ESPN: Bills still have hole at receiver this offseason
The Buffalo Bills did not use a top selection at the 2023 NFL draft on a wide receiver.
Instead, the Bills opted for tight end Dalton Kincaid. The team moved up two spots to select him at No. 25 overall. Kincaid is a pass-catching specialist at his position.
ESPN still thinks Buffalo needs help out wide.
The former world-wide leader named the biggest hole still remaining for each NFL team following both free agency and the draft. Receiver was named for the Bills.
The idea in Buffalo reading this will immediately bring up the thought of DeAndre Hopkins. Even more so since he was released by the Arizona Cardinals.
However, despite being a free agent, reports indicate Hopkins still wants to be paid.
The problem for Hopkins? So far, only two teams reportedly wanted to trade for him: the Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, a pair of clubs that are both cap-strapped.
It might be some time before Hopkins signs and he could end circling back to teams and taking less if he does not get a deal he like.
Regardless, even if Buffalo doesn’t land Hopkins, they still have plenty of time to sort out the position. Kincaid could turn out to be enough, or other offseason additions such as free-agent signee Deonte Harty or fifth-round rookie Justin Shorter might prove their worth.
Here’s the breakdown on the receiver position via ESPN:
Roster hole: Wide receiver
The Bills’ No. 1 option, Stefon Diggs, is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He finished fourth in the ESPN NFL receiver rankings driven by NFL Next Gen Stats data. Then there’s a steep drop-off. No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis was 100th out of 111 receivers and tight ends in that same metric.
Last year’s fifth-round Khalil Shakir is the main slot receiver. He impresses with speed but had just 10 receptions and a middling DVOA as a rookie. Deonte Harty was primarily a return specialist for the Saints and was injured most of last year, although he did have an impressive 15.8 yards per reception in 2021. Trent Sherfield is on his fourth team and didn’t play much over 2019-2021 before he had 30 catches for the Dolphins last year.
The Bills could use a big upgrade at this position, which is why they were so frequently tied to Odell Beckham Jr. before he signed with Baltimore. Perhaps that upgrade can come from a midseason trade?
