The Buffalo Bills have elevated two players from their practice squad ahead of tonight’s matchup with the Detroit Lions. For the second straight week, Buffalo has elevated wideout Greg Dortch and running back Frank Gore Jr. from the practice squad.
Dortch, 28, handled punt return duties in Sunday’s 36-31 victory over the Houston Texans. He totaled two punt returns for ten yards. He also was the team’s second kickoff returner, slotting in alongside 2025 First-Team All-Pro Ray Davis. Dortch handled three kickoff returns in the game, averaging 27.3 yards per return. He did not appear on offense in the game. Dortch spent this offseason with the Detroit Lions, but he was released on August 30 as part of the team’s final roster cuts before signing with Buffalo’s practice squad.
Gore Jr., 24, played 11 snaps on offense against Houston. He was mainly used as a pass protector on third downs. He carried once for three yards in the win. While Gore Jr. played just 11 snaps on offense, that was more than twice as many snaps as Ray Davis (5) played in the game. Gore Jr.’s elevation casts doubt on the availability of running back Ty Johnson, who missed Sunday’s game as he continues to work back from a hamstring injury suffered in early August.
This is the second practice squad elevation for each player. Both Dortch and Gore Jr. have one more elevation remaining. Per NFL rules, if the Bills want to use either player on the 53-man roster after that third elevation, they’ll have to sign them to the active roster.
