Getty Former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. runs with the ball during a January 2022 game.
The Buffalo Bills could “shoot big” with one more splashy free agency move, one insider speculates.
The Bills have already added a number of new weapons on offense, offsetting the departures of Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders by signing O.J. Howard and Jamison Crowder and drafting receiver Khalil Shakir and multi-talented running back James Cook. But Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News suggests that the team could still have one more home run swing by going after the most talented receiver still left on the open market.
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Bills Swing Big
In a column outlining 10 free-agent options for the Bills, Skurski went heavy on suggestions at wide receiver. He noted that the Bills don’t have an obvious replacement for the veteran Sanders, and speculated that Odell Beckham Jr. could be an option if the Bills decide to “shoot big.”
While Beckham will likely miss much of the regular season as he rehabs from a torn ACL suffered in the Super Bowl, Skurski believes he can be an important asset for the Bills in the back half of the season and the playoffs. Beckham was a major part of the Los Angeles Rams run to the Super Bowl, making 21 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns in four postseason games, including 52 yards and a touchdown leaving the Super Bowl early with his injury.
While Skurski believes it’s not likely that the three-time Pro Bowler leaves Los Angeles, he wrote that it’s also not outside the realm of possibility for a team that’s already scored another big-name free agent.
Cooper Kupp explained one part of Odell Beckham Jr.’s game that makes him a special receiver
“The Bills already lured Von Miller away from the Rams this offseason, and while it seems unlikely Beckham would leave Los Angeles, we said the same thing about Miller,” he wrote, adding, “Beckham’s not a depth signing by any means, but he would give the Bills more experience and another dynamic playmaker for quarterback Josh Allen.”
Big Moves Could Be Unlikely
While Bills general manager Brandon Beane has often been coy about the team’s plans, he has also made it clear that the big free-agency moves are done. Just before the NFL Draft, Beane outright said that the rest of the additions would be rookies.
“We’ve got to knock this draft out, because we’re pretty much done with free agency,” Beane said, via the Buffalo News.
While that likely means a move for Beckham is unlikely, the Bills did address the offense through the draft with a strong focus on helping improve the passing game. ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller called Shakir a steal, and Beane has showered praise on Cook for his abilities as both a ball-carrier and receiver.
Bills getting Khalil Shakir in Round 5 is a steal in my book. The Deebo comp has been overused, but Shakir can be used in a similar manner–albeit a poor man’s version of Samuel’s all-around game. Get him into a creative offense and he can be a weapon.
Over the course of four seasons at Georgia, Cook amassed 1,503 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns along with 67 receptions for 730 yards and 6 touchdowns. Cook said he wants to use his tools to add new wrinkles to the Bills’ offense.
Highest passer rating generated when targeted as a receiver since 2020
1️⃣ Bijan Robinson: 148.7
2️⃣ James Cook: 148.5
“I’m versatile,” Cook said via video conference. “I can separate myself in the backfield and line up out wide and make the deep threats. And take the deep shots and go deep and score touchdowns. That’s what they’re getting in me – a touchdown maker.”
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