ESPN calls the offseason NFL signing of former Tennessee Vols WR an 'uninspiring choice'

ESPN called the Buffalo Bills' signing of a former Tennessee Vols wide receiver an "uninspiring choice" this week. 

Earlier this offseason, the Bills signed former Volunteers wide receiver Josh Palmer to a three-year deal worth $36 million 

Palmer, who played at Tennessee from 2017 to 2020, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Los Angeles Chargers. The former Vol caught 182 passes for 2,287 yards and 10 touchdowns during his four seasons in Los Angeles. 

ESPN wasn't necessarily throwing shade at Palmer. Instead, it's that ESPN doesn't think Buffalo did enough to address their needs at wide receiver. 

From ESPN: Buffalo's "big" move at receiver was signing Palmer in free agency. Palmer is an uninspiring choice given his 1.6 yards per route run last season (and failure to ever reach 1.9 yards per route run in a season) despite playing with Justin Herbert in Los Angeles. When the Bills didn't draft a wide receiver until the seventh round, GM Brandon Beane took issue with the criticism.

The reality is that wide receiver is a weakness, but the Bills are also basically capped out -- they have almost no room in 2025 and are well over the 2026 cap -- so it was going to be tough to bring aboard a better veteran. Given the Bills' status as a Super Bowl contender, I don't think it was wrong to critique their decision to not select a wide receiver in the first three rounds of the draft. That means Keon Coleman, the No. 33 pick in 2024, will have to take a big step in Year 2.

Palmer, who will turn 26 in September, has a big opportunity in 2025. He'll be one of the featured players in the Bills' offense, and he'll be playing with the 2024 NFL MVP in Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen. The former Vol could be in store for his best season yet.