Roundtable: Do the Buffalo Bills really have a need at wide receiver? And if so, how much?
News sports writers Jay Skurski, Ryan O'Halloran and Katherine Fitzgerald answer the following question: On a scale of 1-10, how big is the Bills' need at the position?
The wide receiver position has been a hot topic lately regarding the Buffalo Bills, especially in the wake of general manager Brandon Beane’s recent testy appearance on WGR-AM 550, during which he defended the Bills’ approach to the NFL draft. With that in mind, News sports writers Jay Skurski, Ryan O’Halloran and Katherine Fitzgerald answer the following question: On a scale of 1-10, how big is the Bills’ need at the position?
Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman will have a lot to prove in his second season. Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
Jay Skurski
5. At the risk of feeling the wrath of Brandon Beane … the Bills still need a receiver. The only one of their projected top four receivers who doesn’t have a big question hovering over him is Khalil Shakir. Keon Coleman? Both Beane and coach Sean McDermott publicly expressed their concern with how Coleman returned from his wrist injury last season as a rookie. He’s got as much to prove as anyone on the roster going into his second year. Curtis Samuel? He battled injuries and barely was a factor for almost his entire first year in Buffalo. Sure, he made a couple of plays in the postseason, and that’s encouraging, but his 2024 season was largely a disappointment. Joshua Palmer? On paper, the skill set he brings looks like a good match for what the Bills need, but he’s never caught a pass from Josh Allen. At this point, he’s a projection. It’s hard to look at that group and not feel that a vertical threat who can stretch the field and keep defenses honest is still a need. After that, the Bills are one sprained ankle away from … who? Tyrell Shavers? Jalen Virgil? It’s comical that, hours after Beane’s radio rant, he confirmed that the team was hosting Elijah Moore on a free-agent visit. That is an acknowledgement in and of itself of the need at the position. Signing Moore, which the Bills did Wednesday afternoon, doesn't completely erase the need, but it does provide some depth. It's a start.Katherine Fitzgerald
4. I skew optimistic on the group and the rest of the offense to make things happen. That said, a potential injury is a concern for me, since the group is lacking depth. Before the draft, I wrote that it wasn’t a major need for Day 1 or Day 2, but that I certainly would have accepted the move if Beane and company took a receiver early. I’m still in a similar mindset, though. I think this group, with the help of quarterback Josh Allen, can keep the Bills rolling, but I would never be against adding another playmaker. I want to see a better year from tight end Dalton Kincaid and added use of running back Ty Johnson in the passing game. I’m also looking for a healthy Keon Coleman to step up and for Joshua Palmer to be a stronger addition to the receiving corps than Curtis Samuel was last year. So, roll with this group until proven otherwise.
Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir makes a catch against Chiefs safety Jaden Hicks during the AFC championship game on Jan. 26 in Kansas City, Mo. Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
