New Look Buffalo Bills Receiver Room
Two out; two in. Who's their number one? Will it work?
Bills Receivers: Two Out
Following the season and some drama we won’t get into, the Buffalo Bills lost their guy - Stefon Diggs. Say what you will about Diggs, but he gave the Bills some great years. Buffalo also lost deep threat Gabe Davis, who was less beloved than the former but still was an important part of the offense.
The team was left with one lonely Khalil Shakir who didn’t expect to be Josh Allen’s WR1 so soon. But of course that wasn’t to last - if Shakir is going to be their top option he will have to fight for it.
Two In
Stuck in less-than-ideal situations, Curtis Samuel managed to produce decently so he should excel on a new team with a great offense and an elite quarterback. He’s never had a monster year but he’s had big games and never has had QB play even close to Josh Allen. He fits in nicely as a slot receiver and can be molded into what the team needs.
With the 33rd pick in the NFL Draft the Buffalo Bills selected, Keon Coleman, wide receiver out of Florida State University. After a head-scratcher of a trade back giving Kansas City their preferred option, the Bills salvaged their position by trading back again, this time with Carolina.
So while Keon Coleman slipped out of the first, it should be noted that Buffalo preferred him over round one receivers like Xavier Worthy, Ricky Pearsall and Xavier Legette, all of which they could have drafted.
Coleman’s build looks like the real deal – 6’4” 220 pounds and all the athletic testing numbers you’d want. His skills are a little raw, but it's not very concerning for a guy who just turned 21 last month and looks like an alpha receiver prototype.
Who is their number one?
There’s a good chance Coleman is Buffalo’s guy, if not next year then beyond. But short-term Shakir could be their number one because he looked great closing out last season. He knows the offense and the team very well so he also has that advantage over Coleman and Samuel.
There’s also an argument that Buffalo’s number one receiver is a tight end. Dalton Kincaid stepped up last year when Dawson Knox went down and proved his hands and route running for the most part. The Bills often went to Kincaid when they needed a first down and he usually delivered. In this new offense without Diggs, the tight end could be set up for an even bigger role.
Buffalo also picked up some depth pieces in Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Chase Claypool, who is wearing Diggs’ old number 14. If they see the field it's probably not great news for Buffalo because it means one of their starters didn't work out or got hurt.
Will it work?
The wide receiver trio of Shakir, Samuel and Coleman is far from the sexiest room in the league but it gets the job done. There's no true alpha but with Allen at the helm he should be able to disperse the ball between them depending on what the defense allows. Throw Kincaid and James Cook into the mix and all of a sudden they have five viable targets.