Bills position preview: Minus Diggs, Davis, Bills look to committee of receivers to produce
Stefon Diggs and his high volume of production is now in Houston, replaced on the Bills with a committee of receivers.
This is the sixth in a series looking at the status of each position before the Buffalo Bills report to training camp on July 23. This installment: Receivers.
Last year, Washington, Houston and Cincinnati had three receivers apiece with at least 40 catches, a spread-the-football-around approach due to myriad circumstances.
The usually-playing-from-behind Commanders threw a league-high 636 passes, the Texans didn’t have a true No. 1 receiver and the Bengals had no choice but throw after their running game sunk to 31st.
Might the Bills be in that by-committee neighborhood this season? The obvious lean is “Heck, yeah.”
No Bills position group experienced more turnover during the offseason, a near-complete guard-change led by the trade of Stefon Diggs (107 catches last year) to Houston and departure of Gabe Davis (seven touchdown catches) to Jacksonville as a free agent. The Bills also let Trent Sherfield sign with Minnesota and cut Deonte Harty, who joined Baltimore.
The Buffalo Bills signed veteran receiver Curtis Samuel in March, reuniting him with new offensive coordinator Joe Brady after they worked together in Carolina. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
The Bills have seven new receivers under contract, led by veterans Curtis Samuel, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Chase Claypool and Mack Hollins and second-round rookie Keon Coleman.
Samuel was on the 2023 Washington club that had three receivers who caught between 49 and 79 passes (Samuel had 62). The other veterans are looking to kick-start their careers. Valdes-Scantling (last with Kansas City), Hollins (Atlanta) and Claypool (Chicago and Miami) combined for 47 catches and two touchdowns.
Entering training camp on July 23, the projected top three are Samuel, Coleman and the returning Khalil Shakir.
“The biggest thing is, ‘All right, what do these wide receivers do well? Let’s find ways to put them in those positions,’ ” offensive coordinator Joe Brady said in June. “Right now, we have a lot of newness in the receiver room and there’s so much excitement with that. I think it’s important for us to not sit here and focus on, ‘We have to replace this.’ ”
The Bills don’t have to replace Shakir, who broke through late last season, catching 13 passes in the final three regular season games and 10 passes in two playoff games. He can line up in the slot and earned quarterback Josh Allen’s trust to get open on extended plays.
Returnees: Shakir, Justin Shorter, Andy Isabella, Tyrell Shavers and Bryan Thompson.
Newcomers: Samuel, Coleman, Valdes-Scantling, Claypool, Hollins, KJ Hamler, Xavier Johnson and Lawrence Keys.
Departures: Diggs (Houston), Davis (Jacksonville), Sherfield (Minnesota) and Harty (Baltimore).
Top position battle: Nos. 5-6 receivers. Smart money – and obvious money – is a top four of Samuel, Coleman, Shakir and Valdes-Scantling, leaving a group of Claypool, Hollins, Shorter and maybe even Isabella vying for two spots.
What to expect: Balance. Last season, Diggs (107), Davis (45), Shakir (39), Harty (15) and Sherfield (11) combined for 217 catches. If the passing game goes through second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid, no receiver will approach 100 catches. But expect the Bills to prioritize versatility, both in terms of where Brady can line them up and routes he can draw up.
