Bills Rookie WR 'Continues To Grow': 'From Day 1!'

Could Buffalo Bills rookie receiver Justin Shorter be working his way into a role within the offense?

Thus far, he has impressed at training camp and had a strong showing in Buffalo's 27-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. Shorter's size and ability to improve his technique have caught the eye of offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey.

"One of the biggest things is just his physical presence out there and his ability to play fast," Dorsey said. "He continues to grow from a detail [and] technique standpoint of playing the position. Whether it's releases, route stems, zone spacing, all those little nuance things that just come through experience and reps. He's done a great job." 

The 6-4, 223-pound receiver had five catches for a game-high 47 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers. Shorter's touchdown came on a 17-yard pass from quarterback Kyle Allen with just under a minute left in the game.

Buffalo took Shorter in the fifth round with the No. 150 overall pick in April's draft. Shorter, who was the No. 1 receiver in his high school class, played collegiality at Penn State (2018-2019) and Florida (2020-2022).

Shorter's ability to understand the offense also got rave reviews from Dorsey.

"Mentally, from day one, he's really pushed himself to learn this playbook, and he continues to grow and really has done a nice job," Dorsey said. "I think you saw that last game. [He has] continued his stride within what we're doing."

If Shorter can continue to impress, he could find his way onto the team and have a chance to develop into a reliable weapon for Buffalo as soon as this season.