The Buffalo Bills were forced to make some late-season additions to their wide receiving corps last year as the unit struggled, finding two veterans to fill holes and give quarterback Josh Allen more trusted targets.
The team chose not to bring back the more effective of the two, veteran Brandin Cooks, while the other is expected to face a battle to remain on the roster. Reporter Ryan Talbot of Syracuse.com suggested that former Kansas City Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman will lose out to another veteran, missing the cut at the end of the summer.
Mecole Hardman Loses on Versatility
Hardman joined the Bills as a free agent last December and made an immediate impact on special teams, returning his first kickoff for 62 yards. But Hardman later fumbled a punt that game, playing in only one more game before going down with an injury.
Talbot predicted that Hardman would lose out to a player with more utility on special teams, returning veteran Trent Sherfield. In his first stint with the Bills in 2023, Sherfield played in 35% of the team’s special teams snaps, serving on coverage units.
But Talbot noted that Sherfield and Hardman would likely be the bottom two receivers on the roster, leaving the possibility that the team could release both at final cuts with the hope of getting them back to the practice squad.
“Trent Sherfield over Mecole Hardman came down to the veteran receiver’s versatility on special teams,” Talbot wrote. “He can play boundary wide receiver and played a season in Brady’s Bills offense. The Bills could also opt for just five receivers and try to land both Sherfield and Hardman back on the practice squad.”
Hardman could have an advantage in his experience, having won three Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Bills Could Bring Back Brandin Cooks
The Bills could still have a path to bring back Cooks as well. The veteran receiver told The Athletic’s Tim Graham that he wants to return to the Bills, with the team also open to a reunion.
“Cooks turns 33 in September and craves that unfound glory. He wants to return to the Bills, and the interest apparently is mutual,” Graham reported. “Bills football boss Brandon Beane said in March the team had stayed in contact with Cooks’ camp, and Cooks said he talked with new head coach Joe Brady recently.”
Graham added that the team would likely look for Cooks to take a discount, which could be amendable for the veteran.
“Any contract will likely be team friendly. Cooks doesn’t need the money,” Graham wrote. “He has earned $124.9 million over his career, less than just nine receivers all time. He flies his own Cirrus Vision Jet, although he’s in the market for a new one. The Oregon home where he lives with his college-sweetheart wife, Briannon, and their three children was featured in Architectural Digest two years ago.”
If the Bills did bring back Cooks, it would likely create more competition for both Hardman and Sherfield, though Sherfield’s special teams versatility could still give him an edge.
Bills Predicted to Part Ways With Super Bowl Champion WR