Just 3 Hours After Being Released by the Chiefs, Josh Allen’s Former “Right-Hand Man” Emerges as the Bills’ Top Playoff Target — A Quiet “Upgrade” for QB No. 17

Buffalo, New York – January 6, 2026

Just hours after being placed on waivers by the Kansas City Chiefs, a familiar name inside the quarterback room of the Buffalo Bills has quickly surfaced as a top priority ahead of the playoffs. It’s not a flashy signing. It’s not a headline-grabbing move. But it’s one Buffalo understands better than almost anyone else.

That player is Shane Buechele.

Buechele made his NFL debut with Kansas City in Week 18, only to be released just hours after the game. For many teams, he might register as little more than another reserve quarterback on the market. For the Bills, he represents something very different — a known quantity, someone who spent three seasons on Buffalo’s practice squad, knows the system inside and out, and, most importantly, knows Josh Allen on a deeper level than most.

During his time in Buffalo, Buechele was never just QB3. He filled a hybrid role — part quarterback, part tactical sounding board — working closely with Josh Allen on mechanics, defensive reads, and weekly preparation. Coaches have described him as a “caddie” in the quarterback room — the kind of presence that helps a franchise QB stay sharp, centered, and detail-oriented when pressure mounts.

That’s why Kansas City’s decision to move on from Buechele immediately after the season ended opened a clear window for Buffalo. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, the Bills could bring him back quickly — no acclimation period, no trial phase, just a seamless return to a familiar environment.

Inside the building, the potential reunion is viewed as a quiet but highly practical upgrade for the postseason. The Bills understand that January football isn’t only about arm talent or playmaking — it’s about stability in the quarterback room, about keeping Josh Allen mentally and mechanically locked in through every snap of a win-or-go-home stretch.

When Allen spoke recently about the importance of the people around him during the most critical moments of a season, he offered a revealing — and intentionally anonymous — insight:

“There’s a guy in that room who’s been through a lot with me — the quiet work, the small details nobody sees, and even the moments where you have to look yourself in the mirror. He understands what I’m thinking before I say it. When he’s there, everything feels clearer and a lot more simple.”

For the Bills, that’s the value of this move. It’s not about adding another arm. It’s about restoring a trusted mind, someone who helps QB No. 17 stay in rhythm, stay grounded, and stay himself when the postseason pressure reaches its peak.

The playoffs magnify every detail. And in a journey where the smallest mistake can end a season, Buffalo is targeting a very specific edge — bringing the “right-hand man” back into the quarterback room so Josh Allen can enter January as the best version of himself.