On Thursday morning, the Buffalo Bills made significant moves by signing quarterback Shane Buechele and linebacker Christian Kirksey to their practice squad. The announcement came from General Manager Brandon Beane, who revealed that these signings had been set in motion on Wednesday pending the players’ arrivals and successful physical examinations.
Shane Buechele’s signing is particularly noteworthy, as he steps in to replace Matt Barkley, who suffered a season-ending elbow injury and was initially set to be the practice squad quarterback.
Shane Buechele’s Journey to the Bills
Shane Buechele officially joined the Bills on August 31, 2023, after spending the previous two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. His NFL journey began when he entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Chiefs in 2021. Buechele’s collegiate career started at Texas (2016-18) before transferring to SMU (2019-20).
Highlights of Shane Buechele’s Career:
- Totaled 952 completions, 11,660 yards, and 87 passing touchdowns.
- Carried the ball 290 times for 478 yards and eight touchdowns.
- Started all 23 games he played at SMU.
- In his senior year (2020), he ranked among the top 10 nationally in various categories, including completions per game, passing yards, passing yards per game, total offense, and passing touchdowns.
- In 2019, Buechele’s performance was remarkable as he completed 307 of 490 passes for 3,929 yards and 34 touchdowns.
- His career at Texas spanned 23 games (19 starts), during which he completed 403 of 648 passes for 4,636 yards and 30 touchdown passes.
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Christian Kirksey’s Journey to the Bills
Linebacker Christian Kirksey, having spent the past two seasons with the Houston Texans (2021-22), now becomes a member of the Buffalo Bills. Kirksey’s NFL journey began when he was selected as a third-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2014 after his college years at Iowa. He later spent six seasons with the Browns (2014-19) before joining the Green Bay Packers in 2020.
Highlights of Christian Kirksey’s Career:
- Played in 114 career games, starting in 94 of them.
- Accumulated 757 tackles, 16.5 sacks, 7 interceptions, and 4 forced fumbles.
- Participated in two playoff games during the 2020 season with the Packers, contributing six tackles and a tackle for loss (TFL).
- Recognized as the Browns’ 2018 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee and the Texans’ 2022 nominee.
- In 2022, he started all 17 games for the Texans, registering 124 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions.
- Voted by teammates as a defensive captain for the Browns in 2018 and 2019.
- Notably achieved a single-game career-high of 17 tackles against the Titans on October 22, 2017.
- Tallied 281 tackles during the 2016-2017 season, ranking second in the NFL for that period.
- Recorded 143 tackles in the 2016 season, placing him third in the league.
- Kirksey made his mark at Iowa by returning interceptions and a fumble for touchdowns, earning him a place in school history alongside Bills’ safety Micah Hyde, with whom he played for three seasons (2010-12).
The Bills’ additions of Shane Buechele and Christian Kirksey reflect their ongoing commitment to strengthening their roster as they head into the new season.
