On the latest edition of Billieve: A Buffalo Bills Fan Podcast, host John Boccacino is joined by co-host Anthony Marino to break down one of the biggest areas of need this offseason for the Buffalo Bills: addressing the wide receiver position.
Led by slot receiver Zay Jones and undrafted free agent Robert Foster, this unit needs to be bolstered heading into year two of the Josh Allen era in Western New York. With nearly $80 million in available cap space, general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott certainly will have the financial means to go out and upgrade the wide receivers, whether through free agency, a trade, the draft, or all three.
Without a doubt, the most talented wide receiver out there who can be had (for the right price) is Antonio Brown, currently of the Pittsburgh Steelers. AB is a dynamic pass catcher known for making highlight-reel catches. He is also frustrated over his contract and his situation in Pittsburgh, and has made it known he wants out. Could Brown be a logical trade target for Beane?
Brown has established himself as one of the top two wide receivers in the game, and has amassed over 100 catches and over 1,200 yards in each of the last six seasons. He has averaged nearly 12 touchdown receptions over his last five seasons. Brown has shown himself to be lethal when lined up in the slot, and he’s just as talented and dangerous when he lines up outside. He is as good of a route runner and pass catcher as there is in the league.
Those tantalizing numbers would certainly give Allen a formidable weapon to throw to, but Brown, 31, also comes with some baggage. He has displayed a me-first attitude at times, including recording a Facebook Live video while Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin was addressing his team in the locker room following a playoff win over the Kansas City Chiefs. As we know about McDermott and Beane, they prioritize bringing in high character guys, and Brown’s diva ways might discourage Buffalo from trading for him.
Brown, who still has three years and $36.4 million remaining on his contract, can be had via a trade, but how high of a price would Buffalo have to pay to pry him away from Pittsburgh? Our podcasters offer up their thoughts on Brown and whether he makes sense for the Bills.
Switching to free agents, Golden Tate (Philadelphia Eagles), Tyrell Williams (Los Angeles Chargers), Cole Beasley (Dallas Cowboys), John Brown (Baltimore Ravens), Adam Humphries (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Randall Cobb (Green Bay Packers), Donte Moncrief (Jacksonville Jaguars), and Devin Funchess (Carolina Panthers) lead the free agent class.
Boccacino and Marino both would love to see the team go after Williams, Brown, Humphries, and/or Moncrief in free agency, and hope the team steers clear of Cobb, whose best days appear to be behind him.
One sleeper to look out for among the free agent wide receivers is former Bill Chris Hogan, who enjoyed two productive seasons with the New England Patriots before enduring a disappointing 2018 campaign.
Before closing out the podcast, Boccacino and Marino offered up their thoughts on whether Buffalo should draft Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf with the No. 9 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
What do you think, Bills fans? Should Buffalo trade for Antonio Brown? Which free-agent wide receivers would you like to see the team go after? Would you take Metcalf at No. 9? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section, and check out our podcast for thoughts on these topics and more on the latest Billieve: A Buffalo Bills Fan Podcast.
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