The Buffalo Bills set the foundation last offseason, then landed the bombshell this offseason in their wide receiver room.
Sending a first-round pick to the Vikings for wide receiver Stefon Diggs, adding him to a room with Cole Beasley and John Brown, seemed like an easy decision for that Bills. That’s because it probably was.
The Bills have the most continuity on their offense in the entire NFL, but were missing that No.1, game-changing player. Enter Diggs and the Bills have an elite unit. Even Pro Football Focus had to admit it.
PFF recently released their rankings of the 32 NFL wide receiver rooms heading into next season and the guys in Buffalo are looking good. The Bills landed at fifth-overall.
Here’s the PFF breakdown on the Bills and their wideout room:
The Bills’ receiving weapons have improved drastically over the past two years, and they may boast the best trio in the league in 2020. An offseason trade for Stefon Diggs completed the trifecta, as Buffalo added one of the league’s best route runners who also leads the league with a contested-catch rate of 60.0% since 2016. He’s capable of winning at all levels of the field, and his presence helps John Brown and Cole Beasley play to their respective strengths.
Brown’s 4.34 speed makes him a downfield threat, but he’s done his best work at the intermediate (10-19 yard) level, where his 57 receptions rank 16th in the league since 2017. Beasley is one of the best slot receivers in the league, and he’s been open on 77.1% of his targets over the past two years — the best rate in the league. The top three should have distinct roles, as should Isaiah McKenzie, who ranked third in the league with 120 yards on screens last season. He adds the change-of-pace/jet sweep option that many NFL offenses covet. The Bills have one of the most well-rounded receiving units in the league.
Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane said all offseason before landing Diggs that the Bills had to start scoring more points in 2020. Enter Diggs and there’s no reason the Bills shouldn’t do that. But in bringing him in, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen will have few excuses. He once again has to look better in 2020, or else the questions will start to emerge. Look no further than PFF as one outlet that will certainly do so in that scenario.
In regard to the rest of the list, the Bills have the AFC East’s best wide receiver room by far. The Cowboys were tabbed as the NFL’s best wide recievers by PFF, edging out the Bucs, Falcons and Saints, respectively. In the division, the Dolphins rank as the second-best wide receiver team by PFF, all the way back at No. 27. Still they beat out the Patriots (30) and the Jets (31).
[lawrence-related id=66124,66088,66078,66063]