Michael Pittman Signing with Bills Projected by PFF; How Can Buffalo Buy Free Agent?

Colts WR Michael Pittman Signing with Bills Projected by PFF; How Can Buffalo Buy Free Agent?

The Buffalo Bills' realities at the top of the receiver depth chart? It's not about insults or emotions. It's about facts.

And the facts are, a) they may be losing Gabe Davis to free agency, and b) Stefon Diggs had a strangely pedestrian second half.

Here comes free agency, and here comes ideas to supplement Davis - or maybe even replace him - with the likes of Michael Pittman.

Pittman is coming off of a terrific season in Indianapolis during which he played 16 games and caught 109 receptions for 1,152 yards and four touchdowns. ... and he did so with some season-long uncertainty at quarterback and running back.

But there are two problems with the Bills-related idea here.

© Gregory Fisher, USA TODAY

It's Pro Football Focus that sees Buffalo as a top potential landing spot here, but somehow we think PFF is failing to look at the Bills budget ... and failing to look at the Colts budget.

If the Colts want to keep him, it appears cap-wise that they can. In theory, they could even use the franchise tag to do so.

'He Will Not Be Happy!': Diggs' Contract Set for 'Major Surgery' Says Insider

If the Bills want to get him? According to Spotrac, the Bills are entering the offseason at $51 million over the cap. Obviously, that will change by the start of the NFL business year on March 13. But given the math, it is a challenge to see GM Brandon Beane and the Bills marching up to the plate for big swings.

We always say that the cap can be massaged and manipulated in ways that can allow teams to do most anything. And we will say this about Buffalo, which went 11-6 this season to win its fourth straight AFC East division title: The Josh Allen Window makes a "go for it'' cap plan inviting. 

So Bills Mafia is surely in favor of Buffalo being a "buyer,'' for the likes of Pittman and others. We're just not sure how realistic it is to pull off.