Bills Predicted to Add Breakout WR Amid Likely Exit for Gabe Davis

Getty Buffalo Bills dead coach Sean McDermott (R) and general manager Brandon Beane (L) may lose their senior director of pro scouting, Malik Boyd.

The Buffalo Bills will have some holes to fill in their wide receiving corps for next season, starting with the likely exit of No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis.

In his latest mock draft, ESPN expert Mel Kiper Jr. suggests the Bills could use their top pick to fill some of that void. Kiper predicts the Bills will use their No. 28 overall pick on Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, giving them a big target for quarterback Josh Allen and taking some of the pressure off Stefon Diggs.

Bills Need ‘Useful’ Pass-Catcher

As Kiper noted, the Bills have some other roster needs but likely none more pressing than wide receiver. He noted the late-season dropoff for Diggs and the likelihood that Davis will be too expensive for the team to keep once he hits free agency.

Kiper said he originally predicted the Bills would take another Texas standout, nose tackle T’Vondre Sweat, but changed his mind after seeing Allen average just 4.8 yards per attempt in a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

“His receivers struggled to get open and didn’t make enough plays after the catch once they did,” Kiper wrote. “Stefon Diggs hasn’t had a 100-yard game since mid-October, and Gabe Davis is now a free agent. General manager Brandon Beane can find a useful pass-catcher here.”

After leaning heavy on defense in the first round for several years, the Bills found a breakout pass-catcher with Dalton Kincaid in 2023, and could repeat the pattern this year as they look to add more firepower to the offense.

Kiper suggested the well-rounded Mitchell could fit the bill, adding a lot to Buffalo’s offense.

“The 6-foot-4 Mitchell broke out after transferring from Georgia, catching 55 passes for 845 yards and 11 scores for the Longhorns in 2023,” Kiper wrote. “He thrived on crossing routes, using his size and quickness to get separation from defenders. He has great hands.”

Other Options for Bills

While many insiders agree with Kiper that receiver is a top need for the Bills this offseason, some have other ideas on how they will get there. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News also predicted the Bills would use their first-round draft pick on a wide receiver, but thought LSU pass-catcher Brian Thomas Jr. would be the pick.

Iyer noted that the 6-foot-4, 205-pound receiver would have the potential to grow into a No. 1 receiver for the Bills.

“The Bills have two good key young targets for Josh Allen in Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid, but Gabe Davis is a pending free agent and Stefon Diggs is showing signs of decline at 30,” Iyer wrote. “Thomas would give Allen the classic big-bodied No. 1 with his hands, strength, physicality and route-running prowess.”

Others believe the Bills could look for a receiver in free agency, though the options might be more limited given the team’s salary cap crunch.

Pro Football Focus pegged the Bills as a potential landing spot for Michael Pittman Jr., though he will likely be one of the top receivers on the market and thus out of the price range for the Bills.