Last offseason, the Buffalo Bills revamped their offense, moving on from their two leading wide receivers and allowing several other veteran players to leave in free agency.
The team delivered one of the most successful offensive seasons in franchise history, scoring a record-breaking 525 points and reaching the AFC Championship game. However, general manager Brandon Beane thinks there may still be a missing piece to the offense—one the team could pursue this offseason.
Bills Need Field-Stretching Wide Receiver
At the NFL Combine this week, Beane told reporters that the team could benefit from adding more speed to their wide receiver group. Instead of having a true deep threat, the team prioritized size and contested-catch ability.
Beane suggested that the team could still add more speed to complement quarterback Josh Allen, who recently became the first Bills player to win league MVP since running back Thurman Thomas in 1991.
Beane downplayed the idea that a lack of speed cost the team a Super Bowl, but acknowledged there’s room for improvement. “Could we improve it? Yes,” he said, via the Democrat & Chronicle. “We’re always looking to add speed, but they’ve got to be football players, too. So I’m never going to turn down speed, I promise you. You want speed at as many positions as you can. But football isn’t played on a track—it’s about the whole package. We evaluate the football player first and then ask, ‘What else do they bring to the equation?’”
Beane described speed as more of a luxury than a necessity this offseason, noting that the team averaged over 30 points per game in 2024.
“Maybe you could say we didn’t have enough speed… but we averaged over 30 points per game,” Beane said. “You know what I mean? If we were, say, the 20th-ranked offense and a lack of speed was a recurring issue, I’d probably agree with that.”
New Approach Worked for Buffalox
Last year, the Bills revamped their offense by trading top receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans and allowing No. 2 option Gabe Davis to leave in free agency. In 2024, they embraced an “everybody eats” philosophy, distributing the ball among a broader group of pass-catchers and entering the season without a clear No. 1 receiver.
Nine Bills players recorded at least 250 receiving yards during the season, with Khalil Shakir leading the way with 76 catches for 821 yards and four touchdowns. This week, the team rewarded Shakir with a four-year contract worth up to $60.2 million, including $32 million in guaranteed money.
As Anthony Miller of SI.com pointed out, Shakir’s new contract solidifies him as the team’s top wide receiver. However, he also suggested that the Bills could invest a high draft pick to further strengthen the position.
“By default, Shakir will be the No. 1 receiver unless Keon Coleman breaks out in his sophomore season,” Miller wrote. “Tight end Dalton Kincaid provides another dependable target in the passing game, giving the Bills plenty to work with between those three.”
