Sean McDermott's team failed to land talented wideout DeAndre Hopkins. Do the Buffalo Bills have a backup plan to bolster their pass-catching corps?
It's not secret that the reigning AFC East champions have been looking to add more offensive weapons to compliment talented Buffalo Bills field general Josh Allen. He and Stefon Diggs are one of the better quarterback-wide receiver duos in the league. Tight end Dawson Knox has emerged as a big-time performer.
Back to the wide receiving corps. Gabe Davis comes off a disappointing season after excelling in the 2021 playoffs. General manager Brandon Beane added journeyman Trent Sherfield in free agency and used a fifth-round pick on University of Florida product Justin Shorter.
Any aspirations of adding star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the lineup disappeared when he agreed to a two-year deal with the Tennessee Titans (via Ian Glendon of Full Press Coverage). Could any of the three veterans be shuffling off to Buffalo sooner than later?
3 backup plans for Bills after missing on DeAndre Hopkins
3. Rashard Higgins
A fifth-round draft choice of the Browns in 2016, former Colorado State wideout Rashard Higgins spent six seasons in Cleveland before signing a one-year deal with Carolina Panthers a year ago. There wasn't much to his 2022 season. He played in a total of three games, saw nine offensive snaps, some time on special teams and didn't catch a pass.
During his stay in Cleveland, Higgins totaled 137 catches for 1,890 yards and 12 scores. During the team's two-game playoff run in 2020, he totaled seven receptions for 116 yards. Could he find new life with the Bills?
2. Kenny Golladay
The former Northern Illinois WR is looking for work after being released by the New York Giants this offseason (via John Fennelly of GiantsWire.com).
Wide receiver Kenny Golladay was a third-round selection by the Detroit Lions back in 2016 and made quite the impression in the Motor City. He totaled 1,000-plus in two of his four seasons with the club. He amassed a combined 183 receptions for 3,068 yards, averaging a brisk 16.8 yards per catch, and 21 touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowler in 2019, totaling 65 grabs for a career-best 1,190 yards while leading the NFL with 11 TD receptions.
His final year with the Lions saw him limited to five games. Nonetheless, the Giants inked Golladay to a four-year, $72 million deal. In a total of 28 games with the team, including last season's playoff split with the Vikings and Eagles, he managed to catch just 43 passes for 602 yards and made only one trip to the end zone.
At 6-4 and 213 pounds, the 29-year-old performer makes for an imposing talent. To say his stay with Big Blue was a disappointment would be an understatement. As John Fennelly of GiantsWire.com points out, a hip injury suffered in 2020 while Golladay was with the Lions was certainly a factor these past two seasons.
1. Jarvis Landry
It was supposed to be a happy homecoming for the former LSU standout and native of Metairie, Louisiana. Many had high hopes for the New Orleans Saints in 2022. The team won four of his final five games in '21 and there were thoughts that the momentum would carry over, even with Dennis Allen taking over as head coach for Sean Payton.
Those hopes were raised with free-agent additions such as defensive backs Tyrann Mathieu, Marcus Maye and Daniel Sorensen, as well as veteran wide receiver Jarvis Landry. The latter came to the Big Easy with an impressive NFL resume.
A five-time Pro Bowler who began his career with the Miami Dolphins, Landry spent four seasons in South Florida before being dealt to the Cleveland Browns in 2019. In his first seven years in the league, he missed only one game, totaled 636 catches for 7,028 yards and 35 scores. He also made playoff appearances with the Dolphins (2016) and Browns (2020).
Landry missed five games with Cleveland in 2021 and totaled only 52 catches, two for scores. He was released by the Browns last offseason and headed to New Orleans. He would appear in only nine games for the Saints this past season and managed career lows in receptions (25), yards (272) and TD grabs (1). Could a comeback be in the works?