Can Brandon Powell earn a spot on the Buffalo Bills 53-man roster this season?
The Buffalo Bills signed wide receiver Brandon Powell as a free agent this offseason. While the wide receiver position is rather crowded, Powell has a pretty clear path to a spot on the 53-man roster. Let’s take a closer look at the offseason addition and how he might fit on the Buffalo Bills roster.
Profile
Position: Wide Receiver
Age: 25
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 181 pounds
Years of Experience: 4
2020 Stats
Last year, Brandon Powell played with the Atlanta Falcons and appeared in 15 games, including one start. He finished the year with 12 receptions for 69 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns while playing only 16% of the offensive snaps.
However, he made more of an impact on special teams and was one of the Falcons primary returners, both on kickoffs and punts. He would finish the season returning 17 kickoffs for an average of 20.2 yards per return and 17 punt returns for an average of 8.9 yards per return.
Expectations for the 2021 season with the Buffalo Bills
The wide receiver position is rather deep and Brandon Powell would unlikely see much playing time on offense if he were to make the Buffalo Bills 53-man roster. However, he should be in the mix to win the returner job and replace Andre Roberts, who left in free agency this offseason.
One of the advantages he has in this competition, over players like Isaiah McKenzie and rookie Marquez Stevenson, is that he has experience returning both kickoffs and punts. This was something that Andre Roberts did the past two seasons and the Bills could benefit from one player handling both roles.
This is a battle that will likely be won in preseason games and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Brandon Powell perform the best and win the job this season.