After breaking out at the end of 2021, Gabriel Davis is bulking up for 2022.
The Buffalo Bills wide receiver shook off a slow start to his sophomore season and finished last season on a tear, breaking an NFL record with a 201-yard, four-touchdown performance in the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. Davis is now earning some national buzz heading into the next season, and a new video shows the transformation he’s undergone during the offseason.
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Davis Adds Bulk
Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus identified Davis as one of the top wide receiver candidates to take on a bigger role in the upcoming season. He noted that Davis had an 87.8 overall PFF grade from Week 10 of last season through the playoffs, the fifth-best mark in the league during that stretch.
Kyed noted that Davis has been putting in a lot of work since the season ended, bulking up from his previous listed weight of 210 pounds last season to 227 this offseason.
“He’s bigger, faster, stronger,” said Davis’ trainer, Bert Whigham. “He’s put on muscle. People say that’s too big, but he’s 23 years old. He’s just growing into his natural body. You’re going to see a big receiver.”
Jarad Evans of PFF shared a video of Davis putting in some work in the gym and showing off his bulked-up physique, which generated some excitement among Bills fans.
Gabriel Davis squatting a billion pounds means everyone needs to adjust the ranks 📈📈
Davis showed plenty of potential through his first two seasons. Though he had a slow start in 2021, Davis finished with 35 catches for 549 yards and six touchdowns, then exploded in the playoffs with 10 catches for 242 yards and five touchdowns across two games. His four touchdowns against the Chiefs set an NFL playoff record.
Taking on a Bigger Role
The Bills lost two of their most reliable targets this offseason, releasing Cole Beasley and losing Emmanuel Sanders to free agency. Together the pair combined for 189 targets last season, close to 30 percent of the total targets from quarterback Josh Allen.
NFL.com’s Adam Schein believes that Davis can step into that void, emerging as the clear-cut No. 2 receiver behind Stefon Diggs.
“No Cole Beasley? No Emmanuel Sanders? No problem,” Schein wrote. “It is Gabriel Davis’ time to play Robin to Stefon Diggs’ Batman. And shoot, sometimes the Boy Wonder will take the leading role.”
As Schein noted, Davis has the trust and support of Allen, who has raved about his abilities as a pass catcher. Sanders has also offered a big endorsement, predicting that Davis will have a breakout season.
“He’s a Pro Bowl caliber player”
“This guy is different”
– Emmanuel Sanders on UCF/Bills WR Gabriel Davis
“I’ve been around a lot of good receivers. He’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player,” Sanders said during an appearance on Good Morning Football. “This guy, the way he attacks the football, you give him the opportunity to start? Think about what he did in the Kansas City Chiefs game. … I feel like he’s going to have a breakout year. He’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player. I’ve been around a lot of good receivers — Antonio Brown, Demaryius Thomas, Michael Thomas. This guy is different, and he’s going to be a difference-maker for them.”
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Video Shows Incredible Offseason Transformation for Bills WR