The evolution of the Bills’ wide receivers

To focus on our future, we must learn from our past.

Let’s take a look back

Imagine time traveling back to Josh Allen’s rookie year in 2018 – you know, the year where the Bills started wide receivers such as Zay Jones, Robert Foster and Kelvin Benjamin (please don’t laugh). They even had tight end Charles Clay, who couldn’t catch a ball in the end zone to save his life.

If you went back in time and asked any critic if Josh Allen would ever be a superstar QB, you would only get laughter and you’d probably lose any credibility. Heck, if you had asked Bills Mafia, 50% would be saying we’re going to the Super Bowl, and the other half would say that we drafted “the wrong Josh.”

But, what we were witnessing was a raw-talented rookie throwing to below-average pass catchers.

So what happened?

With the combined mutant powers of GM Brandon Beane and HC Sean McDermott, a magical spell was placed onto this team, and it was called ‘The Process.’ The Bills’ leaders saw the unchartered upside in Allen and did what any great coach or executive would do: they gave him more weapons.

In 2019, John Brown was signed in free agency and became the first Bills player since 2015 (Sammy Watkins) to have over 1,000 yardsreceiving. Cole Beasley was also added in 2019, and helped open the field by playing in the slot.

The Process furthered in 2020 when emerging superstar Stefon Diggs was added to the roster. Then, the unthinkable happened. After two decades of lackluster teams and false hope, Bills fans started to see something amazing brewing.

Diggs exploded, having a historic year with over 1,500 receiving yards. In that same year, Cole Beasley fell just shy of 1,000 yards due to a fractured fibula. Josh Allen not only elevated himself, but in return gave these veteran wideouts the best seasons of their careers. John Brown had nearly 500 yards in just 9 games played (due to injury) and rookie Gabriel Davis exploded onto the scene with 599 yards and 7 touchdowns.

In 2021, the Bills saw consistency with their star-studded WR room: Diggs, Beasley, Emmanuel Sanders, and Davis. And, we even saw tight end Dawson Knox solidify himself as a reliable target for Allen, leading the league in receiving touchdowns by a tight end with 9.

The Bills finished 2021 with number one overall defense, helping to ease the burden on offense. Had the defense been below average, you can argue that Allen would throw for over 5,000 yards and Diggs would get another 1,500-yard season.

The best thing to take away from the 2021 season is we still haven’t seen Josh Allen’s ceiling. If the Bills receivers keep producing in the way they have been, this offense could very well be the best offense this world has ever seen….EVER.

What’s going to happen?

Buffalo will not have the same personnel as they did in 2021. Cole Beasley has recently been released and Emmanuel Sanders is an unrestricted free agent. The two combined for 182 targets in 2021, which leaves a plethora of questions for the WR room. Here are the WRs currently on the roster:

• Diggs
• Davis
• Isaiah McKenzie
• Jake Kumerow
• Marquez Stevenson
• Tanner Gentry
• Isaiah Hodgins

*It should be mentioned that the TE room is now solidified, with Knox returning and OJ Howard recently agreeing to a one-year deal with the team.

Trusting the process rolls on. If Bills fans can learn from the past, and trust the magical entity called “The Process”, they can confidently know that Beane and McDermott will add weapons for Allen and company in 2022, whether it be through free agency or the draft. Whoever the weapons are that are brought in for the offense, you can rest easy knowing that Allen will get the most out of them.