The Buffalo Bills‘ offense may look like a finished product on paper, but one team insider believes general manager Brandon Beane could still have one more move up his sleeve to help Josh Allen.
Beane has made moves to add more pass-catchers this offseason, signing former New York Jets slot receiver Jamison Crowder and tight end O.J. Howard and drafting Boise State receiver Khalil Shakir and multi-talented running back James Cook. But Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News suggested that Beane may target another free agent receiver — and that it may come at the expense of a Bills veteran who just landed a new contract with the team.
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More Additions to Bills Offense
Answering a mailbag question from a Bills fan about what free agents could be targets for Buffalo, Skurski suggested that they could look at some of the veteran wide receivers still on the market. While Skurski noted that the top targets like Odell Beckham Jr. are likely too expensive for the cash-strapped team, he identified former Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller as a more likely option.
“There are also several veteran wide receivers still on the market, including Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr. and Will Fuller,” he wrote. “If the Bills want to add veteran depth at that position, Fuller might be worth a chance on. He doesn’t figure to be as expensive as Jones or Beckham will be.”
Fuller is coming off an injury-shortened season for the Miami Dolphins, where he appeared in just three games before suffering a finger injury and going on injured reserve. The former first-round pick made four catches for 26 yards before going down. Fuller turned in a much more productive season for the Texans in 2020, with 53 receptions for 879 yards and eight touchdowns — all career highs.
Fuller could add another deep threat for Allen, helping to fill the void from the departing Emmanuel Sanders. Competition could be high for Fuller, as a number of other teams have been named as potential landing spots for the veteran receiver.
One Veteran in, Another Out?
If the Bills were to sign Fuller, it would likely leave a difficult decision about who makes the final roster. Skurski suggested that veteran Isaiah McKenzie, who just signed a new two-year contract with the Bills this offseason, could be the one on the chopping block. He noted that McKenzie has more competition for the slot position since the Bills signed Crowder and drafted Shakir.
McKenzie has proven to be a valuable asset to the team, jumping into the running game as a jet-sweep specialist and returning both kickoffs and punts, but Skurski suggested that the younger and cheaper Marquez Stevenson could handle return duties. That means McKenzie’s job security could be a lot shakier than most fans realize, he wrote.
The fastest of all-time. Put @_IsaiahMcKenzie in the history books. 😱
“I know the Bills re-signed him to a two-year contract, but they also signed a veteran slot receiver, Jamison Crowder, and added a rookie in the fifth round, Boise State’s Khalil Shakir, who many did not think would be available at that time,” Skurski wrote.
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Bills Rumors: Team Could Target Former 1st Round WR to Help Josh Allen