Insider reports Bills won't trade up for a wide receiver in draft

After losing Gabe Davis in free agency and trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, many believe the Buffalo Bills will attempt to move up for a wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Given that this year's wide receiver class is considered the deepest position group in the draft and features several high-profile prospects available early in the first round, it wouldn't be so shocking if things played out that way. However, ESPN's Jordan Reid reported on Thursday that he has heard a different story regarding Buffalo's approach to filling its need at wide receiver. 

In an article detailing the latest draft news for every NFL team, Reid noted that the Bills "might ultimately be content" with selecting a wideout with their 28th overall pick or could trade down. 

"Even before the Diggs trade, there has been some expectation that the Bills will be aggressive in trying to move up for a wide receiver on Day 1 — but I'm actually hearing the opposite," Reid wrote. "The Bills might ultimately be content with letting the draft play out and addressing the position at No. 28 — or even possibly trading back."

Should Buffalo opt to stay put or move down in the draft, Reid mentioned Florida State's Keon Coleman and South Carolina's Xavier Legette, two borderline first-rounders, as prospects to keep an eye on.

Coleman, who transferred from Michigan State last offseason, led the Seminoles in receptions (50), receiving yards (658) and touchdowns (11) in 2023. Meanwhile, Legette, a fifth-year senior, broke out for the Gamecocks last season, finishing with the eighth-most receiving yards in the FBS (1,255) to accompany his seven TDs. Considering both are big-bodied receivers capable of playing on the outside and stretching the field, Coleman or Legette would each be a solid fit for Buffalo. 

It's also worth noting that the Bills have been meeting with wideouts who would likely be considered at No. 28 overall and on Day 2 of the draft, potentially signaling that Reid's report isn't just a smokescreen.

The Bills held a private workout for Oregon's Troy Franklin and are hosting him on a top-30 visit this week. Additionally, the Bills scheduled a top-30 visit with UNC's Devontez Walker and perhaps with NFL Scouting Combine standout Xavier Worthy, as the former Texas Longhorn hinted he was flying to Buffalo on Instagram.

Although Buffalo has plenty of ammo to trade up, if it can't land one of the top three wideout prospects, which was already unlikely, addressing the position at No. 28 could be the best use of its resources.