The Buffalo Bills‘ Joe Brady is not wasting time. As a first-year head coach, he is determined to surround his franchise quarterback, Josh Allen, with reliable pieces who can stabilize and elevate the offense. And with that goal in mind, he has already made a quiet but notable double move ahead of free agency.

As per the NFL’s transaction memo, the Bills signed quarterback Shane Buechele and wide receiver Jalen Virgil to reserve/future contracts on Tuesday. While neither signing will shake the league, both players are familiar faces in Buffalo, and that familiarity seems to matter to Brady as he shapes his roster.

Shane Buechele spent most of the 2025 season on the Bills’ practice squad before an unexpected detour landed him with the Kansas City Chiefs. After the Chiefs lost their star QB, Patrick Mahomes, and backup Gardner Minshew to injuries, the team brought in Buechele as emergency depth behind QB Chris Oladokun. It was a short-term move, but it gave Buechele his first real NFL opportunity.

That opportunity came in Week 18 against the Las Vegas Raiders as Buechele replaced Oladokun and completed 7 of 14 passes for 88 yards in a narrow 14-12 loss. The Chiefs released Buechele shortly after wrapping up a disappointing 6-11 season, but that outcome always felt inevitable. The Chiefs needed late-season insurance with Buechele, not a long-term solution.

Once the Chiefs’ season ended, Buechele then returned to the Bills’ practice squad for the playoffs. However, practice squad players become free agents as soon as the season concludes, which opened the door for Buechele to explore other options. But instead, he chose familiarity and perhaps opportunity by re-signing with the Bills.

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Buechele’s decision makes sense when you consider Buffalo’s quarterback situation. Bills’ backup QB Mitch Trubisky is set to hit free agency this offseason, and as per Spotrac, he is projected to earn around $4.4 million on the open market. So, Joe Brady might rather want to invest that money elsewhere and roll and keep a cheaper, system-savvy option like Buechele as the backup QB. 

Now 28, Buechele offers continuity and cost control for the Bills, even if he is unlikely to start meaningful games for the team. But Josh Allen might be especially pleased to have Buechele back in his squad. After all, he has been called ‘Allen’s right-hand man’ in the past. Buechele has also been known to play a hybrid role, working as an assistant for Allen in reading defenses and analyzing his mechanics. Their connection, however, goes beyond football, as the two have built a strong bond over the years. That relationship has included training together in the offseason, and Buechele was even present at Allen’s wedding.

Meanwhile, Jalen Virgil’s return to Buffalo also feels intentional. Virgil entered the NFL in 2022 as an undrafted free agent for the Denver Broncos before joining the Bills’ practice squad in August 2024. He then appeared in seven games for the Bills that season and recorded two tackles.

The Bills then signed Virgil to a reserve/future deal for 2025, but released him in August that same year. He later joined the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad in November 2025. Now, Brady has brought him back again, likely valuing his familiarity with the system and his potential as a special teams contributor. 

At the same time, this move that the coach made for Allen’s offense points towards more additions in the Bills’ WR room. With the Bills recently linked to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown in trade rumors, it’s fair to wonder if Brady is quietly laying the groundwork for a much bolder move to maximize Josh Allen’s prime. 

Will Joe Brady look to add A.J. Brown to Josh Allen’s offense?

If the past season proved anything, it’s that the Bills’ offense may still be missing a true WR1; someone who can tilt coverage and consistently make explosive plays for their franchise QB. While Josh Allen threw for 3,668 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 2025, his offense did not feel unstoppable. Khalil Shakir emerged as Allen’s most reliable target, finishing with 72 catches for 719 yards and four touchdowns, which was not quite the dominance you expect from a top-tier receiver.

That’s why ESPN’s Ben Solak made a bold prediction that Joe Brady might push to land a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver like A.J. Brown for Allen.

“A year after Brandon Beane’s emphatic statement that they didn’t need a WR1 went over disastrously, Buffalo will tilt and get aggressive,” Solak wrote in January. “The Bills will trade a first-round pick and then some for Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown, believing he can be the final player to push their offense over the edge.”

A.J. Brown was originally traded to the Eagles for a first- and third-round pick during the 2022 NFL Draft. Now, years later, his situation in Philadelphia appears shaky as reports surfaced that Brown even requested a trade in Week 3 last season. He also had a heated sideline exchange with his coach during the Eagles’ Wild Card loss to the San Francisco 49ers after several drops. Adding fuel to the fire, Brown has referred to his time with the franchise as a “sh-t show” since midseason in 2025.

But Solak’s prediction isn’t just about Brown’s frustration. It’s also about a void in Buffalo. Since moving on from WR Stefon Diggs after the 2023 season, the Bills have cycled through WR options like Mack Hollins, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Keon Coleman, and Brandin Cooks. But aside from Shakir, none have consistently looked like Allen’s go-to weapon. 

Now, Brown certainly fits that description. He has posted three straight 1,000-yard seasons, earned three Pro Bowl selections, and won Super Bowl LIX. At 28 years old, Brown still has prime years ahead. Pairing him with Allen could instantly elevate the Bills’ offense. CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan further projects Brown’s trade value at a third- and fifth-round pick. That sounds manageable for the Bills. 

However, Brown carries a $23 million cap hit next season. So, can Bills’ general manager Brandon Beane make the cap space work to make a potential trade offer for Brown?

It is a possibility because after another playoff exit and a coaching change from Sean McDermott to Joe Brady, the Bills’ ownership has made January success the priority. So, if Brady truly wants to make a statement, swinging for A.J. Brown might be exactly the kind of bold move that defines this new era in Buffalo.