The Buffalo Bills found their groove on offense in Week 15’s 31-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys, riding second-year running back James Cook in their most effective rushing performance of the season.
With three critical games left in the season and the Bills looking to fight their way back into the playoff picture, one outlet suggests it could be time to bolster the wide receiving corps with more youth and speed as well.
Bleacher Report urged the Bills to consider adding poaching wide receiver Bo Melton from the Green Bay Packers, adding some speed for the final stretch.
Bills Could Add WR With ‘Juice’
The report noted that the Bills don’t have many needs at wide receiver for the remainder of the 2023 season, with a fully healthy contingent of receivers, but may need to start looking toward the future.
“With Gabriel Davis set to hit free agency and the Bills looking for more production at the position, they could use another young receiver to get a look at before the offseason,” the B/R roundup noted.
Melton has not seen much action this season, appearing in just two games and making 1 reception for 7 yards. The Bleacher Report noted that his speed could be an asset to the Bills, with the potential of getting one piece in place for next season.
“Bo Melton is a bit undersized at 5’11”, 189 pounds, but he runs a 4.34 40-yard dash and has some juice with the ball in his hands,” the report noted. “Poaching him from the Packers practice squad would give the Bills a high-upside 24-year-old.”
The Bills may not be likely to make any significant roster moves absent an injury. Signing Melton would require the Bills to add him to their active roster for the final three games of the season, and all the receivers currently on the roster have played regular roles.
Speedy receiver and kick returner Deonte Harty appeared to be falling out of favor and was a healthy scratch for the team’s November 26 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but returned and caught a 25-yard pass in the team’s December 10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
#Bills WR Deonte Harty quietly had one of the biggest plays of the game tonight.
3rd & 5 from Buffalo’s 35-yard line and Harty caught a beautiful 25-yard pass from Josh Allen to extend the drive and set up what turned out to be the game-winning field goal. #BillsMafia
Bills Could Utilize Another Speedy WR
The Bills may already have their wide receiver of the future stashed away on the practice squad. When Harty was left inactive for the game against the Eagles, the Bills elevated practice squad receiver Andy Isabella. Ryan Talbot of NewYorkUpstate.com noted that Isabella had a chance to show off his speed.
“With Harty not giving the Bills much in his limited opportunities, the Bills made the free agent signing inactive on Sunday,” Talbot wrote. “There was some speculation that this might be the case with the team elevating Andy Isabella, another speedy wide receiver, from the practice squad. Isabella could get some run with his 4.3 speed in today’s matchup against Philadelphia.”
While Harty’s role this year may not be changing, The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia suggested that the team could move on following the season.
“The Bills would save over $4M to move on from Harty before his roster bonus is due in mid-March,” Buscaglia wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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Bills Urged to Poach ‘High-Upside’ WR From Packers