The landscape of the AFC East is changing. With Tom Brady moving on from the New England Patriots, the Pats will now need to see how well Cam Newton can gel with his new receiving corps.
But overall, the division will be home to a few more playmakers in the receiving game. The Buffalo Bills made a blockbuster move, trading traded for Stefon Diggs. The New York Jets drafted Denzel Mims in the second-round of the recent draft. In due part to some of these moves, there’s a new leader with the best talent in the division.
Here’s how The Bills Wire ranks the wide receiver units for the AFC East entering the 2020 regular season:
1. Buffalo Bills
The Bills have undergone a massive transition at the wide receiver position over the past three years. The group was among the league’s worst when Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott took over the team in 2017. Now, it’s arguable a top-10 unit in the NFL, if not better.
John Brown and Cole Beasley brought credibility to this unit in 2019. The duo combined for 139 receptions, 1,838 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns. They did exactly what they were called upon to do: give Josh Allen stronger options. This, in turn, helped Allen improve and the passing attack for the Bills trended upward.
But this offseason, Buffalo traded for Stefon Diggs in March. This aggressive move by general manager Brandon Beane gives the Bills offense the over-the-top playmaker that the unit has been missing. With Diggs, Beasley, and Brown, Buffalo will be a matchup nightmare for secondaries.
The Bills were 26th in average passing yards per game last year. This group should make a massive leap going into the next season. While this is at the mercy of Allen, the receiving group is the best that he has worked within his career. For the first time in McDermott’s tenure, he has no excuses for not having a top-half offense in the league.
Buffalo has several depth options as well, including Robert Foster, Isaiah McKenzie, Isaiah Hodgins, and Gabriel Davis.
Top Ten Throws of Kirk Cousins' 2019 Season:
NUMBER TEN
This touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs traveled 60.5 yards in the air — the longest completion all year per @NextGenStats: pic.twitter.com/FKbYe7DTel
— Nick Olson (@NickOlsonNFL) May 18, 2020