The Buffalo Bills are getting ready for the 2024 NFL draft. After trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, the most urgent need seemed to be finding a new No. 1 wide receiver.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, April 17, however, Bills general manager Brandon Beane said something different. “You’re always going to try and find the best players you can,” Beane said. “But no, what you need are guys that in this offense that are intelligent, adaptable, unselfish, and can make the plays that their skillset allows them to make.
“And if it’s a tall guy that Josh [Allen] is gonna throw him a 50-50 ball, he’s gotta come down with it. If it’s a guy that we wanna get the ball in his hands and when we need some RAC he’s gonna do that. I think that’s what we’re looking for.
“If there’s a ‘1’ that stands out either in free agency or the draft that makes sense for us or a really good ‘2,’ you know, we’ll do it. But I don’t think not having a ‘1’ doesn’t mean we can’t have success on offense or as a team.”
Beane’s comments sparked strongly mixed reactions from analysts and fans. Several listeners believe Beane’s comments were strategic ahead of draft day. “That’s what Beane has to say,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote. “There’s a red blinking light that they’ll be looking at a receiver with the 28th pick. It’s so obvious that they probably will have to trade up to get the guy they want.
“Beane’s comments give them leverage in trade talks, along with the ability to say that they got who they wanted. Even if they didn’t.”
One Bills fan posted, “Beane must be a good poker player because he said that with a straight face.” However, others urged to take Beane’s comment about “thinking we have a glaring hole” on the roster in earnest.
Fantasy Football Today’s Tera Victoria posted, “He’s not bull********. They had a strong finish once they reduced volume to Diggs and [Gabe] Davis. It worked for them. They pick at 28 and the value they’d get for a defensive player would be greater than the available receivers at that point. They’re clearly retooling on defense and giving up capital to trade up for a receiver doesn’t make sense. I really don’t see them taking a receiver in the first.”
Some Fans Believe Brandon Beane’s ‘Selfless’ Statements Took a Veiled Shot at Stefon Diggs
Beane’s choice of adjectives in describing the team’s ideal type of receiver also turned some heads. One person responded, “‘Selfless’ lmao shot at Diggs.”
Another man posted, “Translation: Diggs was being a diva and it began to divide the locker room likely thus Buffalo had to part ways for the betterment of the team as a whole 💯🤷🏾♂️.”
While Diggs was Allen’s most reliable receiver, registering over 1,000 in all four seasons, there was constant drama surrounding Diggs over the past two years. The 30-year-old’s outburst at Allen over not getting the ball went viral during the AFC Divisional playoff loss in 2023.
However, Diggs failed to deliver when he got the ball during the Bills playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs this past season. Against the Chiefs, Diggs caught 3-of-8 targets for 21 yards. He fumbled and then dropped his first two targets.
Brandon Beane’s remarks might give a clue about the kind of WR he wants to draft.
GettyFormer Georgia receiver Ladd McConkey was at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 31, 2021.
Allen’s main targets on the team are Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, Khalil Shakir, and tight end Dalton Kincaid.After Diggs and Davis left, it seemed crucial to find a wide receiver who can make long passes.
But Beane’s comment may have suggested that he’s seeking a different type of player. Rotoworld Football’s Kyle Dvorchak posted, “Many people are hesitant to predict players like Xavier Worthy, Troy Franklin, and Ladd McConkey to the Bills because they are not true X receivers. It sounds like this is not a big problem for the Bills.”
One Bills fan thinks Beane’s comments “ACTUALLY” described Xavier Legette.” Whatever happens, many Bills fans are still hoping that a wide receiver is the first one chosen. One fan posted, “Listen.. I get it.. but if the Bills don’t take advantage of the talent in this WR draft class.. I’m throwing my fandom into the transfer portal 😂.”
