Buffalo Bills 2018 Position Battles: The battle at wide receiver
Andre Holmes, 7th Year
(6-foot-4, 210 pounds)
Contract: 2 year – $2.6 Million
Career Notes:
Was an undrafted free agent in 2011 out of Hillsdale.
Has been a member on five different NFL teams (MIN, DAL, NE, OAK, BUF).
Was placed on the IR (Neck Injury), which ended his 2017 season.
Career Stats- 115 Receptions, 1,582 Receiving Yards, 15 TDs.
Analysis:
The soon to be 30-year-old will have to fight an uphill battle to make the roster. The club is clearly looking to go young, drafting/signing four new receivers to compete for a roster spot.
When healthy, Holmes has a nice blend of size and speed to make plays when the ball is in the air. His numbers do not indicate the threat he can be to opposing defenses. He has ideal size for an outside receiver and can run a diversified route tree. Having said all that, the neck injury could limit his physical attributes.
When a player his age suffers that kind of injury, it can be a tricky recovery. If a receiver is hesitant about contact, he could shorten or break off his routes early, which will cause disruption within the offense’s timing and rhythm.
If he fails to outshine the new crop of receivers, he could be looking for work elsewhere.