Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane has his work cut out for him this offseason. There are several areas that require addressing in the offseason. In this series, we will take a look at each position group: the known entities, the pending free agents, and who we would love to see added.
Though there are flashy moves out there, the moves at receiver feel like they will be far less headline-grabbing in nature. What will the room that was widely panned in 2025 look like when the Bills head to training camp in the summer?
The Buffalo Bills 2026 offseason playbook for the wide receiver position
The known quantities
A lot can and will happen before the Bills head to training camp. We can reasonably expect a few things. First and foremost, Khalil Shakir will remain and will continue to be a focal point in head coach Joe Brady’s offense, especially with screens being part of the scheme.
Tyrell Shavers showed some explosive potential before an injury ended his season. He remains cheap and young enough while possessing enough potential to get a longer look. In all likelihood, he is a fourth or fifth receiver unless he can string together big plays on a more consistent basis.
Though it will likely pain a lot of the fan base, Josh Palmer will more than likely be back. Given the dead cap issues that the Bills face, it isn’t as simple as cutting him and incurring a dead cap penalty. He showed flashes in 2025 but was hampered by injuries. Beane may very well just hope that he can stay on the field and do more in 2026.
Free Agents who could come back
This section could be titled “a bunch of wild cards we aren’t sure about.” Virtually everyone is signed but their futures are uncertain for various reasons. Let’s start with the actual free agents: Brandin Cooks and Gabriel Davis.
Davis suffered a brutal leg injury in the Wild Card win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, suffering a torn ACL. In all likelihood, his time with the Bills is done. He was already a woefully inconsistent presence in the lineup, and the injury sealed his fate.
Cooks, meanwhile, acquitted himself nicely after joining the Bills as a late-season free agent signing. He quickly showed a rapport with QB Josh Allen and made a few big plays. At 32 years old, he shouldn’t be seen as a priority by any means, but could be a nice depth stash depending on his asking price.
Keon Coleman is perhaps the biggest wild card there is. After a massively disappointing season, he was summarily buried by his owner in a postseason press conference. He is still under contract, and Brady has said the right things about him still being on the team. A trade wouldn’t come from out of nowhere, however.
Curtis Samuel is likely a pre-June 1 cut, and good riddance. Mecole Hardman could also find himself as a cap victim, though his $1.1 million cap hit is a low priority.
Preferred moves
With Palmer, Shakir, and Shavers as the closest to “sure things” as it gets, it’s time to figure this mess out. Samuel is gone. Hardman should be as well. If there is a halfway decent offer out there for Coleman, let the kid get a fresh start in a place that feels welcoming.
From there, the Bills should look to free agency – not the draft – for help at receiver. That’s not to say they shouldn’t spend a second- or third-round pick on the position, but the aim should be edge rusher in the first round.
Signing Rasheed Shahid feels like the play more so than chasing a high-priced option like Alec Pierce. There is also the potential that the Bills could land someone like disgruntled Philadelphia Eagles star WR A.J. Brown. The most likely play feels like someone in the Shaheed range, a mid-round prospect in the draft, and the elevation of Shavers, plus signing Cooks for depth.
Bills Wide Receivers Outlook for 2026
Despite the wishes of the fan base, a massive, attention-grabbing move doesn’t feel likely. Given Beane’s track record, they will no doubt hope that Palmer can be healthy, that Shavers can continue to ascend, and that Coleman can find his game in Year 3.
A potential deep threat will come into the equation to make better use of Allen’s arm, but how big a move that is remains to be seen.