Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - My 2024 "State of the Bills" positional series continues with a look at the wide receivers:
Under contract:
- Stefon Diggs
- Khalil Shakir
- Deonte Harty
- Justin Shorter
- Andy Isabella
- Tyrell Shavers
- Bryan Thompson
- K.J. Hamler
Pending free agents:
- Gabe Davis
- Trent Sherfield
State of the position:
General manager Brandon Beane said during his end-of-season press conference he believes Diggs is still a true No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL.
Diggs’ production at the beginning of the 2023 season was certainly on par with that, but from Week 10 on, he topped 50 yards only once, scored only one touchdown, and caught more than five passes only twice.
Was it due to diminishing skill? Injury? Was it the result of Joe Brady‘s offense and play-calling?
The Bills have to find out the answer to that question, as they look assess the position.
Then there is already, once again, speculation by media and fans regarding Diggs’ own mindset on his future in Buffalo.
Related
Whether that’s fair or not, and regardless of what it actually is, the wideout is under contract for another four seasons. In addition, the team would take on a massive dead salary cap hit of over $31 million if they were to release him. They could clear over $19 million with a release or trade after June 1, but that would also come with a 2025 dead cap hit of over $22 million.
It seems extremely unlikely the Bills would entertain the idea of any of that.
That leaves them back to what Beane said: Diggs is the No. 1 wideout for the Bills in 2024. He also said they need to get him some help.
Some of that help came in the form of Davis over the last four years. However, the 24-year-old's contract is up and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent.
Davis has largely been a boom-or-bust player, as far as production.
Last year, he had games of 92, 100, 105, and 130 yards receiving. He had another where he caught nine passes for 87 yards.
He also had five games in 2023 with no catches at all.
Davis was voted team captain in only his fourth season last year, and was the back-to-back winner of the hardest worker of the offseason award by the team.
They certainly love his attributes, but being able to pay him is a different story.
Given the Bills' salary cap constraints, there won’t be much money to spend this offseason, including trying to retain their own players. Davis will most likely have several suitors willing to pay more than the Bills can afford, or are willing to.
While Diggs’ production tailed and Davis was feast or famine, Shakir became the team’s most consistent wide receiver by the end of the 2023 season.
From Week 7 through the end of the season, Shakir had the most yards receiving on the club with 571, three separate times topping 90 yards.
While Shakir can play outside, he’s been most effective in the slot. He’s only going into the third year of his rookie four-year contract, and appears to be ascending rapidly.
It’s a really nice situation for both the player and the team.
There will have to be decision made on Harty.
He rarely contributed on offense, catching only 15 passes for 150 yards, but did finish fifth in the NFL in punt return average (12.4), including the game-changing 96-yard touchdown return in their critical Week 18 game against the Miami Dolphins.
However, Harty has a salary cap hit of $5.7 million due in 2024. The Bills can save over $4 million of that by releasing him.
Whether it’s that outcome or a restructure, it’s doubtful he comes back to the team with that high of a number.
Ironically, another player the Bills signed last offseason who had not contributed much offensively, but scored a huge touchdown in that game was Sherfield, who will now be an unrestricted free agent.
Sherfield caught just 11 passes for 86 yards and one touchdown last year. He said after the season he’s very open to coming back to Buffalo.
It shouldn’t take anything more than a veteran minimum deal to bring him back, if the Bills feel the same.
Shorter was placed on Injured Reserve prior to the 2023 season starting, and although he did practice for a couple of weeks late in the season, last season’s fifth-round draft choice was never activated to the 53-man roster. He essentially had a red-shirt rookie season in the NFL.
He’ll come back in 2024, knowing the system and ready to compete for a job.
Shavers, Thompson, and Isabella all spent the entirety of 2023 on the practice squad. Shavers and Thompson were undrafted rookies who did not see any time on the active roster.
Isabella, a second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019, was elevated for two contests, but did not record any receptions.
All three signed Reserve/Future deals with the Bills to return to training camp in 2024.
Also signing a Reserve/Future contract was Hamler, a second-round choice of the Denver Broncos just four years ago. After injuries and health concerns, the Broncos released him.
Hamler signed with and spent last season on the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad before signing with the Bills.
The 24-year-old is extremely fast and explosive off the line of scrimmage. The Bills are hoping he can recapture that, stay healthy, and give them the type of downfield play-maker they lacked last season, and want in 2024.
Related
