Stefon Diggs is headed to Houston after the Buffalo Bills shipped him off in exchange for draft compensation. It’s another hit to an already depleted wide receiver room for the Bills, one that the franchise needs to address one way or another between now and the start of the regular season.
Bills’s Depth Chart at WR Following Stefon Diggs Trade
Buffalo is now down each of its top two receivers from a season ago. Diggs is gone after hauling in 107 passes for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns across 17 regular-season appearances, while Gabe Davis signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency after tallying 45 catches for 746 yards and seven touchdowns.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid is one key returner in the passing game, while Khalil Shakir is the top returning wide receiver and only notable returner in the room after posting 39 catches for 611 yards and two scores in 2023.
Buffalo has made one intriguing addition to the room, however, in Curtis Samuel.
The veteran WR signed a three-year contract with the Bills a few weeks back near the start of free agency and could provide some much-needed spark to the room. Samuel caught 62 passes for 613 yards and four touchdowns last season across 16 appearances with the Washington Commanders, including 13 starts.
He’s far from a bona fide No. 1 option, though, having never posted more than 851 receiving yards in a season and surpassed 600 yards in just four of his seven seasons. Samuel could be a solid secondary option, but it’s clear he’s not a solution to the room’s problems.
Outside of Shakir and Samuel, there’s a decided lack of players with strong professional track records.
Mack Hollins has one 690-yard season to his name in 2022, but that’s the only time he’s caught more than 20 passes or had more than 251 yards in a season. KJ Hamler has yet to live up to his billing as a second-round pick, while Andy Isabella hasn’t played much of a role in the NFL after going for 224 yards on 21 catches back in 2020 with the Arizona Cardinals.
Bryan Thompson, Justin Shorter, and Tyrell Shavers are all also listed on the depth chart but haven’t played to this point.
Given the state of the room, Buffalo seems highly likely to make some additions between now and the start of the 2024 season.
The Bills could certainly take one or more receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft, but they also have options on the free agent market or even in trades.
Buffalo could sign players like Michael Thomas or Odell Beckham Jr. or even look to trade for players like Brandon Aiyuk or Tee Higgins, though those trades in particular seem unlikely to materialize.
Still, Buffalo’s lack of depth makes adding experienced help in some form alongside one or more rookies seem like the most likely course of action.
KEEP READING: Winners-Losers From Stefon Diggs Trade