After the past two weeks, it is clear the Buffalo Bills must sign Odell Beckham Jr. to help this offense
Since the summer, the Buffalo Bills have been considered one of the favorites to sign free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. but at the time it seemed like a luxury for the Bills. The addition of Beckham would make this offense better but it didn’t appear to be a crucial signing for their success this year after how players like Gabe Davis and Isaiah McKenzie performed during training camp.
The connections between the Buffalo Bills and Odell Beckham Jr. have not quieted during the season and Von Miller has been one of the big reasons going as far as almost guaranteeing the signing last month, according to Jarrett Bell with USA Today.
However, over the past two weeks, it has become clear that the offense needs Odell Beckham Jr., and general manager Brandon Beane shouldn’t wait any longer. The reason is that Gabe Davis has not been a consistent second option for Josh Allen opposite Stefon Diggs and the team needs another veteran at wide receiver.
There is no question that Gabe Davis is a good wide receiver and he has the talent to take games over. That has been evident at times, like the game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs last year and the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers this year.
The challenge is that Davis has also had games where he disappeared and has had critical drops that have played a significant role in the outcome of the game. In Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins, Davis had a pass hit his hands in the end zone that if he caught that throw it would have probably secured the win for Buffalo.
On Sunday against the New York Jets, Davis had only two receptions for 33 yards on five targets. He also was the receiver on the deep throw at the end of the game where Josh Allen hit him in stride. It wasn’t necessarily an easy catch with Sauce Gardner in good coverage but it was one he has to catch.
Odell Beckham Jr. lists Buffalo Bills among potential teams
Over the weekend, FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported that Odell Beckham Jr. is expected to be fully cleared in the next week. This means that the former Pro Bowl wide receiver could potentially be ready to play for whichever team signs him by the end of the month.
The challenge is that the Buffalo Bills are not the only team that Odell Beckham Jr. is considering and recently mentioned the Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants.
If the Buffalo Bills were to add Odell Beckham Jr. it would not mean that Gabe Davis would no longer have a role in this offense. It might actually make him more effective as Davis returns to the role he played his first two years in the league. It will force defenses to focus on Stefon Diggs and Odell Beckham Jr. and give Gabe Davis more winnable matchups.
The Buffalo Bills offense has not looked the same since the bye week and there is room for improvement. It is clear that they may not have the versatility they thought they did and adding Odell Beckham Jr. would help alleviate some of those problems.
Week 9 grades for the Buffalo Bills against the New York Jets
The Buffalo Bills struggled for their second AFC East matchup of the season and these are the grades for each position group from Week 9.