After rookie mini-camp, the Buffalo Bills signed veteran pass rusher Shane Ray, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2018 and is a former teammate of Von Miller. Once Ray’s contract expired in Denver, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens, who later cut him during the 2019 preseason. After that, Ray spent two seasons in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts. In his Argos tenure, Ray totaled six sacks, 17 tackles, and two forced fumbles in 18 games.
“Words can’t describe the emotions I’m feeling right now. So many tears, sleepless nights, depression, everything that comes with losing the game. So many days of having nothing but hope while fighting a uphill battle.”
Shane Ray on signing with the Bills (Shane Ray/Instagram)
Ray’s best season came in 2016 where he totaled eight sacks, 48 tackles, and one forced fumble working opposite of Von Miller. Ray’s tenure would go downhill with Denver as he missed significant time due to wrist injuries. He tore a ligament in his wrist in 2017 that forced him to miss eight weeks of the season and again in 2018, when he underwent another wrist injury that would sideline him for three months.
Ray will likely battle for the final DE position with Boogie Basham and AJ Epenesa. Ray, who turns 30 years old on Thursday, may only be a camp body/practice squad player. But the idea of what he could turn into, with the depth that the Buffalo Bills have at the position, is quite interesting. Ray brings versatility to the defense as well, playing OLB, Inside LB, and DE during his Broncos tenure. That’s something that Buffalo has focused on this off-season on defense, with a good portion of their defensive signings and draft picks playing multiple positions.
If he looks good in training camp, it shouldn’t be that difficult to win the job over Boogie Basham. Basham totaled two sacks and one INT in 15 games last year, making zero starts across the DL. Ray likely had Von Miller in Brandon Beane’s ear bringing him to Buffalo. If so, that’s already a plus over Basham.
Ray joins a DE room consisting of…
- Von Miller
- Greg Rousseau
- Boogie Basham
- AJ Epenesa
- Kingsley Jonathan
- Kameron Cline
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