Pro Football Focus recognized that John Brown and Cole Beasley were important parts of the Bills offense in 2019. Brown himself was Buffalo’s top-graded player on the Bills’ offensive side of the ball last year via PFF.
However, PFF recently broken down every NFL team’s biggest needs this offseason. While suggesting Brown are Beasley do their jobs at a high level, the football analytics outlet said they can’t do it all alone.
PFF tabbed the Bills’ biggest offseason need for Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane to address is a wide receiver that complements that duo:
Brown and Beasley proved to both be solid investments this offseason who could separate and provide reliable targets for Josh Allen in a revamped offensive scheme that was built by Brian Daboll to highlight Allen’s strengths. Both receivers are going to be on the wrong side of 30 next season, though, and the Bills could use a bigger, field-stretching wide receiver to complement their skills. On the season, Bills receivers caught just 40.3% of their contested catch opportunities (28th in the NFL). Adding someone who excels in those tight-window situations would give Allen another weapon to work with.
In many mock drafts early this offseason, this is the exact type of player the Bills go after. Along with age, the Brown-Beasley duo is simply too small. A bigger, 6-foot-4 targets could be the remedy the Bills need.
In adding such a piece, one that has enough talent to get on the field consistently, such as a first-round pick, it would have multiple trickle-down effects.
A big target would draw attention from opposing defenses, making Brown and Beasley’s jobs easier. In Allen’s case, his deep-ball struggles would be helped by a big target that goes up and gets the ball. His completion percent could be above 60 percent next season with such a player.
It’s hard to argue that the Bills don’t need a wideout addition this offseason. It’s a tempting move to make with free agency and the upcoming NFL draft on the horizon.
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