Getty Buffalo Bills receiver Isaiah McKenzie celebrates with receiver coach Chad Hall during their matchup with the Miami Dolphins in the final week of the regular season.
The Buffalo Bills have already lost one speedy wide receiver to free agency and now they could possibly lose another.
Wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie was crucial for the Bills this past season. He was a versatile receiver who caught five touchdowns this past year, returned a punt for a touchdown, and also threw a touchdown pass to Josh Allen. But the 25-year-old from Miami, FL is set to hit free agency and a new report has hinted he might cost too much to return to Buffalo.
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McKenzie’s Price Tag May Be Too High
This past season, McKenzie had the best season of his career catching 30 passes for 282 yards in an offense that was filled with talent. He played behind Stefon Diggs, John Brown, Cole Beasley and rookie Gabriel Davis, but when he got his shot he took advantage. In Week 17, against his hometown Dolphins, McKenzie caught six passes for 65 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown.
He played several different roles for the Bills and showed what he was capable of. Given his performance, The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn believes that McKenzie might price himself out of Buffalo if he’s looking to try and cash in this offseason.
“This isn’t the best year to be a free agent in the NFL with the decreased salary cap, but McKenzie should still find his best contract elsewhere,” Fairburn wrote. “He’s shown he’s worthy of a bigger role than the Bills can give him. If the market agrees, McKenzie could be playing elsewhere in 2021.”
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In five years in the NFL, McKenzie has only played for the Denver Broncos and the Bills. Buffalo acquired McKenzie off the waiver wire from the Broncos in 2018. He caught 18 passes for 179 yards that season and also carried the ball 10 times for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
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McKenzie Wants to Return to Buffalo
Earlier this offseason, McKenzie posted a message to his Instagram thanking Buffalo and Bills Mafia for a special season. He said he wasn’t sure what the future was going to hold for him, but he was also anxious to see what was next for him.
“I would like to thank you #billsmafia for embracing me not only as a player but as family,” McKenzie said in his Instagram post. “Now every Sunday from here on out I will feel your roar that gives me life in my heart. Hopefully, this is not goodbye, because I would love to finish what we have started and bring you (the fans) what you deserve.”
The Bills have already made plenty of moves over the past week, as they re-signed Matt Milano, Daryl Williams, and Jon Feliciano, three of their main targets this offseason, so the Bills may not have the salary cap space to bring McKenzie back. Veteran return man Andre Roberts already agreed to terms with the Houston Texans as well.
Despite the salary cap situation, McKenzie said he would like to return to Buffalo during an appearance on Good Morning Football last week. But, he did add that he’s leaving things up to his agent.
“I don’t know if I can say too much, but I would say that if I get the chance to go back to Buffalo I would love to because the fan base is amazing, the coaches, the organization are all awesome. My teammates are amazing but at this point, it’s up to my agent,” McKenzie said during his appearance on Good Morning Football. “Whatever my agent does, whatever decision he makes then I gotta leave it up to him. I can’t really say too much about it.”
With the Bills releasing John Brown, a role may have been carved out for McKenzie, but depending on the money available, the former Georgia Bulldog could be moving on this offseason.
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Price Tag for Versatile Receiver Might Be Too High for Bills: Report