The Buffalo Bills and wide receiver Khalil Shakir reached an agreement this week on a four-year, $60 million contract extension that runs through the 2029 NFL season. It’s a modest price to pay after the 25-year-old California native stepped up to serve as the team’s No. 1 target.
Shakir, 2024 second-round pick Keon Coleman, and tight end Dalton Kincaid are now set as the team’s pass-catching foundation for the foreseeable future. All of them do their best work on short and intermediate routes, however, which leaves some holes on the depth chart.
As a result, Bills general manager Brandon Beane should still be in the market for a wide receiver either in free agency or the draft over the next few months. A trade is also an option. It’s still one of the organization’s most pressing areas of need ahead of the 2025 campaign.
Buffalo Bills Wide Receiver Offseason To-Do List
Step 1: Re-Sign Mack Hollins
The Bills added Hollins last offseason. He was mostly viewed as a blocking replacement for Gabe Davis. Instead, the journeyman became a critical part of the passing attack. He finished with 31 catches for 378 yards and a team-high five touchdown catches.
Perhaps even more importantly, he was a vital asset in the locker room. His light-hearted approach brought a calming element that had been missing since the departure of Cole Beasley. That always helps a franchise facing sky-high expectations.
Mack Hollins 2024 Highlights
#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/CfDriPv7ap
— Built in Buffalo (@BuiltInBuffalo_) February 18, 2025
Hollins is an impending unrestricted free agent. The Bills should do everything in their power to re-sign him to a short-term contract—one or two years—before free agency opens. It would be a popular move among fans, come at a reasonable price, and prevent opening another void to fill.
Buffalo has limited financial flexibility this offseason. In turn, it’ll be important to make a couple impact signings at a low price. Hollins has already proved he can fit that description to perfection. Bringing him back is unquestionably the right move.
Step 2: Find Speed in Free Agency or Draft
Free-Agent Target: Tutu Atwell
Atwell never developed into the consistent threat the Los Angeles Rams were hoping for when they selected him in the second round of the 2021 draft. He didn’t make any catches as a rookie, instead being utilized mostly on special teams.
Although he became more involved offensively over time, he remained a limited producer. He recorded 99 catches for 1,343 yards and four touchdowns in 54 games across the last three years. He didn’t find the end zone at all in 2024.
Rams WRs ran a lot of horizontal (in/out) and static (curl/hitch/comeback) breaking routes in the short and intermediate areas.
Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua were among the most efficient receivers in the league on those routes in terms of YPRR, via @FantasyPtsData: pic.twitter.com/BEFlKooxeM
— Wyatt Miller (@wymill07) January 29, 2025
Now a change of scenery may be in order. Moving to Buffalo, where he’d have a more defined role as a part-time deep threat, maybe a perfect fit. He’d split playing time, either with Hollins or another wideout brought in to block on the early downs and be counted on for big plays.
Atwell has the 4.4 speed the Bills receivers have lacked in recent seasons. The pass-catching group’s inability to win over the top allowed opposing defenses to bring their safeties down to clog the middle of the field. Even just a few deep shots per game would keep secondaries honest.
Draft Target: Matthew Golden
Golden’s decision to transfer from Houston to Texas for his final college season paid off. He racked up 58 catches for 987 yards—an eye-catching 17 yards per reception—and nine touchdowns across 16 games in the Longhorns’ high-powered offense.
His ability to consistently stretch the field combined with a team-friendly rookie contract would be perfect for Buffalo. The only problem is it would cost the Bills a first-round pick to select him, and they might even have to trade up to make it happen.
“Whenever you need that clutch play, you know I’m going to be there.”
It’s not even 8am and Matthew Golden has already dropped the soundbite of the day
Let’s not forget Golden made the ultimate clutch play: the 4th and 13 touchdown against ASU #Texas | #Hookem pic.twitter.com/b0zeE18TBZ
— anne-parker coleman (@anneparkercole1) February 28, 2025
The issue is Beane may need to use his first-rounder as part of a trade to fill the roster’s biggest problem: edge-rusher. The Cleveland Browns‘ Myles Garrett and Las Vegas Raiders‘ Maxx Crosby are among the possible targets. They won’t be cheap.
If forced to choose between Golden or Garrett/Crosby, the Bills have to choose the marquee defensive end. The impact would be far greater. That said, if they ultimately don’t move the pick, trying to grab the Texas wideout is definitely in play.
Main Image: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
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