Many in Bills Mafia subscribe to the feeling that general manager Brandon Beane still has more work to do in correcting the issues plaguing the Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver room. The addition of D.J. Moore to kick off the offseason was a welcome move, but not enough to wash away the prevailing concerns.
Of course, the space for disagreement among the fanbase is how to solve what remains of the issue. The draft seems like the most logical step, though defensive needs in the wake of a scheme change and having used a second-round pick on the position already make drafting a pass-catcher early less of a certainty.
Free agent options are still available, of course, but few would earn more than a collective groan and shrug from Bills Mafia. And even in that realm, most would just prove how desperate the Bills are at the position.
Desperate Buffalo Bills may see JuJu Smith-Schuster as low-cost but limited solution
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport recently suggested a free agent receiver for the Bills to target, veteran journeyman JuJu Smith-Schuster. While Smith-Schuster is a recognizable name, that’s a big reason why Bills Mafia wouldn’t be interested in the least. They know what they would be getting, but more importantly, they'd know what they wouldn't be getting.
Smith-Schuster is 29 with nine years of playing experience. He’s spent time with the championship teams in Kansas City and had a cup of coffee with the New England Patriots in 2023, so Bills Mafia is plenty familiar with what he brings to the table - which is to say not much.
While Smith-Schuster burst onto the scene in Pittsburgh, since suffering a knee injury in 2021, he’s failed to find consistency or promising production. His best season was in 2022, his first with the Chiefs, catching 78 passes for 933 yards and three scores. He hasn’t mustered half of that in a single season in the three years since.
What Smith-Schuster does bring is a veteran mind who is willing to stick in the middle of the depth chart and do the dirty work. The Bills would appreciate his willingness to block in the run and screen game. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t be able to count on him providing much more, especially as a pass catcher.
Smith-Schuster played in Kansas City last season on a one-year, $1.4 million deal. Buffalo could nab him for a similar price and let the rest play itself out. The team is desperate for help at receiver, and while Smith-Schuster might not help the passing game open up, he is a source of positive energy and helps the offense in a manner that is appreciated in Buffalo.
Still, even if the Bills' desperation pushed Beane into giving Smith-Schuster a call and a contract, it certainly wouldn’t be the move to ease those aforementioned concerns sitting in the gut of Bills fans.