The Buffalo Bills have been trying to revamp their wide receiver corps for a few years now. Last year, that included signing former Los Angeles Chargers wideout Josh Palmer, who the Bills hoped could give Josh Allen another dependable weapon to throw to.
That, as we know now, didn't pan out the way Bills fans had hoped. Palmer had the lowest catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns of his career, tallying 22 grabs for 303 yards and zero touchdowns. That's right — In 12 games for the Bills last year, Palmer failed to find the end zone a single time.
G.C. Bellchamber of Bolt Beat pointed out what Bills fans already know about Palmer, which is that the 2026 season is a make-or-break year for him in Buffalo. The Toronto native has to produce in 2026 or he'll surely be kicked to the curb after this year.
"Palmer is still under contract with the Bills through next season. But even now, Buffalo is already projected to have the third-least cap space in the league next offseason. If the Bills were to cut Palmer at the end of 2026, they would save close to $6 million against the cap.
"Palmer, therefore, needs to prove himself as a playmaker if he wants to survive the duration of his contract in Buffalo. It makes 2026 a do-or-die campaign as he attempts to carve out a consistent NFL role after his departure from Los Angeles."
Josh Palmer could be on his way out of Buffalo if he doesn't perform in 2026
The Palmer signing made sense for Buffalo at the time. The Bills are fortunate to have such a baller at the quarterback position but, ever since Stefon Diggs was traded away, there hasn't been a standout receiver for Josh Allen to throw to.
The Bills brought in D.J. Moore this offseason, giving Allen a new WR1 and that ramps up the pressure on Palmer to perform even more. He was never a world beater by any means but the Bills expected more out of him than what they've received.
Things have been so bad for Palmer in Western New York that he's already been linked in hypothetical trades, including one by BuffaLowDown's own Brandon Ray. It wouldn't be all that crazy if Palmer were sent elsewhere and, truthfully, if the Bills got anything back in return for him at this point, that'd be considered a massive win for the front office.
There's still time for Palmer to right the ship in Buffalo but he's running out of time to do so. It's put up or shut up time for the former Charger with his new team. Will he rise to the occasion or will this go down as another bust of a signing for the Bills?
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