Getty Isaiah Hodgins makes a catch during warmup before a Buffalo Bills preseason game.
The Buffalo Bills went to great lengths to find a reliable wide receiver at the end of last season, bringing back veteran John Brown and enticing Cole Beasley to come out of retirement to give Josh Allen more trusted targets for the key final stretch of the year and playoffs.
But many fans were upset that the Bills let promising wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins slip away midseason, only to watch him have a breakout season with the New York Giants. Some fans are even more upset with general manager Brandon Beane this week after he explained the reason behind the controversial decision.
Brandon Beane Explains Why the Buffalo Bills Released Isaiah Hodgins
Speaking to reporters on February 28, Beane shed some light on why the team released Hodgins. The 2020 draft pick dealt with a series of injuries through his first two seasons but started this season fully healthy, and the Bills elevated him from the practice squad for a pair of games. Hodgins made his first career catch in a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, ending the game with four catches for 41 yards.
The Bills waived Hodgins on November 1 with the intention of bringing him back to the practice squad, but the Giants claimed him off waivers and Hodgins went on to have a strong season. The Bills were criticized at the time for allowing Hodgins to get away rather than finding a spot on the active roster for him, and Beane explained this week that the 24-year-old didn’t have the versatility they were seeking.
“Brandon Beane says the reason WR Isaiah Hodgins didn’t stick on the #Bills’ initial 53-man roster came down to special teams,” tweeted Buffalo News reporter Jay Skurski. “He said he wasn’t surprised by his success in New York with the Giants, and was happy to see it.”
The explanation didn’t sit well with many fans, who questioned why the Bills would let a promising young talent leave without getting anything in return.
“Terrible reason to let someone go. We have too many ST people and could have actually USED a WR,” one fan replied on Twitter.
“Terrible reason. The guy who ‘beat him out’ ended up not playing all year anyway. That mentality needs to change,” tweeted another.
“Love Brandon but this one hurt idk how they couldn’t find a spot for him, he popped every time he was on the field. With him drafting him it was shocking he didn’t make the roster for that,” another fan replied.
While the Bills were forced to look to free agency late in the year, bringing in Brown and Beasley, Hodgins went on to have a breakout half-season with the Giants. He made 33 catches for 351 yards and four touchdowns in eight games and added another nine catches for 108 yards with one touchdown in the team’s two playoff games.
Hodgins was set to become a restricted free agent in March, but the Giants ensured that he wouldn’t get away. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported in February that he returned to the team on a new contract.
Buffalo Bills Expected to Shake Up Receiving Corps
There are likely some big changes coming to the Bills’ receiving corps this offseason, The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia wrote in his season-end assessment of the position. He noted that the Bills struggled to find reliable production beyond All-Pro Stefon Diggs, and will likely part ways with many of their veterans headed to free agency.
That includes not only Beasley and Brown but also special teams ace Jake Kumerow, who had only a minor role in the offense.
“As part of the refresh, it’s time for the Bills part ways with the names from their recent history,” he wrote. “Although Beasley, Brown and Kumerow provided a good role in the past, they can do better than Beasley and Brown on offense and they survived on special teams without Kumerow last year.”