Most NFL pundits look at the Buffalo Bills’ wide receiving corps and shudder. It’s a group that lacks in depth, skill-set diversity, and proven NFL-caliber talent. However, with the number of question marks at the position, potential for some players to break out and make a name for themselves exists.
In the first of our annual “90 players in 90 days” series, we look at a former Nebraska Cornhusker looking to make the 53-man roster in 2018.
Name: Brandon Reilly
Number: 89
Position: WR
Height/Weight: 6’2”, 200 lbs.
Age: 24
Experience: 1
College: Nebraska
Draft: UDFA; signed with Buffalo May 5, 2017
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Reilly’s contract is standard for an undrafted free agent; he is in the second year of a three-year pact totaling $1.665 million. His base salary for 2018 is $555,000, none of which is guaranteed.
2017 Recap: Reilly signed to Buffalo’s practice squad after he was cut when the roster was trimmed to 53 at the start of September. He remained on the practice squad through Week 13. He was elevated to the 53-man roster prior to the Bills’ December 10 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts; however, he was inactive for every game after he was called up to the full roster.
Positional outlook: As we’ve noted numerous times, it’s not as if the Bills have a plethora of talented players at the receiver position. It seems that the top three of Kelvin Benjamin, Zay Jones, and Jeremy Kerley would be a fairly safe bet to make the roster. After that, veterans Andre Holmes and Rod Streater are two players with NFL experience, although neither has experienced much success at the position. Reilly will need to distinguish himself from those veterans and other young players like Malachi Dupre, Quan Bray, and 2018 draft selections Ray-Ray McCloud and Austin Proehl if he is going to make the team out of camp.
2018 Offseason: Reilly worked out with his former receivers coach in college, Keith Williams, who said that the second-year player’s “best football is ahead of him.” Reilly, for his part, says that he is “confident” in his ability to play the game and ultimately make the team.
2018 season outlook: Reilly will need to prove his mettle again this year after leading the Bills in receptions during the 2017 preseason (11 catches for 139 yards). If he can showcase the same ability against first-and-second string competition, he may have a chance to make the roster as the fourth or fifth receiver. He’ll have to beat out some hand-picked players drafted by the regime, but he has just as good a chance as anyone to break camp with the team in September.