Before the Stefon Diggs trade, wide receiver was seen by many as a secondary need for the Bills with Curtis Samuel having been added as a complementary option.
Without Diggs in the fold any longer, though, the receiver spot has been labeled a higher priority for the upcoming draft.
Set to select 28th overall, Buffalo will be out of range for the consensus top three WR prospects (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze) and perhaps even Brian Thomas Jr.
Despite that, several high-profile options will be available in a deep 2024 class. However, general manager Brandon Beane said in a Thursday news conference he does not feel an added sense of urgency to address the position on Day 1.
“We have not filled a No. 1 role,” Beane said (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia). “We have a group of guys who bring different skill sets. Would we like to add to it at some point? Yes. But I’m not sitting here thinking we have a glaring hole.”
Diggs produced at least 1,183 yards in each of his four seasons in Buffalo and he drew an average of 161 targets per season over that span.
Samuel’s addition (to help replace Gabe Davis, who departed in free agency) and a Year 2 jump from 2023 first-round tight end Dalton Kincaid could certainly ease the blow of Diggs’ absence. Down the stretch last season, offensive coordinator Joe Brady oversaw a commitment to the run game. Still, Buffalo could stand to add an impact pass-catcher sometime during the draft.
Beane confirmed he is prepared to trade the Bills’ 2025 first-rounder if a trade-up opportunity (or a deal involving an established veteran player) presents itself. Buffalo spent a Day 1 selection to acquire Diggs in the 2020 offseason, though a similar blockbuster would no doubt only be considered under a small set of circumstances.
The Bills (a team that has moved on from several veterans on both sides of the ball this offseason) own 10 total selections as things currently stand, so the team will have several opportunities after Day 1 to find a rookie receiver.
There could be a notable role available to a draftee in 2024, but Beane’s comments open the door to a different position being prioritized at No. 28.
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