Bills

The Bills and Lions square off Thursday Night in a game where both teams have become adept at running the hook-and-ladder. Buffalo WR Khalil Shakir called it “the most beautiful thing ever” when it works and said they practice it often. 

“When it works, it’s the most beautiful thing ever,” Shakir said, via Tim Graham of The Athletic. “All the times you’ve practiced it, you might’ve not called it in 10 weeks, but when you finally call it, you can’t stop smiling.”

Bills RB Ty Johnson reiterated that they put effort into practicing the hook-and-ladder and it isn’t a random play. 

“It’s not something we just twiddle our thumbs and draw it up in the sand,” Johnson said. “It’s difficult because, for instance, me getting through the line: You might have to navigate through the O-line and the D-line. The receivers have to get through coverages, and they’re getting pressed a lot of times. The outside receiver, he’s running an in-cut, so he’s really got to get off his (defender) in man pressure, secure the ball and then toss it before he gets tackled. You’ve got to put the time in at practice to execute it.”

Shakir mentioned how they disguise the play and can call it at any time. 

“You never know when it’s coming,” Shakir said. “We line up in that formation, two by two, a thousand times in the year, and we’re moving guys around, switching them up, using motion. It’s one of those plays you practice and study for the end of the game, but it can come up whenever. It’s in the playbook. You want to call it on first down? I say go ahead.”

Jets

• Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Jets WR Omar Cooper Jr. is week-to-week with an ankle injury, but it “doesn’t sound like he will miss a lot of time there.” 

Patriots

• Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice coming off an ankle injury, putting him on track to play in Week 2 barring a setback. (Mike Reiss)
• Henderson on Thursday: “I’m ready to go.” (Reiss)
• The Patriots renegotiated WR Mack Hollins‘ incentive package in 2026 to make them harder to achieve, per Spotrac. 
• Hollins’ restructured contract increased his reception incentives from 30 to 47 for $300,000, 40 to 50 for another $300,000, and 50 to 55 for $400,000. 
• Patriots DT DaQuan Jones‘ one-year, $3.5 million contract includes a $1 million signing bonus, $1,397,778 of his $1.48 million salary is guaranteed, and he can make up to $960,000 in per-game roster bonuses. (OverTheCap)