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Gabe Davis set some high expectations in the Buffalo Bills‘ final game of the 2021 season when he set an NFL record with four touchdowns in a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
While Davis had a strong season in 2022 — making 48 receptions for 836 yards and 7 touchdowns — he failed to match the expectations from his breakout performance and struggled at times during the season.
Heading into the 2023 season, there are questions about whether Davis can solidify his spot as a true No. 2 behind Stefon Diggs — and a new report speculating that the Bills could trade him away for a more established pass catcher.
Trade Proposal Sends Gabe Davis to Tampa Bay
Ryan Heckman of BuffaLowDown suggested the Bills could give Davis a fresh start with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a trade that lends them four-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans. The analyst suggested the Bills could send Davis and a sixth-round pick in the upcoming draft for Evans and a fifth-rounder.
Dustin Lewis of SI.com’s BucsGameday noted that the deal would give the Buccaneers some much-needed cap relief, but could be a tough sell for Tampa as the still-unproven Davis would be replacing a “franchise favorite.” Lewis added that the Buccaneers do not appear eager to part with their top wide receiver.
“Though Evans is consistently finding himself in hypothetical trades, it sounds like the Buccaneers are looking keep him and fellow star Chris Godwin in pewter and red for the foreseeable future,” Lewis wrote. “Head Coach Todd Bowles told CBS Sports that he doesn’t see either player ‘going anywhere’ last month.”
Still, others have suggested that a Davis-for-Evans trade could make sense for both sides. Mike Ginnitti, managing editor for the salary-crunching site Sportrac, said in a February 15 appearance on Shout! The Buffalo Bills Podcast that the Bills could be very motivated to make a deal that would give a major boost to their Super Bowl hopes.
“I just think Mike Evans on an expiring contract is super tasty, especially on a team that will know how to utilize him, a quarterback who can get him downfield a bit, a big option in the red zone which you know we need,” he said. “I just like every angle of this and if you’ve got to pay him $28 million a year next season, then I guess that’s the price to pay.”
Bills Could Make Other Upgrades at WR
The Bills have already made a pair of moves to bolster their wide receiving corps this offseason, signing speedy receiver and return specialist Deonte Harty and former Miami Dolphins pass catcher Trent Sherfield.
Some insiders believe the Bills could have another big move coming, though it may not be as splashy as the hypothetical trade for Evans. NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter predicted the Bills would draft USC wide receiver Jordan Addison, giving quarterback Josh Allen “a legitimate deep threat to stretch out defenses, which would also help the team’s running game.”
Davis will likely remain an important part of the team’s receiving corps as well. He got an endorsement from Bills general manager Brandon Beane, who acknowledged his struggles last season but showed faith in the 24-year-old.
“I think Gabe did some good things,” Beane said, via the Buffalo News. “I know people focus on some drops that he had, but Gabe is still a young player and still made a lot of plays for us.”