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On the surface, the Buffalo Bills do not have much of a need for a wide receiver.
Taking a longer look at things, there is a case to be made that the Bills can stand to add one to the mix.
As the calendar turns to March, the 2022 NFL scouting combine will begin this week. However, the big headlines will come in the middle of the month when free agency opens.
When that happens, could the Bills be players for a wide receiver such as the Arizona Cardinals’ Christian Kirk?
CBS Sports recently made that case. Pegging one pending free agent that every NFL team should “prioritize” signing, Kirk was the pick for the Bills.
Here’s the breakdown:
Christian Kirk was seen vacationing/having dinner with Bills star quarterback Josh Allen, so there’s a connection! But the Bills should explore the free agent market when it comes to the receiver position. Stefon Diggs is a star and Gabriel Davis may be a legitimate No. 2, but Buffalo could also lose Emmanuel Sanders and Isaiah McKenzie in free agency. The Bills could have one of the best passing offenses in the NFL, but they need to keep stockpiling weapons.
Making a case for Kirk is pretty easy. Isn’t it always for a playmaker? Imagine a lineup with not only Diggs and Davis, but don’t forget tight end Dawson Knox and wideout Cole Beasley factoring in with Kirk.
That would give Allen a lot to work with.
Despite that, the numbers might not add up.
Kirk had 77 catches for 982 yards and five touchdowns in 2021. Such numbers mean he could be in line for a big pay day. According to Spotrac, Kirk could earn exactly that, up to an estimated $11.8 million per season going forward.
Not only is that estimation high, Buffalo’s cap space is currently… nonexistent.
Right now the Bills are slightly over the $208M 2022 cap. Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane has work to do to get under that number, let alone find space to sign someone like Kirk, all while maintaining some of his team’s own free agents.
Kirk seems like a longshot, but a nice dream at least.
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