The Bills released Byrd on Sunday.
After spending most of the 2023 season on the Falcons' practice squad, Byrd signed with the Commanders in May before being released in late July. He managed to catch on with the Bills on Aug. 12, and he caught his lone pass for 20 yards in Saturday's preseason game against the Panthers. The 31-year-old wide receiver will now look to catch on with a team in need of veteran wide receiver depth.
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Bills' Damiere Byrd: Lands in Buffalo
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The Bills signed Byrd to a contract Monday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Byrd spent most of last season on Atlanta's practice squad, though he got into one game with the Falcons and logged 18 offensive snaps, recording zero catches on two targets. The veteran wideout's best NFL campaign came in 2020 with New England, when he caught 47 passes for 604 yards and a touchdown. Byrd also has experience as a kick and punt returner, though most of his work in that capacity came early in his career. He joins a Buffalo wide-receiver room that looks dramatically different than last season due to the departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.
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Damiere Byrd: Dropped by Washington
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The Commanders released Byrd on Wednesday.
Byrd agreed to terms with the Commanders in May, but the team has now decided to part ways with the 31-year-old wideout. In a corresponding move, Washington signed WR Byron Pringle.
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Commanders' Damiere Byrd: Headed to nation's capital
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Byrd agreed to a contract with the Commanders on Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Byrd appeared in just one game during the 2023 campaign after the Falcons elevated him from the practice squad in early November. The 31-year-old had previously played 14 games with Atlanta in 2022, collecting 13 receptions (on 23 targets) for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Byrd has played for five teams during his career, and he'll now reunite in Washington with Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who was Bryd's head coach in Arizona during the 2019 season.
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Damiere Byrd: Joins Houston's practice squad
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Byrd signed with Houston's practice squad Wednesday.
The Texans signed Steven Sims from the practice squad to the active roster Tuesday, and they are bringing in Byrd one day later to fill that vacated spot. Byrd could be elevated for Saturday's divisional round game against the Ravens, as Robert Woods (hip) and John Metchie (foot) were limited participants in practice Tuesday after Noah Brown (shoulder) was placed on injured reserve Monday, leaving the Texans thin at wide receiver.
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Damiere Byrd: Let loose by Atlanta
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The Falcons cut Byrd from their practice squad Wednesday, Scott Bair of the team's official site reports.
Byrd originally joined Atlanta's practice squad in mid-October, and he ended up playing in one game for the club, logging 18 offensive snaps while failing to bring in either of his two targets against Minnesota in Week 9. The veteran wideout was also with the Falcons for much of last season, catching 13 of 23 targets for 268 yards and two touchdowns over 14 contests. Byrd should get a look from another organization given his wealth of experience in the league -- he's played in 76 regular-season games over eight campaigns spent with five different teams.
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Damiere Byrd: Heads back to practice squad
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The Falcons reverted Byrd to their practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
Byrd saw his first action of the season Sunday against Minnesota, getting two targets (neither of which he caught). His elevation ahead of that contest was a result of Drake London being held out due to a groin injury. Though London has a chance to return against Arizona in Week 10, Mack Hollins suffered an ankle injury versus the Vikings that has put his status for this Sunday in doubt. Should London and/or Hollins need to sit out this weekend, Byrd could be called upon again, though his role likely wouldn't be significant enough to warrant fantasy consideration.
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Falcons' Damiere Byrd: Plays 19 offensive snaps in debut
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Byrd didn't record a catch on two targets during Sunday's 31-28 loss to the Vikings.
With Drake London (groin) sidelined, Byrd was elevated from the practice squad for the first time this year and made his season debut. Both of Byrd's targets were deep shots and one was intercepted. Across 14 appearances last year, Byrd caught 13 of 23 targets for 268 yards (20.6 YPC) and two scores. He'll have a chance to replicate those occasional big-play numbers if London and Mack Hollins (ankle) are sidelined moving forward, but Byrd doesn't need to be on fantasy radars in standard leagues.
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Falcons' Damiere Byrd: Elevated Saturday
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The Falcons promoted Byrd to their active roster Saturday, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Atlanta added Byrd to its practice squad in mid-October, and with Drake London (groin) missing this Sunday's contest, he's been elevated to the team's active roster. The 30-year-old wideout's last in-game action came in 2022, when he recorded 268 yards in 14 appearances for the Falcons.
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Damiere Byrd: Agrees on injury settlement
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Byrd (hamstring) was released from injured reserve by the Panthers with an injury settlement Friday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Byrd was facing the possibility of missing the entire 2023 season before reaching this agreement. According to Joe Person of The Athletic, his hamstring injury will require surgery, but it is not believed to be season-ending. Thus, once he has recovered, the pass catcher will be free to try and snag a new opportunity.
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Panthers' Damiere Byrd: Moved to injured reserve
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Byrd (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday.
This transaction will keep Byrd out for the entirety of the 2023 season unless the wide receiver reaches an injury settlement with the Panthers, which would then free him up to sign back with Carolina or join another team. Joe Person of The Athletic believes there's a chance Byrd will attempt to reach an injury settlement with the team, as his hamstring injury requires surgery but isn't believed to be season-ending.
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Panthers' Damiere Byrd: Will miss time
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Byrd suffered a hamstring injury during practice Tuesday, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.
Byrd's injury was described as severe, according to head coach Frank Reich. He is expected to miss at least a month, which would put him in jeopardy of missing the team's Week 1 game against the Falcons. That is if he makes the 53-man roster, which was no guarantee for the veteran receiver, and perhaps this injury lessens his chances to do so.
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Panthers' Damiere Byrd: Signs with Carolina
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Byrd signed with the Panthers on Friday.
The 30-year-old wideout started at least three games each of the past four seasons, playing for a different team every year and maxing out at 604 yards for the Patriots in 2020. Byrd now returns to Carolina, where he made 17 appearances (three starts) from 2016 to 2018 and caught only 12 passes for 129 yards and two TDs. He's one of the smaller receivers in the league -- listed at 5-foot-9, 175 pounds -- and figures to start off no higher than third or fourth on Carolina's depth chart, behind Adam Thielen and DJ Chark (ankle) at the very least.
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Falcons' Damiere Byrd: Scores two touchdowns in 2022
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Byrd caught 13 of 23 targets for 268 yards and two touchdowns across 14 appearances during the 2022 campaign.
From Weeks 7 through 11, Byrd caught nine of 14 targets for 229 yards and two touchdowns, displaying major big-play ability. However, he saw two or fewer targets in his other nine appearances and was held without a catch in five of those games. The veteran wideout has played for five different teams in as many campaigns and will be a free agent again this offseason.
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Falcons' Damiere Byrd: One catch in loss
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Byrd caught his only target for 12 yards during Sunday's 19-16 loss against Pittsburgh.
Byrd's lone catch went for 12 yards on third down in the first quarter. From Week 7 to 11, the wideout caught nine passes for 229 yards and two scores, but in his other five appearances this season, he's secured just one of three targets for 12 yards. Byrd's firmly entrenched behind Drake London and Olamide Zaccheaus on the depth chart and should remain on waivers in standard fantasy leagues.
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Falcons' Damiere Byrd: Leads Atlanta in receiving
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Byrd secured three of four targets for 58 yards in Thursday's 25-15 loss to the Panthers.
Byrd's modest production Thursday was a bounce-back performance after going catchless in Week 9. With that said, the veteran wideout has totaled just seven grabs for 200 yards and two touchdowns through seven games played. As the Falcons' No. 3 wideout in a struggling passing attack, Byrd is difficult to trust for fantasy purposes. The 29-year-old will look to take a step forward when the Falcons host the Bears in Week 11.
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Falcons' Damiere Byrd: Fails to secure only target
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Byrd failed to haul in his only target during Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Chargers.
Byrd played 29 offensive snaps, which was third most among Atlanta's wideouts behind Drake London (46) and Olamide Zaccheaus (43). However, Byrd, who'd caught four of seven passes for 142 yards and two scores over his past two appearances, was held in check against the Chargers. The veteran has emerged as a big-play wideout for Marcus Mariota recently, but Byrd's production will likely be sporadic moving forward.
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Falcons' Damiere Byrd: Back-to-back games with TD
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Byrd caught three of six targets for 67 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 37-34 overtime win versus the Panthers.
Byrd finished second on the team in targets behind Kyle Pitts, but the former's go-ahead 47-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter accounted for the majority of his production. It was the second straight game that Byrd used his speed to create a big-play score. He has now totaled 142 yards and two scores across Atlanta's past two games after failing to catch either of his targets over his three previous appearances. Byrd's current pace is likely unsustainable, but he figures to continue garnering looks as long as he's able to make big plays after the catch.
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Falcons' Damiere Byrd: Catches first pass of season
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Byrd caught his only target for 75 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 35-17 loss to the Bengals.
After being a healthy inactive for the first three games of the season, Byrd has appeared in four straight contests and garnered just one target in three of those appearances. However, he made the most of his only target against Cincinnati by burning the Bengals secondary for a 75-yard touchdown at the end of the second quarter, marking his first reception and touchdown of the 2022 campaign.
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Falcons' Damiere Byrd: Healthy inactive for Week 1
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Byrd (coach's decision) is a healthy inactive for Sunday's game against the Saints, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
With No. 1 wideout Drake London (knee) gaining clearance to make his NFL debut after being listed as questionable heading into the weekend, Byrd will be the odd man out of Atlanta's receiving corps for Week 1. Byrd, who signed a one-year, $1.19 million contract with Atlanta this offseason, suited up in all 17 games for the Bears a season ago and finished with a 26-329-1 receiving line on 38 targets. He looks as though he'll be ticketed for a smaller role with Atlanta in 2022.
