notable role in the offense. The Bills have multiple designed pass plays for the man who was called the "best third-down back in the league" by quarterback Josh Allen.

Bills running back Ty Johnson spins through a hole up the middle for yards against the Jets during the first half of their game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If Johnson proves he's ready in warmups, then the Bills can simply list Gore as an inactive.

More on Gore

Gore, a former undrafted free agent, wrapped up his second season as a Bills' practice squad player. While he has yet to play in a regular season game, the Southern Mississippi product has performed well during preseason action.

Over three exhibition contests this past summer, Gore led Buffalo with 213 yards from scrimmage. He rushed 23 times for 104 yards and one touchdown. As a pass-catcher, he gained 109 yards on 11 receptions. In 2024, he led all AFC preseason rushers with 163 yards.

Gore is the son of retired NFL legend Frank Gore Sr., who is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Gore played one season for the Bills, rushing for 599 yards and two touchdowns in 2019. Spending the bulk of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, Gore ranks third in NFL history with 16,000 career rush yards.

Edge rusher help

Jones showed some juice as a practice squad call-up for three consecutive weeks in December. The former Washington Commanders' seventh-round draft pick totaled 38 defensive snaps and 44 more on special teams.

The Bills carry only four defensive ends on the active roster with Javon Solomon contributing almost exclusively on special teams. The 6-four-5 Jones provides backup for the trio of Joey Bosa, Greg Rousseau and AJ Epenesa.

Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) throws a pass against Buffalo Bills defensive end Andre Jones Jr. (75) during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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