Bills GM Brandon Beane: Cole Beasley Wants out of Buffalo
INDIANAPOLIS — No doors have been closed, according to Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane, but he will try his best to accommodate wide receiver Cole Beasley, who has requested a trade, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
Beasley has spent the last three seasons in Buffalo, with amazing productivity as the primary slot receiver: 231 catches for 2,438 yards and 11 TDs. He recorded career highs of 82 catches, 967 yards and 11.8 yards per catch in 2020, which earned him second-team All-Pro honors.
He followed that up with 82 catches again in 2021, but finished with a career-low 8.5 yards per reception and will carry a salary cap hit of $7.6 million in 2022. He turns 33 next month.
According to Over The Cap, the Bills can get $6.1 million in cap relief (with just $1.5 million in dead money) by trading or releasing Beasley this year. So it's something they almost certainly were considering even before Beasley asked out.
Beasley and his agent have been granted permission to seek a deal.
Beane also admitted to Garafolo that a return to Buffalo likely would include a new deal for Beasley that puts more money in his pocket for 2022, the final year of his contract. That could mean an extension that would take care of Beasley's needs and still lower his cap hit.
The timing of this news breaking at the NFL Scouting Combine is interesting but certainly no surprise. This year's draft class is widely thought to be teeming with receiving prospects.
We already profiled Penn State's Jahan Dotson, who could be an option to replace replace Beasley and backup Isaiah McKenzie, who also might be on the way out because he has an expiring contract.
Looking at all the evidence, Beasley probably has played his last game for the Bills.
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.
