Training Camp: The Buffalo Bills wide receiver room run-down

Expected Competitors

We now enter the portion where uncertainty is the norm. The three previously mentioned receivers are all but locks for this roster, barring some grand catastrophe. Mack Hollins, however, is where doubt begins to be cast. Sure, the Buffalo Bills spent $2.5M on Mack, but we also saw Brandon Beane cut O.J. Howard on a $3.5M contract before playing a single down for the Bills. Suffice to say, let's keep an open mind.

Mack Hollins - 6'4 - 221lbs

To summarize him off the field, Hollins is both very weird and extremely entertaining. Aside from living his life barefoot, and his distain for eating utensils, his on-field credentials speak for themselves. He's a physically dominating player who can excel on special teams, overpower defenders, and brings an aspect to the group that would be sorely missed in the absence of Gabe Davis.

Mack Hollins is one impressive blocker, both in the short area and downfield. This may be enough to get him on the 53-man roster already, but he also put up similar stats to Khalil Shakir's 2023 season only a year removed from the last. He's capable, and delivers much-needed assistance to other aspects of the game. Expect him to be used liberally in an offense about to discover a new identity.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling - 6'4 - 206lbs

A surprising pick-up late into the offseason, MVS is a prolific deep threat. He bottoms out the expected roster at WR, but that's a good thing. With MVS, the Buffalo Bills round out a solid group of players that can handle any situation, assuming they're put in the position to actually succeed by Joe Brady and Josh Allen.

""Obviously I've been one of the better deep threats in the league for the majority of my career. And so, I'm gonna attract a lot of attention anytime I'm on the field," - Marquez Valdes-Scantling"

Via Alaina Getzenberg, ESPN

Unfortunately, Valdes-Scantling has been largely uninteresting in training camp thus far. A forgettable camp at wide receiver is rarely a good thing, but there's plenty to hold out hope for. What we may not have seen in a week of practice has been what we've seen for the last six seasons, a speedy player who can stretch the field and open up the intermediate area, whilst getting clean targets downfield. It's an invaluable skillset and one we don't wish to rely on Curtis Samuel for. When preseason football kicks off, we'll have a better idea on how he's valued in this offense.

Chase Claypool - 6'4 - 238lbs

As he fights for a roster spot, Chase Claypool is currently day-to-day with a toe injury, per the Buffalo Bills.

Claypool has been controversial over the last few seasons. An athletic freak, he burst onto the scene for the Steelers in 2020, where he put up consecutive seasons of 850+ yards and scored 13 total TDs. Since then, things have been murky. A slew of issues stemming from beef with teammates, lack of in-game awareness, and on-field errors cost him both team and personal success.

Now, Claypool is aware he's on the bottom. Signing to a league-minimum deal, he hopes to earn his way back into the limelight. That didn't stop him from getting right back to his antics on day one of training camp.

But we're not going to take that as a sign of his inability to change. After all, we brush off every other training camp scuffle, perhaps the benefit of the doubt is in order? If he can return to form, Claypool can be a valuable rotational player and special teamer. But, with limited opportunity because of a foot injury, it's a big 'if'.

Tyrell Shavers - 6'4 - 211lbs

A 2023 undrafted free agent, Tyrell Shavers has been arguably one of the most interesting men at training camp. From the Bills practice quad in 2023, he's making a legitimate push to earn a spot on the rodter for 2024. He's excelled, gone form being expected to miss this roster completely to being a fringe player. At very worst, has shown himself capable of being used again as a practice squad callup, but he's hungry for more.

Versatile, with prototypical size and traits, Shavers lacked refinement and great speed exiting the draft. A year later, he seems far more balanced that we remember. The speed may always be a concern, but Shavers is a name to watch as camp progresses.