Bills release WR Cole Beasley

It looked like Beasley's eventual departure from Western New York was written in the stars in early March when the Bills granted permission for the 32-year-old to seek a trade. When the team was unable to find a trade partner, they released the former Dallas Cowboys slot receiver.

Buffalo re-signed "Swiss army knife" receiver Isaiah McKenzie to a two-year, $8 million contract earlier this week, sending more signals that Beasley would be departing. The Bills are expected to have McKenzie join two-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs, as well as youngster Gabriel Davis, in the team's wide receivers group.

Beasley spent the first seven seasons of his NFL career with the Cowboys, before signing a four-year, $29 million contract with Buffalo in March 2019. After surpassing 100 targets for the first time in 2019 and setting a career-high in touchdown receptions (six) that season as well, Beasley was even better in 2020.

He posted career-bests in receptions (82), receiving yards (967), yards per reception (11.8) and catch percentage (76.6%) among other categories two years ago and helped the Bills advance to the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Beasley took a slight step back during the 2021 campaign, but still racked up 82 catches for 693 yards.

As one of the more vocal anti-vaccine players in the NFL, though, Beasley created off-the-field drama by his strict stance against the COVID-19 vaccine that became widely available in early 2021.