Buffalo Bills release WR Cole Beasley after three seasons with team

The Buffalo Bills announce they have released Cole Beasley after three seasons with the team

The Buffalo Bills continue to re-shape their roster as they try to build a team that can win a Super Bowl. After adding a number of players yesterday, the Bills announced they have released starting slot receiver Cole Beasley.

The Bills signed Beasley as a free agent in 2019 to a four-year deal after he started his career with the Dallas Cowboys. He quickly became a big part of this offense and was a safety valve for Josh Allen.

Over the three seasons with the Bills, Beasley had 231 receptions on 325 targets with 2,438 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He would be named to the second-team All-Pro team in 2020 and this past season matched his reception total from the prior year with 82.

While he would have the same number of receptions, he wasn’t as effective with his yards per receptions dropping to a career-low of 8.5 yards. He also saw his snaps decrease from 73% in 2019 to 62% last year due in part to the emergence and development of Dawson Knox.

Buffalo Bills attempted to honor Cole Beasley’s request to be traded

At the NFL Combine, it was reported that Cole Beasley had requested permission to seek a trade and the Buffalo Bills approved that request. According to Mike Garafolo, the Bills did have trade discussions but nothing was able to come together.

He also reported that Cole Beasley was looking for a fresh start. The move to release Beasley does help the Buffalo Bills create cap space as Matt Parrino notes it frees up about $6 million.

The Buffalo Bills will now look to replace Beasley as the slot receiver position is a key role in this offense. Fortunately, the Bills have some options on the roster in Isaiah McKenzie but could also look to free agency or the NFL Draft.