Buffalo Bills must address WR in free agency to avoid reach in NFL Draft

The Buffalo Bills will have the 22nd pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and many think that the front office should use that pick on a wide receiver. However, this dream scenario for the Bills may allow them to avoid reaching in the first round.

The Buffalo Bills have ample cap space heading into free agency this offseason. Now fans shouldn’t expect them to go crazy on the market and start throwing money everywhere.

However, seeing the organization make one big splash and add depth role players across the board would make sense for what Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott have established in their time together.

One player, player based on the needs for a true number one receiver would be Amari Cooper.

Cooper is a true number one receiver and the goal for the Bills should be to continue the growth of Josh Allen, and what better way of doing that then signing a legitimate number one wide receiver.

This past season, Cooper had 79 receptions, 1,189 receiving yards and eight touchdowns for the Dallas Cowboys. He set career highs in receiving yards and touchdowns and came within four receptions of his career best in that category.

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The surprising part is that John Brown in his first season with the Bills had similar numbers with 72 receptions 1,060 yards and 6 touchdowns. Adding someone like Cooper to pair with Brown’s speed down the side smells like success for a young quarterback looking to bring an offense, which was 23rd in the league, into the Top 10.

With this years draft being compared to 2014 in terms of the talent at the wide receiver, the Bills can take their time and identify other needs with their first round pick.

If the Buffalo Bills bring in Amari Cooper it might allow them to take a premier pass rusher with their 22nd pick in the NFL Draft. Someone like K’lavon Chaisson from LSU or A.J. Epenesa out of Iowa are two players that have that quick first step explosiveness off the edge. Both could step into this defense from Day 1 as a rookie and contribute.

The need for defensive end is apparent as Jerry Hughes isn’t getting any younger and Shaq Lawson might test the market, making upgrading the edge a priority in the draft. Grabbing a blue chip player like Chaisson or Epenesa allows the Bills to wait till the second round of the Draft to start looking at wide receivers.

By adding Cooper, the Bills won’t need to find a player who can contribute right away and take a little more risk in the second round. A player like Micheal Pittman Jr. out of USC, who set himself apart at the Senior Bowl, fits the mold here. Most people seem to forget that Micheal Thomas was a second round pick for the New Orleans Saints and this year he broke the NFL record for most receptions in a season.

This isn’t to say Pittman will become the next Micheal Thomas but the Bills have the luxury of being patient and waiting for the right wide receiver to come to them.

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The great thing about this whole situation and off-season is the Buffalo Bills front office has done enough to earn the trust of the fan base. Brandon Beane has proven he can find talent in every round of the NFL Draft, and with a signing like Amari Cooper they will have the luxury of waiting until later to add another pass catcher.

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