The Bills did not make a major investment at receiver during the 2025 NFL Draft
The wide receiver position continues to be a hot-button conversation among fans of the Buffalo Bills, especially after the team failed to make a significant investment in the position during the 2025 NFL Draft. In my opinion, the Bills will need to sign a free agent in the coming weeks to round out the team’s receiving corps.
While the club did select wide receiver Kaden Prather (Maryland) in Round 7 on Saturday, the Bills still have a hole to fill on their roster. The team has lost two key receivers from the 2024 roster in Amari Cooper (unrestricted free agent) and Mack Hollins (signed a two-year deal with the New England Patriots).
Hollins was on the roster for the entire season, playing just over 66% of the snaps on offense. While Cooper may not have lived up to expectations after being traded to the Bills, he still played 46% of the snaps in the eight games where he was on the active roster.
The signing of Joshua Palmer early in free agency will certainly fill one of the voids left by Cooper and Hollins, but the Bills haven’t made any other significant additions at the position. I have a fair amount of optimism about what Palmer will bring to the team, but adding him to a core including Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Curtis Samuel is not enough. Considering the Bills were unable to add a significant contributor at receiver in the draft, it’s time to look at some free-agent options.
Amari Cooper
This is an obvious name to consider, as Cooper remains an unrestricted free agent. Despite some flashes during his time in Buffalo, it’s safe to say that Cooper didn’t meet expectations after being acquired from the Cleveland Browns. Cooper suffered a wrist injury in his second game with the Bills, which derailed his production before he really started. Bringing him back to Buffalo would give both parties the chance to prove that the mid-season trade was not a mistake.
Keenan Allen
While Allen’s best years are behind him, he still had a productive season with the Chicago Bears last season (70 receptions, 744 yards, 7 touchdowns). Allen would bring experience and reliability to the receiver room, something that was lacking in 2024 outside of Shakir. Allen is just two seasons removed from a 2023 season that saw him catch 108 targets for 1,243 yards, which could make him a high floor/low ceiling investment at this point of his career.
Elijah Moore
If you are interested in an option that still has plenty of upside, Elijah Moore may be the answer you seek. A second-round pick of the New York Jets in 2021, Moore has had some, albeit modest, success in his four years in the NFL. He has averaged 60 catches a season over the past two seasons in Cleveland, with a mix of production coming from the slot and out wide. Moore would bring an element of speed that the Bills are currently lacking, having run a 4.35 40-yard dash at the 2021 NFL Scouting Combine.
Other options
At this stage of the NFL offseason, there aren’t too many notable options on the market. One might consider Diontae Johnson, who had a bit of a bizarre 2024 season that was split between three different teams. There are familiar names like D.J. Chark Jr., or a reunion with Deonte Harty that could garner some interest as well. Finally, there are some veterans who might be looking to catch on with a contender — a list that includes Robert Woods, Nelson Agholor, and Allen Robinson.
I don’t believe I’m in the minority when it comes to Buffalo’s need to add a wide receiver. Let me know which option you see as the best, or if there’s someone else that general manager Brandon Beane should consider leading up to training camp.