Bills Predicted to Release Veteran Quarterback at Final Cuts

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Former New York Jets quarterback Mike White in January of 2023.

The Buffalo Bills don’t have any drama at the top of the quarterback depth chart, with MVP Josh Allen growing into one of the most dependable and durable quarterbacks in franchise history.

But the team could have some more difficult decisions behind Allen, going into training camp with a pair of tested veterans in Mitch Trubisky and Mike White as well as a talented practice-squad quarterback in Shane Buechele. With the team’s recent tendency to keep only two signal-callers on the 53-man roster, one insider believes White will miss the cut.

Bills Stick With Mitch Trubisky

Ronnie Eastham of SI.com published an early projection of the team’s final roster, predicting that Trubisky will return to his role as No. 2 and Buechele and White will become the “odd men out.” Buechele has served as the team’s practice squad quarterback and missed the 2024 season after suffering a neck injury.

The Bills signed White last season and brought back Buechele on a reserve/futures contract. While Buechele was not expected to contend for a spot on the roster, White could have a chance to unseat Trubisky as the team’s preferred backup to Allen.

White has some starting experience in the NFL, starting seven games with the New York Jets between 2021 and 2022. He has completed 61.4% of his passes for 2,247 yards with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

But the Bills have thought highly of Trubisky, outbidding other teams to sign him in 2021 after his stint as the starter for the Chicago Bears came to an end. After Trubisky spent two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, first winning the starting job then losing it to then-rookie Kenny Pickett, he returned to Buffalo for the 2024 season.

Trubisky has not seen much action, with Allen not missing a game since his rookie season, but has looked sharp in relief appearances when he’s come in during garbage time. He has also grown close to Allen, which could be a helpful factor when it comes time for final cuts at the end of the summer.

Bills Focus on Other Positions

The Bills have generally not rostered three quarterbacks during general manager Brandon Beane’s tenure, choosing instead to use that depth on other positions. That includes the backfield, an area of particular focus as the Bills aimed to alleviate pressure on Allen and the passing game.

Their investments have paid dividends recently as James Cook has developed into one of the league’s most productive running backs. He surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau in each of the last two seasons, the first Bills running back to do so since LeSean McCoy. Cook also led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024.

The Bills have also maintained greater depth at wide receiver, including the newest addition in Elijah Moore. The former Jets and Cleveland Browns receiver signed with the Bills after a visit last week, saying the chance to play with Allen was a deciding factor for him.

Moore said he hopes to add a new element to the offense in Buffalo.

“As far as what I bring, it’s kinda not like similar to the other guys in the room,” Moore said, via Matthew Bove of WKBW.

Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty