2019 Buffalo Bills Roster Outlook: The wide receivers

Develop what you have

Buffalo ended the season with three players in their first or second years as their top weapons on the outside. Zay Jones, Robert Foster and Isaiah McKenzie all were vaulted into larger roles after the releases of Kelvin Benjamin and Andre Holmes and each had up and down moments.

Jones finished the season as the Bills’ top receiver with 56 catches, 652 yards and seven touchdowns. Foster then finished third in receptions with 27, but second in yards with 541 and touchdowns with three. McKenzie added 18 catches and 179 yards in the passing game, but 66 yards rushing and two rushing TDs on the ground.

With these three, the team has started to develop a semblance of a receiving corps. The coaching staff needs to continue to develop these three as they each provide something different.

McKenzie is the gadget player that most teams are starting to bring in. Jones is the route runner and can be a dependable second or third receiver, while Foster is the burner but has also begun to develop into a complete receiver.

The coaching staff deserves a lot of credit for bringing along Foster from an undrafted free agent to a player drawing attention from the opponent’s number one corner. He and Jones will most likely go head-to-head in terms of playing time if the team brings in a veteran and drafts another young player in the offseason.

Overall, the team needs to continue doing what they are doing when it comes to bringing along their young players. While Jones, Foster and McKenzie may never be number one receivers, their growth this season shows they each belong in the NFL.

The team should continue to develop each of the three as they are young and have proven to be worthy of roster spots and have earned the trust of Josh Allen.