Getty Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis at Highmark Stadium on October 26, 2023.
The Buffalo Bills have watched plenty of their former players and coaches head downstate since Brian Daboll took over as head coach of the New York Giants, and an analyst believes their No. 2 receiver could be the next to join his former offensive coordinator.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports predicted that Davis will join the Giants in free agency, adding another former skill player from Daboll’s tenure to the offense. Davis is expected to garner a new contract too large for the cap-strapped Bills to match, and has already posted a goodbye of sorts to fans ahead of his contract expiring at the start of the new league year in March.
Big Move for Gabe Davis
Benjamin noted that the Giants have some other needs on offense — including their spotty offensive line — but suggested that Davis could be their biggest target this offseason.
“The Giants can’t afford to let any of their QBs take snaps behind their current O-line again,” Benjamin wrote. “But they also desperately need more juice out wide. Davis is mercurial but explosive, offering ridiculous speed on the perimeter.”
Davis emerged as a favorite target for quarterback Josh Allen during his four seasons in Buffalo, making a total of 163 catches for 2,730 yards and 27 touchdowns. But he also struggled with inconsistency, especially down the final stretch of the 2023 season when he was held without a catch in four of the final eight games.
Bills Receiver Hints at Exit
Davis has already expressed a desire to test the free agency market, telling reporters on January 22 that he has a soft spot for Buffalo but wants to see what else might be out there for him.
“Always open to coming back I mean this is my first place, I’ve been with the Bills for the past four years,” Davis said.
“I love Buffalo, I love everything about it. But again, I feel like definitely gotta go to March and see also the other options as well, I feel like that’s the business side of it and I gotta take advantage of it.”
Davis seemed to hint at an exit earlier this month, posting an 8-minute video on Instagram sharing his love for Bills fans and recalling some of his top moments with the team.
Despite his inconsistency this season, Davis is still expected to fetch a significant contract as one of the top receivers on the open market and a proven No. 2. Josh Queipo and Kyle DeDiminicantanio of AtoZ Sports predict that he will earn a three-year deal worth $37.5 million in free agency.
The pair noted that while Davis can provide a valuable ability to stretch the field, he has been “far from a reliable option.”
“His catch percentage has been below 60% every year of his career and he has never caught more than 50 passes in a season. Davis’ 1.42 yards per route run in 2023 was 57th out of 83 qualifying receivers,” they noted.
“Still Davis’ field stretching abilities can act as a force multiplier of sorts opening up the short-to-intermediate area for a creative offensive coordinator while simultaneously offering a fearless quarterback the opportunity to push the ball downfield.”