5 WRs (not named Davante Adams) Bills should target to help passing game

The Buffalo Bills need help at wide receiver. If they can't land All-Pro Davante Adams, who else should they pursue?

Anthony Miller | Oct 9, 2024

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The Buffalo Bills’ two-game losing streak has fans and pundits alike panicking about the underperformance of the team's receiving corps. Calls have been made for the team to acquire Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams, and though the match makes sense, on paper, what if the trade doesn't ultimately materialize?

Reports have suggested that the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints are at the top of the list to land the former All-Pro receiver. Buffalo has been mentioned as one of the best landing spots for him, but the reality is team might not want to sacrifice a second-round pick, and it may have difficulty affording his contract.

This would leave the Bills in an interesting predicament, as their current receiving corps has left much to be desired as of late, most notably catching just four of 18 targets in last week’s loss to the Houston Texans.

The good news is there's plenty of talent still out there for them to get that would be impactful and not cost the team an arm and a leg to acquire. With that, here are five wide receivers (not named Davante Adams) that Buffalo should target.

Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns

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Deshaun Watson has given the Cleveland Browns virtually no passing game this season, hurting Cooper’s production through five games. He has 20 catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns thus far this year. With things not seeming to improve and no quarterback change in sight, Cooper would benefit from working with Josh Allen, and the Bills would have a No. 1 receiver for less than Adams would cost. With seven 1,000-plus-yard seasons under his belt and an onboarding cap hit of less than $1 million, Cooper seems like a no-brainer target.

Darius Slayton, New York Giants

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Rookie Malik Nabers is the clear No. 1 receiver for the Giants, but they still have something in Darius Slayton that makes him attractive to other teams. Slayton is second on the team in receiving yards with 244 yards on 18 catches and one touchdown. He’s not getting half the targets that Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson are getting despite beating them in yards per catch with 13.6. That stat alone is what the Bills are missing, with a big play player for Allen to throw the ball to deep.

Robert Woods, Houston Texans

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A little reunion could be exciting, as Robert Woods has essentially been relegated to a return specialist on the Texans. He only has three catches for 28 yards with nine total returns this season. The 32-year-old receiver still has something left in the tank, as Woods could return to where he started and provide a spark on offense even if he plays in the slot. It sure would be fun to see his blocking again, as well.

Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

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Tee Higgins has missed a couple of games for the Bengals this season, but he’s still a solid wide receiver who is overshadowed by Cincinnati’s early season struggles and Ja’Marr Chase’s stellar play. In three games, Higgins has racked up 30 receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns. The Bills could showcase Higgins as a No. 1 receiver as he attempts to earn his blockbuster payday, and he would serve as a nice complement to the skillsets of Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman.

DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans

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Injuries and age have been catching up to DeAndre Hopkins over the last two seasons, but there are still flashes of greatness. Unfortunately for him, Will Levis has struggled mightily, and it shows in the numbers as Hopkins has caught only 10 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown. Buffalo could use Hopkins as a goal-line target, and he could serve as a mentor for Coleman to model himself after on and off the field.

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