Getty Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus.
The Buffalo Bills have made some additions to their wide receiver room this offseason, but this week it was time for an early departure.
The Bills announced on May 16 that they released wide receiver Quintez Cephus, just a little more than two weeks after the team had signed the former Detroit Lions pass-catcher. Cephus had just come off a one-year suspension for violating the league’s rules against gambling, and his signing drew some pushback from fans.
In announcing the release of Cephus, the Bills also added veteran safety Dee Delaney, who is seen as a strong candidate for a roster spot this coming season.
We’ve signed S Dee Delaney and released WR Quintez Cephus.
Short Tenure for Former Lions Receiver
The Bills initially announced Cephus’ signing on April 29, adding a receiver with a turbulent career. Cephus came into the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the Lions in 2020 and had a productive rookie season with 20 receptions for 349 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games.
Cephus then saw his production drop over the following two seasons, making just 17 receptions for 219 yards and two touchdowns while dealing with injuries. He did not take the field at all in 2023 after the league issued a suspension for violating rules against gambling.
Cephus was among three Lions players disciplined for gambling and was hit with the biggest punishment, an indefinite suspension that lasted the entire season before he was reinstated this offseason, according to the Associated Press.
Bills Making Other Moves at Receiver
The Bills had done some work reshaping a wide receiving corps that lost its top two players when Gabe Davis left in free agency and Stefon Diggs was traded to the Houston Texans.
The team used its top draft pick — the first selection of the second round — to take Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman. Pro Football Focus analyst Sam Monson noted that Coleman has some strong physical traits along with some red flags, suggesting he won’t be ready to step into the void left with the departure of Diggs.
“Coleman is an intriguing prospect, but his profile had a lot of red flags and he would seem to be one of the riskier answers to a team that intends to install him as their X receiver and essentially replace Diggs,” Monson wrote. “Coleman has size and exceptional body control and hands — traits that Diggs possesses — but he doesn’t have the route-running chops or ability to separate against man coverage that Diggs does.”
The Bills brought on some other veteran help this offseason, signing Curtis Samuel, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Chase Claypool. They also added more young talent after the NFL draft, signing undrafted free agent receiver Xavier Johnson Jr.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had some high praise for the multi-sport star, noting that Johnson was a standout on both offense and special teams.
“A three-star recruit, he had double-digit football offers (plus several basketball offers) but chose instead to walk on at his dream school, Ohio State,” Brugler wrote. “He earned a role on special teams each of the last five seasons, finishing his career with a remarkable 899 snaps and 14 tackles.”