A look at the Bills’ 2025 receiving corps

Going into last season, the biggest concern on the offensive side of the ball for the Buffalo Bills was who the number one receiver was going to be.

The departure of Stefon Diggs loomed large, and a new “everybody eats” motto was introduced as a plan to spread the ball around without having one player taking the lion’s share of the targets. As we saw last season, it worked, and it appears that the Bills will be running this strategy back in 2025 as well. While the Bills brought in a few new faces this offseason, they did not bring in a true “number one”.

What is new in 2025?

The biggest splash the Bills made on offense this offseason was signing former Chargers WR Joshua Palmer. On paper Palmer is the exact receiver the Bills were missing last season. A separator, so to say, he can get open down the field and should give Josh Allen the consistent downfield target that he was looking for. Palmer ranked over 50 spots higher in route win percentage than the closest Bills receiver last season (Amari Cooper).

Another key addition to the room this season will be free agent acquisition Elijah Moore. Moore, just four years removed from being the 34^th pick in the draft, has spent the last four years with the Jets and Browns. While he has shown flashes of that player we saw at Ole Miss, he has struggled with consistency. Could that be a product of bad QB play and being a part of just overall bad football teams? Very possibly. But either way, he now gets a chance to play with the MVP of the league in one of the NFL’s best offenses. If there was a time for him to break out it is now.

The Bills also brought in return man Laviska Shenault, a dynamic playmaker that will be fighting to earn a roster spot. But his way onto the team is most likely on special teams more so than at receiver. The Bills also added Kaden Prather in the seventh round, a big outside receiver out of Maryland. Prather’s chances to make the roster may be slim, but he is definitely a strong practice squad candidate.

To make room for some new juice, a couple of key contributors from last season had to go. Last season’s big trade deadline acquisition, Amari Cooper, was not re-signed, as well as last year’s touchdown reception leader and fan favorite, Mack Hollins. Cooper is still a free agent and Hollins signed a multi-year deal with the Patriots.

The returners

The Bills return last season’s two leading receivers in Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman. Shakir, who was rewarded with a four-year $53 million-dollar contract extension in the offseason, will continue to be the go-to-guy in the slot. Coming off of career highs in yards (821) and touchdowns (4), it’s not crazy to think Shakir could be right around that 1,000-yard mark this season. While Coleman, who showed some promise until a mid-season wrist injury derailed his momentum, needs to take a big step forward this year for the Bills offense to reach its maximum potential. That number one receiver role is there for him, he just has to take it.

Also coming back is 2024’s offseason free agent acquisition, Curtis Samuel, who dealt with a turf toe injury that seemingly nagged him all season. While he struggled finding a role in the offense early, he seemed to catch his stride late in the year, scoring two huge playoff touchdowns. It would seem his roster spot is safe for this season.

There are other familiar faces that will be trying to claw their way onto the 53-man roster: Tyrell Shavers, who made his one career catch last season count, taking it 69 yards for a touchdown; Jalen Virgil, who bounced from the practice squad to the 53-man last season and made a significant impact on special teams; KJ Hamler, who spent last season on the practice squad, will factor into the competition for kick returner.

The final roster

In recent years the Bills have kept five wide receivers. However, this season I believe they will keep six, at least at the start of the season, as they may have to do some roster gymnastics when Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi return from their six-week suspensions.

Shakir, Coleman, and Palmer are roster locks at this point. After that, it’s hard to imagine Samuel and Moore not making the squad, mainly for their talent and secondly for their contracts and guaranteed money.

That leaves one spot for upwards of four (maybe more if any of the non-rostered invites make a splash) receivers to fight for. A spot that will in all likelihood be decided based off of special teams contributions more so than just the receiver position. With the new kickoff rule this season, the ability that Shenault has shown to return kicks is probably giving him the edge right now. Hamler has return ability as well, but Shenault is more proven. Virgil and Shavers are solid on special teams from a coverage perspective, but do not have that return ability.

Assuming the Bills decide to keep six receivers, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Curtis Samuel, Elijah Moore, and Laviska Shenault would be my six as of this moment. With Shavers, Hamler, Virgil, and Prather being prime practice squad candidates.