The Buffalo Bills were a few big plays away from winning the AFC Championship Game and making it to the Super Bowl. However, it wasn’t meant to be. Buffalo’s defense couldn’t stop the Kansas City Chiefs buzzsaw, and the Bills offense came just short of keeping pace with Patrick Mahomes and Co.
Now, the Bills go into the 2025 offseason with a need to improve both units.
One key area of emphasis has to be offensive weapons. Amari Cooper will be a free agent, and the team has no game-changing playmakers beyond James Cook. As a result, one analyst believes that must be a key priority for them in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Will Buffalo Bills Learn From 2024 NFL Draft Mistake?
At the 2024 NFL Combine, Xavier Worthy recorded the fastest 40-yard dash in NFL history. It sparked Mahomes’ curiosity, who made it clear that he wanted Worthy on the roster. Still, the Bills made a trade with the Chiefs to let them acquire the speedy wide receiver.
Worthy went on to lead all Chiefs receivers in yards and even tallied the most receiving yards by a rookie in Super Bowl history. Safe to say, he’s quickly become a part of the long-term plan in Kansas City, all thanks to Buffalo.
This year, though, Joe DeLeone of PFSN believes they won’t make the same mistake again. After focusing on the defensive side of the ball with their first two picks, he has them going after another Texas receiver, Isaiah Bond, with the No. 62 overall pick.
“Last year Buffalo passed on the chance to draft a speedy Texas receiver who went on to be a key piece to the Chiefs’ success. This time around, they can take a swing on Isaiah Bond who has an equally high ceiling. Bond struggled down the stretch with concentration drops, but his elite speed is worth taking the risk on his upside.”
The lead receiver for the Bills last season, Khalil Shakir, had just 821 receiving yards. Instead, the team had to rely heavily on the run to support an offense that ranked fourth in PFSN’s Offense+ ranking.
MORE: Try PFSN’s Free Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
It was good enough to support eight consecutive games with 30 or more points. But by the time the postseason arrived, the Chiefs were able to exploit the offense’s relatively one-dimensional nature.
As a result, adding quality wide receivers like Bond has to be a priority for the team to have that versatility on offense to support a potential Super Bowl contender. Bond isn’t likely to produce high totals early on, with his career-high at Texas just 668 yards.
But his average yards per attempt of 15.9 is exactly the kind of explosiveness the Bills currently lack. He could add that extra layer to the team and give Josh Allen a prime target to target downfield.
