Buffalo Bills Invite Two Former Players to OTAs for a Chance at a Return

Buffalo, NY – May 20, 2025

The Buffalo Bills have invited two former players to their Organized Team Activities (OTAs), offering them a chance to return to the roster, sources told ESPN. As the team kicks off spring practices at Highmark Stadium, the move signals a strategic effort to bolster depth for a 2025 Super Bowl run.

Wide receiver Amari Cooper and linebacker Tyler Matakevich are the familiar faces back in Orchard Park. Cooper, who played 10 games for the Bills in 2024 with 24 catches for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns, was recently cut by the Browns after a one-year stint. Matakevich, a special teams standout from 2020 to 2023, is a free agent after a year with the Steelers.

"I’d love to finish what I started here,” Cooper told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio. “Buffalo gave me a chance—I’m ready to compete and help this team win.”

Cooper’s return could address the Bills’ need for a true WR1 after cutting Curtis Samuel. With Josh Palmer, Elijah Moore, and Khalil Shakir leading the receiving corps, the 31-year-old’s experience—9,486 career yards and 5 Pro Bowl selections—offers a veteran boost for Josh Allen’s 4,306-yard MVP offense.

Matakevich, meanwhile, brings depth to the linebacker room and special teams. Over four seasons with Buffalo, he recorded 98 tackles and excelled in special teams, earning a reputation for reliability. He’ll compete with Dorian Williams and Joe Andreessen for a roster spot, adding grit to a unit preparing for a tough home clash with the Chiefs.

"Tyler knows our system and culture,” said Brandon Beane. “Both he and Amari have a chance to prove they belong on this championship roster.”

The Bills, with $28.2 million in cap space, are balancing veteran additions with internal challenges, like rookie T.J. Sanders’s holdout over a contract dispute. James Cook’s 1,086-yard rushing complements Allen’s leadership, but the team needs cohesion to achieve their title dreams.

As OTAs unfold, Cooper and Matakevich’s performances could shape their futures—and the Bills’ season. Their return adds intrigue to a squad determined to end Buffalo’s Super Bowl drought in 2025.