Every NFL team has issues, even the eventual Super Bowl champion in a few weeks will have holes to fill when the 2020 NFL draft rolls around.
So to ask if the Buffalo Bills have holes is obvious. Exactly what that No. 1 hole in their roster is? That could be the harder question.
But Bleacher Report recently broke exactly that down. What’s the biggest issue in the Bills’ roster right now that can be addressed in the upcoming draft? B/R calls it “small featured wide receivers.” Count B/R amongst those who think the Bills need a big boy or two.
Here’s how B/R thinks the Bills can find their solution in the draft:
Answer: WR Michael Pittman Jr., USC
You won’t find Michael Pittman Jr. in the first round of many mock drafts. He’ll need a strong showing at the NFL Scouting Combine to elevate his stock.
Even if Pittman isn’t a first-round pick, the Buffalo Bills should set their sights on the 6’4″, 220-pound wideout.
The Bills have smaller wide receivers in big roles. John Brown (5’11, 178 lbs) and Cole Beasley (5’8″, 174 lbs) are their top two players at the position. They could struggle against physical defensive backs who attempt to disrupt timing with press-man coverage.
Wideout Robert Foster (6’2″, 196 lbs) wasn’t able to pick up from where he left off last year. Duke Williams (6’3″, 225 lbs) is still coming along. In case the latter takes a step back like the former, the Bills should consider Pittman, who put together a standout senior term at USC, logging 101 receptions for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Pittman isn’t a burner on the perimeter. He’s a possession receiver who fights through coverage and moves the chains on crucial downs. Until one of the Bills tight ends flashes consistently in the passing attack, quarterback Josh Allen needs a big target at wide receiver.
Clearly B/R is targeting John Brown and Cole Beasley here. The Bills hit on both of those free agent signees from last offseason, but they can’t do everything. And it’s really hard to depend on Duke Williams. While there is some hope, he’s still an undrafted rookie who went to the CFL. Robert Foster is also mentioned above, but he’s not a big-bodied type. Tall? Sure. But he’s a smaller, speedy guy, who also struggled in 2019.
So could Michael Pittman be the answer? The Bills should not paint themselves in a corner by only looking at taller wideouts in the draft, but this is certainly a fit.
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