The Buffalo Bills offense has not looked like one of the best groups in the NFL the past two weeks. In games against the Jaguars and Giants, two defenses that rank near the bottom of the league, it has taken a while for Josh Allen and the offense to get into rhythm.
Thankfully they were able to do enough to secure the win against the Giants after coming up short against the Jaguars. The Bills could be looking to make improvements before the deadline and the position that seems to make the most sense is wide receiver.
Stefon Diggs is one of the best wide receivers in the league but he needs help. The Bills do have Gabe Davis on the outside opposite Diggs and he has had his moments but is inconsistent.
If there is one role that could be improved it is at slot receiver as the Bills have not had a reliable pass catcher at that spot since Cole Beasley was released a few seasons ago. That is where the focus of this article is and these are five wide receivers that could be good options in the slot and a target for Josh Allen on third down to keep drives alive.
5 wide receivers Buffalo Bills could trade for before trade deadline
Jerry Jeudy
The one player that everyone seems to be talking about is Jerry Jeudy, who was the 15th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The former Alabama wide receiver's best season was last year with Russell Wilson as quarterback when he had 67 receptions, 972 receiving yards, and six touchdowns.
However, this season he hasn't had the same impact and has only 20 receptions, 222 receiving yards and no touchdowns through five games.
For the Buffalo Bills, the reason a trade for Jerry Jeudy makes sense is for a few reasons. The first is that he could step in right away as the starting slot receiver and complement Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis nicely in three wide receiver sets.
However, the Bills have questions at the position past this season with Davis set to be a free agent. If he were to leave in free agency, the Bills would have Jeudy under contract next season since the Broncos picked up his fifth year option. At that point, he could play outside or remain at slot receiver if the Bills find another outside wide receiver.
A trade for Jerry Jeudy probably would cost the most in terms of compensation but he gives the Buffalo Bills the most flexibility among the other options in this article.
Darnell Mooney
The Chicago Bears had high expectations that this season they could begin to turn the franchise around with Justin Fields taking that next step and being aggressive in free agency. However, that hasn't happened and at 1-5, they could be looking to be sellers to acquire more draft capital in their continued effort to rebuild.
If that happens, one player the Buffalo Bills would be interested in if made available is Darnell Mooney. He was a fifth round pick in 2020 and had a breakout season in 2021 when he had 81 receptions, 1,055 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
However, over the past two seasons he hasn't been as involved in the offense and in 18 games during that stretch has only 50 receptions, 645 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Mooney is set to be a free agent after this season so this might not be a long-term solution but he is a player that could probably be acquired for a Day 3 pick and would address the need for the Buffalo Bills.
Hunter Renfrow
Another receiver who had a breakout season in 2021 was Hunter Renfrow, who would have 103 receptions, 1,038 receiving yards and nine touchdowns that season. He would earn his first, and only, Pro Bowl nomination.
However, since Josh McDaniels took over as head coach of the Raiders he has been a non-factor in their offense. He has appeared in 16 games the past two seasons with only 42 receptions, 389 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
Renfrow has been a reliable pass catcher during his time in the NFL with a catch rate of 74.6% and would be arguably the best option for the Buffalo Bills. He is a perfect fit for what the offense needs and the Raiders probably would be willing to trade him for a Day 3 pick knowing they have Jakobi Meyers who plays the same role as Renfrow.
Kendrick Bourne
The next wide receiver is one that the Buffalo Bills will actually be trying to defend this weekend in Kendrick Bourne. Unlike the other wide receivers on this list, Bourne has actually been a big part of the Patriots offense.
He is currently leading the team in targets (44), receptions (28), receiving yards (307), and tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns (2). Bourne has been able to create a lot of yards after catch with almost half of his receiving yards coming after the reception (144).
Similar to Renfrow, the addition of Kendrick Bourne would be a great fit for this offense and he addresses a lot of the needs this offense currently has. However, there are plenty of hurdles to complete a deal starting with whether or not the Patriots want to be sellers.
This would be pretty uncharted territory for Bill Belichick and he doesn't want to admit that he won't be able to compete this year. In addition, this would be a trade within the division which is not impossible but is not common.
Sterling Shepard
The final player is one that could be an option but also has the most uncertainty about whether or not it would even be an upgrade. At one point, Sterling Shepard was considered a good slot receiver but injuries have limited him significantly the past few years.
The veteran wide receiver hasn't played a full regular season since 2018 and in 2021 and 2022 played only a total of 10 games. This season he has appeared in six games but has only three reception on five targets.
This is a trade that is probably the easiest to complete as Brandon Beane and Joe Schoen know each other from their time together in Buffalo. Schoen was an assistant general manager before being hired as general manager for the Giants last season.
If healthy, Sterling Sherpard fills the need well and probably a trade could be done with a late round swap. It would not require much to get a deal done knowing he doesn't have much of a role presently but durability has to be a concern for the Buffalo Bills.