Buffalo Bills receiving corps could surprise critics in 2024

The loss of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the Buffalo Bills’ passing attack.

There are rightly many questions surrounding the Bills’ receiving corps, but the level of concern from critics may be a bit overblown. CBS Sports Writer Jared Durbin unnecessarily sounded the alarm by calling wide receiver a problem position for the Bills in The biggest hole or question mark on each NFL team’s roster heading into the 2024 season.

By identifying “the weak spots of each of the 32 teams in the league,” Durbin landed on the Bills’ new WR group.

“Without Stefon Diggs, Buffalo has Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel and second-round pick Keon Coleman as Josh Allen’s top three receivers. Everyone thought Coleman was really good because he showed an impressive personality in his pre-draft interview, but he wasn’t particularly productive at Florida State. Can he improve and become a No. 1 pick?” Durbin said.

Perhaps because they are not names known to the general public, it seems that the author automatically dismisses the potential of the three aforementioned receivers.

First off, Shakir showed his abilities late last year and looks set to make another leap forward in year three.

Samuel is a proven veteran who has played creditably despite spending much of his career in less-than-ideal quarterback situations. It’s certainly worth mentioning that the only season (2020) he had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, the current Bills offensive coordinator was the Carolina Panthers’ starting point guard.

Coleman is a first-round talent, but his popularity has plummeted due to a slow 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine. Thought to be “not particularly productive” at Florida State, Coleman led the Atlantic Coast Conference in touchdown receptions (11) and punt return yards (300) last year.

There’s no reason the Shakir-Samuel-Coleman combination can’t be as effective as the Panthers’ 2020 receiving trio, which produced solid numbers in Joe Brady’s only season as offensive coordinator.

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While Brady was cutting his teeth in Carolina with Teddy Bridgewater as his QB1, Robby Chosen and DJ Moore recorded 1,000-yard receiving campaigns and Samuel finished with 851 receiving yards.

Now let’s see what Brady can cook up with Josh Allen at quarterback.

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