After revealing that Shane Buechele would be sidelined for an extended period due to a neck injury sustained during Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills' 33-6 loss to the Chicago Bears, the team promptly signed former Denver Broncos quarterback Ben DiNucci to fill the third string quarterback role.
Head coach Sean McDermott did not specify the details of the injury but mentioned that Shane Buechele continued to play despite getting hurt in Buffalo’s preseason-opening loss to Chicago on Saturday.
Buechele completed the game after stepping in midway through the third quarter, going 6 of 10 for 53 yards and throwing an interception that was returned 53 yards for a touchdown by linebacker Micah Baskerville. Buechele was also sacked six times and rushed three times for 22 yards.
The Bills have yet to announce the DiNucci signing, partly because they need to make a corresponding move to create a roster spot.
Ben DiNucci before he joined the Bills
Bringing in a third quarterback became essential, given that the team is reducing the preseason snaps for Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky to avoid potential injuries.
DiNucci was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft after spending his college years at Pittsburgh and James Madison.
The 27-year old gained recognition when he played three games and made one start for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 following Dak Prescott's ankle fracture and dislocation.
In those appearances, DiNucci completed 23 of 43 passes for 219 yards. Since then, he hasn't played in any regular-season NFL games.
DiNucci was released by Dallas prior to the 2022 NFL season and then found success in the XFL, where he became one of the league's top performers. During the 2023 season, he led the league with 2,671 passing yards, completing 64.7% of his throws and leading the Seattle Sea Dragons to a 7-3 record.
Time with the Denver Broncos
He later joined the Denver Broncos practice squad for the 2023 NFL season but was let go by the team in May.
DiNucci was waived shortly after the 2024 NFL Draft. The Broncos overhauled their quarterback lineup this offseason by releasing Russell Wilson, trading for Zach Wilson, and selecting Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in the draft.
With Jarrett Stidham as the remaining quarterback from the previous roster, there was no space left for DiNucci. Although a few teams showed interest in DiNucci, he now has the chance to compete for a roster spot with the Buffalo Bills.
DiNucci fitting with the Bills
Fortunately for DiNucci, the Bills need a quarterback who can quickly adapt, as the No. 3 quarterback will see substantial playing time in the upcoming preseason games.
Although DiNucci isn't familiar with Joe Brady’s system specifically, he has experience with a similar one. Sean Payton, who mentored Brady during his time as an offensive assistant, shares many concepts with Brady’s system. This means that DiNucci’s experience on the Broncos’ practice squad will align closely with the offensive strategies he'll encounter in Buffalo.
This familiarity should benefit Ben DiNucci as he prepares to participate in the team’s final two preseason games. If he demonstrates a solid understanding of Brady's offensive scheme, he has a strong chance of securing a spot on Buffalo's practice squad.
The Bills' remaining preseason
With Trubisky out for personal reasons on Monday, Josh Allen handled all the practice reps. He was limited to playing just the first quarter against Chicago, and it's not clear how many additional snaps he will get during the preseason.
Buffalo is set to conduct a joint practice with the Steelers on Thursday, followed by a preseason game at Pittsburgh on Sunday. The Bills will wrap up their preseason with a home game against Carolina Panthers on August 24.
Receivers Mack Hollins (leg) and Justin Shorter (knee) along with running back Ty Johnson (hamstring) have rejoined practice after missing most of last week. Meanwhile, safeties Mike Edwards (hamstring) and Cole Bishop (shoulder), receiver Chase Claypool (toe), and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (groin) are still out.
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