# Ralph Ventre: Ventre expects Shane Buechele to serve as Buffalo's third quarterback behind Josh Allen and Kyle Allen, Frank Gore Jr. to be the team's RB4, and suggests Greg Dortch may take over as the Bills' punt returner.

**Claimed:** Aug 31, 2026
**Pundit:** Ralph Ventre — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/ralph-ventre
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/onsi/transactions-buffalo-bills-practice-squad-tracker-who-joining-team-s-16-player-reserve-unit

3 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.

> He'll be the Bills' third quarterback with only Josh Allen and Kyle Allen on the 53-man roster.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Shane Buechele to be 3rd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Shane Buechele, Buffalo Bills
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Frank Gore Jr. to be 4th on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Frank Gore Jr., Buffalo Bills
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Greg Dortch to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Greg Dortch, Buffalo Bills
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Shane Buechele — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/shane-buechele
- Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills
- Frank Gore Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/frank-gore-jr
- Greg Dortch — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/greg-dortch

## What others said about the same people

- Danny Parkins on Peter Woods: Danny Parkins presented his one-and-only 2026 mock draft, including trades: Mendoza at 1 to the Raiders, David Bailey second to the Jets, the Cowboys trading up to No. 3 for Arvell Reese, the Bears trading up to 16 for Kadyn Proctor, and Ty Simpson going to Arizona at 32 at the end of round one. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d98bca2f-5fc3-4f68-8389-30f9a2cb906f (scored 87.81)
- Nick Wright on Cade McDonald: Nick Wright unveiled his full 32-pick 2026 NFL mock draft 4.0, starting with Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1 and ending with Avion Terrell to the Seahawks at 32. He also called Carnell Tate the best/safest receiver in the class, projected Ty Simpson inside the top 45, said Mendoza profiles as a low-end top-15 NFL quarterback, and expected the Dolphins to lose 15 games. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3c5ad8a4-034f-4abb-8806-20dd9e44b5c6 (scored 0)
- David Harrison on Dillon Thieneman: Harrison delivers his only first-round mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft, projecting all 32 first-round picks (including several trades) plus the rest of Washington's projected class, while noting it is an exercise in what could happen rather than a firm forecast. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5cc44fc1-4ff9-447a-9c32-5f715fa6e9ba (scored 64.84)
- Pat Gustavson on Caleb Lomu: Gustafson handled the even-numbered mock draft picks: David Bailey No. 2 to the Jets, Jeremiah Love No. 4 to the Titans, Karnell Tate No. 6 to the Browns, Ruben Bane No. 8 to the Saints, Jordan Tyson No. 10 to the Giants, and so on. He also said Ty Simpson will be the biggest first-round bust and predicted the Cowboys will trade up into the top five. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/30d59654-62db-490c-8786-44b8d55e5746 (scored 91.7)
- Nick Wright on Cade McDonald: Nick Wright laid out his full mock draft 3.0 for the 2026 NFL Draft, pick by pick through the first round, and also predicted AJ Brown would finish top five in the NFL in receiving yards with the Patriots. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/77faa345-d736-4a90-8185-b1b92c789e5a (scored 0)
- Mike Renner on Cade McDonald: Mike Renner made the even-numbered picks in the show's first-round mock, from Arvell Reese to the Jets at No. 2 through Chris Johnson to Seattle at 32, and also said he'd bet Omar Cooper Jr. is off the board before the Eagles pick at 23. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f93a0d01-bf42-4298-aeea-be59185728ab (scored 0)

## More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Carter Bahns on Shedeur Sanders: Bahns calls it reality that Shedeur Sanders will take over as Cleveland's starting quarterback by Week 4, with Deshaun Watson set to fail. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/18802de8-941e-4551-b6e3-df7a752020b6 (scored 0)
- Carter Bahns on Shedeur Sanders: A CBS Sports preseason overreaction column argues Shedeur Sanders will take over as Cleveland's starting quarterback by Week 4, that Ja'Kobi Lane has a real path to a No. 2 receiver role as a rookie, and that Kenneth Walker III is a legitimate lead back atop the Chiefs' depth chart. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e82d31e3-169f-4419-a38c-ceaaa1d053a7 (scored 0)
- Garrett Podell on Case Keenum: Podell ranks all 32 current NFL starting quarterbacks entering Week 3 of the 2026 season, with Josh Allen first, Patrick Mahomes second and Case Keenum last. He also expects Kyler Murray and Michael Penix Jr. to return to action in Week 3 and Case Keenum to possibly start for the Bears. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0e92b59e-0dd1-43c3-80c1-6551a8b641ac (scored 100)
- Fox Sports on Case Keenum: A roundup of NFC injury news expects Jameis Winston to start for the Giants in any games Jaxson Dart misses, and suggests third-stringer Case Keenum could end up starting for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3 with both Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent sidelined. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3aff6d9f-b997-480e-b323-740b6a4677ed (scored 100)
- Fox Sports on Case Keenum: With Caleb Williams injured and Tyson Bagent in concussion protocol, third-string quarterback Case Keenum is expected to start for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7726bb2f-b9aa-4c35-aa7b-e0b49990e867 (scored 100)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on Jonah Coleman: In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2cbd48f6-15ea-4aa5-84bc-bcc50d94d09a (scored 0)

---

Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=ralph-ventre
