Joe Buscaglia on Bills Evolving and Improved Receiver Room-- The Athletic

[Casey D]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6876753/2025/12/10/buffalo-bills-wide-receivers-josh-allen/?source=athletic_user_shared_article_email&smid=em-share-ta

 

Behind a paywall, but an interesting read.  His basic take is that the Bills receiver room, while still not great, has evolved into something serviceable.  Davis, Shakir and Shavers have settled in as the prime trio, with Shavers being the Hollins from 2024.  Palmer should be the 4th when healthy, and then the issue is who is the 5th, Cooks or Coleman.  Buscaglia feels Cooks brings better complementary skills than Coleman, so Coleman most likely to sit if Bills go with the usual five receivers.

 

Room will need overhaul in 2026, but this group might be good enough for the Bills to be a force in playoffs.

[PaattMaann]

the 2026 discussion is interesting...

 

You would assume Davis and Cooks are gone. 

 

Healthy Palmer (fingers crossed, but can we count on that from a planning perspective?), Shakir, Shavers, Coleman (he isn't going to get cut if I'm betting, just doesn't make financial sense) and a rookie or 2? Is THAT good enough? I guess it depends on who the rookie(s) is and their impact. We aren't going to be spending in FA because we don't have the money.

 

Swing a trade for a disgruntled Justin Jefferson? I don't know. 

[Kaenon]

I think Davis stays next season.

 

2026 WR room:

1st round pick WR

Shakir

Palmer

Davis

Shavers

2nd or 3rd round pick WR

Coleman

 

Keep 6 (5 or 6)

7th will not make it

[CheshireCT]

2 minutes ago, PaattMaann said:

the 2026 discussion is interesting...

 

You would assume Davis and Cooks are gone. 

 

Healthy Palmer (fingers crossed, but can we count on that from a planning perspective?), Shakir, Shavers, Coleman (he isn't going to get cut if I'm betting, just doesn't make financial sense) and a rookie or 2? Is THAT good enough? I guess it depends on who the rookie(s) is and their impact. We aren't going to be spending in FA because we don't have the money.

 

Swing a trade for a disgruntled Justin Jefferson? I don't know. 

this will be interesting for sure. One major problem was the commitment to Curtis Samuel. I had a look at our WR salaries on Spotrac, and we can finally cut ties with him after this season. Palmer is also a commitment, so I hope he pans out the next two years. 
 

given how tight this team’s cap is, there’s simply no room for error on signings with considerable guaranteed money.

[Kelly to Allen]

Palmer   MVS

Gabe.     Watson 

Shakir     Rice

Shavers  Ross

Cooks.    James

 

That's a little better than kcs wrs in 23 but they had Kelce 

 

We have Kincaid 

 

So I still think we can get by 

 

Obviously not ideal but serviceable 

 

I'm hoping they roll with 6 wrs with Hardman in the playoffs 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Kelly to Allen

[BuffaloBillyG]

2 minutes ago, PaattMaann said:

the 2026 discussion is interesting...

 

You would assume Davis and Cooks are gone. 

 

Healthy Palmer (fingers crossed, but can we count on that from a planning perspective?), Shakir, Shavers, Coleman (he isn't going to get cut if I'm betting, just doesn't make financial sense) and a rookie or 2? Is THAT good enough? I guess it depends on who the rookie(s) is and their impact. We aren't going to be spending in FA because we don't have the money.

 

Swing a trade for a disgruntled Justin Jefferson? I don't know. 

Not entirely true. 

 

I played around on the cap for next year and easily found about $50M. And that's not pulling every lever I could. Now, a chunk of that may go to sign our own and we do have other holes to fill, but there will be money, especially if contracts are stacked wisely. 

 

The real issue at WR next year is aside from Pickens, who the Cowboys are rumored to be happy to tag, well the pickens at WR are slim. Not much there and a lot of teams that will be looking for WRs in the off-season. Means the mediocre WRs that are out there are likely to get paid well.

 

Davis being back next year wouldn't shock me. They probably would have kept him if Jacksonville didn't offer him a ludicrous deal. In order to upgrade the WR room, Beane is going to have to be creative....and if trading he is probably going to have to overpay. 

 

I don't see any way they can justify not spending high draft capitol on WR next year. And with the type of WR they have looked at and/or brought in (Waddle, Hardman, Cooks) they understand we lack speed. That's what I expect them to draft. Speed at outside WR. 

[GASabresIUFan]

The only way to upgrade this receiver room is in the draft.  Shakir and Palmer are locked up. Shavers will be retained.  Coleman is under contract, but I think he gets traded in the off-season (see Elam for example).

 

That leaves 3 opening for a vet (Davis/Cooks) and two draftees.  We need to start developing our own boundary receivers with size and speed.  I’m taking a WR early and another in the 4th or 5th.  We need to get younger at the position with more upside and more contributors under cheaper rookie deals.  

[BuffaloBill]

People are enamored with the idea that the Bills should pick WR in 1st round. Only about 1 out of 5 chosen become 1,000 plus yard receivers and most don’t get there until 3 seasons in.  I am not saying do not make the pick if a candidate is there.

 

I’m simply saying that the pick is not a lock.

[2003Contenders]

In 2025 the strength of the Bills' passing game is with their TEs and RBs, rather than their WRs. That's why 12 (and even 13) personnel fits this team better that trying to force the ball to sub-standard WRs. Maybe that outlook changes in 2026 if the team makes a trade for a genuine WR1 (Justin Jefferson?), but for the remainder of this season and the playoffs, the focus needs to be on the TEs -- with occasional shots to the WRs when coverage dictates it.

[NewEra]

We could be ok as long as Kincaid is healthy 

[SCBills]

Bills can definitely free up a good bit of cap and if I had to guess will bring back, at least, one of McGovern/Edwards and likely Bosa.  So that’s potentially good chunk of change right there. 
 

If they do the above, they’re probably pretty well set at the lines.  Might even bring back Jones if he finishes on a high note.  Bosa, Rousseau, Hoecht, Jackson, Solomon & Oliver, Walker, Sanders, Jones, Carter.  Ideal, no.  Could they be good if healthy, yes.  Will they stay healthy, probably not.  But if we want a legit WR.. this is probably the route we have to take on the DL for ‘26.
 

QB, RB, TE all set.  Draft picks will likely go to LB, Slot, Safety & CB depth.  
 

Leaves us with potentially one big offseason contract from out of the building that we can onboard and the ability to package our RD2 Pick with our RD1 pick or our ‘27 RD1 with our RD1 pick to legitimately move up, whichever way they want to explore in order to add to Gabe, Shakir, Palmer, Shavers & Coleman (if he’s still here)

 

As for this year, we really just need to lock in our WR rotation for the playoffs and get Kincaid healthy.   This is why the Palmer injury is even more frustrating.  We don’t want to be experimenting in win or go home games.  There are 4 games left and ideally these game are when JA develops chemistry for the guys he’s going to go to war with… as the article points out, we’re starting to see that with the defined roles being carved out by Gabe, Shavers and Shakir.  Palmer factors to be in this mix, but at some point, we’re running out of runway for him to be anything more than a situational piece like Cooks and Coleman.  

[SoonerBillsFan]

Look this WR room isn't good.  The top 2 spots MUST be upgraded and with 1 of them a guy a DC has to at least respect. 

 

I say trade our 2026 1st for a WR. I dont trust Branes evaluation of WR's at all.  Trade the dang pick and get someone established.

 

Now who to trade for... I don't know.  We need to see how the season finishes, then see who is disgruntled, and who might be able to be traded for.

[BuffaloBillyG]

5 minutes ago, BuffaloBill said:

People are enamored with the idea that the Bills should pick WR in 1st round. Only about 1 out of 5 chosen become 1,000 plus yard receivers and most don’t get there until 3 seasons in.  I am not saying do not make the pick if a candidate is there.

 

I’m simply saying that the pick is not a lock.

I agree, they shouldn't force a pick for a WR if it's not there. However, Is like to see them be aggressive and identify the guy they want...and then go get him. Enough of identifying a "cluster of guys" they like and being content with who is left. Take a swing if you identify a guy that has a good shot at becoming "the guy" at WR.

4 minutes ago, 2003Contenders said:

In 2025 the strength of the Bills' passing game is with their TEs and RBs, rather than their WRs. That's why 12 (and even 13) personnel fits this team better that trying to force the ball to sub-standard WRs. Maybe that outlook changes in 2026 if the team makes a trade for a genuine WR1 (Justin Jefferson?), but for the remainder of this season and the playoffs, the focus needs to be on the TEs -- with occasional shots to the WRs when coverage dictates it.

Agreed. If the Bills are going to go far in the playoffs, on offense it should look a lot like it did against the Bengals. Run the ball. Use all 3 TEs. Safe passes to the WRs and backs short, and if they can get a shot down field here and there...take it if open. 

 

I know I would like a nice modern pass attack, but with the players we have it's just not possible. I will also say that this team is built to survive bad weather games on offense. We have seen a lot of snow, rain and windy games this era. This offense this year is built to survive that. Now we just need that intimidating defense to match 

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 hour ago, Casey D said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6876753/2025/12/10/buffalo-bills-wide-receivers-josh-allen/?source=athletic_user_shared_article_email&smid=em-share-ta

 

Behind a paywall, but an interesting read.  His basic take is that the Bills receiver room, while still not great, has evolved into something serviceable.  Davis, Shakir and Shavers have settled in as the prime trio, with Shavers being the Hollins from 2024.  Palmer should be the 4th when healthy, and then the issue is who is the 5th, Cooks or Coleman.  Buscaglia feels Cooks brings better complementary skills than Coleman, so Coleman most likely to sit if Bills go with the usual five receivers.

 

Room will need overhaul in 2026, but this group might be good enough for the Bills to be a force in playoffs.

Going into the playoffs it should be...

 

Shakir

Shavers

Davis

Cooks

Palmer

Hardman   As the top 6.

 

Hartman will be our KO returner, amd has speed to get down the field.

 

 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

As much as people rip the Bills receivers, I have read some articles about how terrible the chiefs receivers are— especially how terrible they are at blocking which is why they have no run game. 

[Charles Romes]

1 hour ago, Kaenon said:

I think Davis stays next season.

 

2026 WR room:

1st round pick WR

Shakir

Palmer

Davis

Shavers

2nd or 3rd round pick WR

Coleman

 

Keep 6 (5 or 6)

7th will not make it

Chris Brazzell Tennessee

[Lost]

Get ready fellas..

 

Beane's big move at WR next season is gonna be none other than.

 

Hunter Renfrow

 

 

you heard it here first 😂

[Cray51]

1 hour ago, PaattMaann said:

the 2026 discussion is interesting...

 

You would assume Davis and Cooks are gone. 

 

Healthy Palmer (fingers crossed, but can we count on that from a planning perspective?), Shakir, Shavers, Coleman (he isn't going to get cut if I'm betting, just doesn't make financial sense) and a rookie or 2? Is THAT good enough? I guess it depends on who the rookie(s) is and their impact. We aren't going to be spending in FA because we don't have the money.

 

Swing a trade for a disgruntled Justin Jefferson? I don't know. 

I would not bank on Davis being gone.  He likes Buffalo, made some money with the Jags, and may not get offers in FA.

 

I could see a 1 or 2 year deal similar to what they did with Ty Johnson as a guy they picked up from another team and fit a role nicely.

[Andrew Son]

Offense is fine, as always, despite what the vocal contingent of crusaders continually post here.

 

We will go as far as the defense allows, which has been what has let us down in basically all of our elimination games.

[Cray51]

1 hour ago, Kaenon said:

I think Davis stays next season.

 

2026 WR room:

1st round pick WR

Shakir

Palmer

Davis

Shavers

2nd or 3rd round pick WR

Coleman

 

Keep 6 (5 or 6)

7th will not make it

1) No way they draft two WR in the first 3 rounds.  Beane has never done that, I dont think that will change this year.

 

I agree Davis will stay most likely

 

Davis

Palmer

Shakir

Shavers

draft WR

low end FA

 

Traded - Coleman

 

That's my guess.  I think they are done with Keon.  Unless he comes into camp ready and running hard, I could see them cutting him outright when they get down to 53.  Such a shame.