The Buffalo Bills will likely be looking for a top wide receiver this offseason for this offense. If they are not able to find one through free agency or the NFL Draft, these players could be available through a trade.
The Buffalo Bills made improvements at the wide receiver position last offseason with the additions of John Brown and Cole Beasley. However, if this offense hopes to move out of the bottom half of the league in passing, they will need to add another wide receiver that can be Josh Allen’s go-to target in key situations in the game.
There are certainly some options in free agency and also through the NFL Draft but if the Bills don’t want to spend the cap space or are not confident there is a true number one wide receiver in the NFL Draft, they may look to acquire one through a trade.
The Bills tried to go this route last year by working out a deal for Antonio Brown, but thankful that trade never came to fruition.
The downside of trying to acquire a wide receiver through a trade is that it will likely cost the Bills substantial draft capital on top of what is likely a large salary for these players. However, there is no question that this team is on the cusp of being a top team in the AFC thanks to their defense. If there was ever an opportunity to really make a statement, this might be the season.
These are five wide receivers that the Buffalo Bills should call about seeing if there is an opportunity to work out a deal this offseason.
Stefon Diggs
While Stefon Diggs may not have the size the wide receiver position is lacking, there is no question that he has the talent to be a number one wide receiver. There was also rumblings this past season that he may want out of Minnesota.
While the Vikings did win a playoff game this year, the team may be willing to make a change and trade Diggs if the price is right. They also may be inclined to move Diggs in hopes of helping a salary cap situation that currently has them nearly $5 million over the expected cap, according to Spotrac.
There is plenty of reason for the Buffalo Bills to be interested in Diggs. He is still very much in the prime of his career, at only 26 years of age, has had back to back 1,000 receiving seasons, and is under contract through 2023.
The addition of Diggs would be a great fit alongside John Brown and Cole Beasley and give Josh Allen that top receiving option for this passing game.
Keenan Allen
There is no reports that the Los Angeles Chargers want to trade Allen or that Allen wants out of LA. However, the Chargers could be in for significant changes this offseason with Phillip Rivers and Melvin Gordon free agents.
If the Chargers elect to tear everything down, they could look to trade Allen, who is entering his final season.
The contract situation would certainly be an issue and the Buffalo Bills would likely want to work out a new deal prior to a trade. However, Allen has been as steady as they come with three straight seasons over 96 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and six touchdowns each year.
Since the Chargers already have Mike Williams on the roster, they may be inclined to trade Keenan Allen if they think he may leave when his contract is up in hopes of getting some return.
Brandin Cooks
The next three receivers carry some risk with them but could be worth the reward.The first is LA Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks. He is coming off a down year, has injury concerns and does have four years left on his deal.
However, if the Bills are comfortable with the risk this is a move that could pay dividends for them. Cooks is only 26 years of age so he should be able to produce at a high level through the remaining years of his contract. While this past season he did only have 583 receiving yards, he did have four straight years with over 1,000 receiving yards.
The other concern for the Buffalo Bills, similar to Diggs, is that Cooks does not have the size they may be trying to add to the position. The question is does Cooks bring something to this offense that Brown doesn’t already offer?
The interest from the Bills will likely come down to the asking price and if they are able to get Cooks for a mid to late round pick, then it might be worth it.
Corey Davis
Corey Davis will only be entering his fourth year in the league but with the emergence of A.J. Brown, the Tennessee Titans might be willing to move him for the right price.
The concern for trading for Davis is that he hasn’t produced or come close to what his potential is. In the three seasons with the Titans, he has never eclipsed 900 receiving yards or had more than four touchdowns. This under-performance certainly could be attributed to the play at quarterback with Marcus Mariota under center prior to Ryan Tannehill taking over halfway through this season.
The big selling point for Davis is that he has tremendous size, and is exactly what this position group needs at 6’3″ and 209 pounds. He could be that big pass catching target that would fit within this offense.
If the Buffalo Bills were going to try and swing a trade for Corey Davis, the front office would have to due their homework. They would need to believe that a change of scenery and a new quarterback could help Davis reach that potential that made him the fifth overall pick in 2017.
Dante Pettis
The last receiver that the Buffalo Bills could consider is San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dante Pettis. Similar to Corey Davis, if the Bills made a trade for Pettis the front office would need to do their homework and have confidence they can unlock his potential.
Entering this season, Pettis was expected to the be number one wide receiver for the 49ers. He finished the year with 359 receiving yards and four touchdowns in the final five games of 2018.
However, this season he has yet to finish a game with more than 45 receiving yards and hasn’t played a snap since Week 12. While the 49ers may try to keep Pettis in 2020 knowing that his value is at an all-time low, the fact that he hasn’t seen the field since November makes it seem like they are ready to move on.
A trade for Pettis may not be the flashiest move the Buffalo Bills could make at the position and would certainly leave many questioning the trade. It could though allow the franchise to add Pettis for a late round pick as protection if one of the top receivers don’t fall to them in the NFL Draft.