Today’s edition of “91 Buffalo Bills players in 91 days” was supposed to cover cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. However, as is the fickle nature of the NFL, Porter was released on June 1. I had assumed that Porter had little chance of making the final roster, hence his early placement in the series, but his release came even sooner than I had anticipated.
Now, we turn our focus instead to the man who replaced Porter on the 91-man roster. He doesn’t play defense — he’s a wide receiver — but he is an intriguing young prospect, and someone whose name flows very well with the most annoying dance craze of the 1990s.
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Without further adieu, let’s talk about a former Fresno State Bulldog looking to make his mark in the NFL.
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Name: Mac Dalena
Number: Unknown
Position: WR
Height/Weight: 5’10”, 180 pounds
Age: 24 (25 on 10/4/2026)
Experience/Draft: 1; signed with the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2025 NFL Draft
College: Fresno State
Acquired: Signed with Bills on 6/1/2026
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Unknown, but I assume it’s a one-year deal at the minimum, which is approximately $885,000 for the season.
2025 Recap: Dalena spent the offseason and preseason with the Chiefs last year. In three preseason games, he saw four targets and made two catches for nine yards. He did not make the final roster, nor did he sign with Kansas City’s practice squad. He eventually landed with the Seattle Seahawks, signing with their practice squad on November 4. He was released from the practice squad just four days later. The New York Jets signed Dalena to a reserve/future contract in January, but they released him on May 10.
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Positional outlook: Dalena is one of 13 receivers on the current roster. Khalil Shakir, DJ Moore, Tyrell Shavers, Joshua Palmer, Keon Coleman, Stephen Gosnell, Trent Sherfield, Mecole Hardman Jr., Gabriel Benyard, Skyler Bell, Ja’Mori Maclin, and Jalen Virgil are the others.
2026 Offseason: Dalena just signed with Buffalo, but he is healthy and ready to participate in minicamp and training camp.
2026 Season outlook: Dalena offers some promise as a slot receiver, as he’s definitely quick enough to operate in that area of the field despite his lack of size. At his pro day in 2024, Dalena ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash, and completed the three-cone drill in just 6.89 seconds. He also showed off a 38.5” vertical and a 10’5” leap in the broad jump. Dalena has a small frame and short arms, so he doesn’t offer much in the way of contested-catch value, but he does offer enough speed and quickness where he could parlay a strong summer into a stint on Buffalo’s practice squad.
I say “practice squad” and not the 53-man roster because there isn’t anything to suggest that the Bills will go with a soon-to-be 25-year-old as one of the final wideouts who makes the roster, and nor should they. This is a Buffalo team that needs to be in win-now mode, and unless Dalena comes in and sets the practice field on fire against the first-team defense, he isn’t going to make the team.
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Could he slot in as a potential backup for Shakir? He may show enough promise in head coach Joe Brady’s offense where that could be a long-term goal, but Dalena is unlikely to be a solution for the team in the short-term.
Dalena has proven that he can be a difference-maker on offense before. As a senior at Fresno State, he caught 64 passes for 1,065 yards and eight scores. He led the Bulldogs in all three categories. For his efforts, Dalena was named a Second-Team All-American by HERO Sports, and he was also First-Team All-Mountain West.
If Dalena wants to prove his mettle, he’ll have to compete on special teams and show that his field-stretching speed outweighs his slight stature. He’s likely a camp body, but he could be a fun player to watch during the summer if he finds some open field.
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