Which wide receivers will surprise the NFL for the Buffalo Bills?

Wide receiver has been the talk of the offseason for Bills fans. Fans of this team looked at the roster’s production last year and wanted another wide receiver threat, even before Brandon Beane sent shockwaves through the NFL by trading Stefon Diggs to Houston.

Beane selected Keon Coleman, a physical specimen of a wide receiver, with the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he alone won’t be the sole savior of this receiver core. Who else might surprise when the Bills take the field for training camp next month?

Curtis Samuel

The first wide receiver acquired in the offseason, Curtis Samuel, is often overlooked by Bills fans, largely because he is not the prototypical X receiver or a young and exciting option. Don’t expect Samuel to be heavily involved in this offense, and the on-site reporters flooding your log with messages like “Josh Allen hits Curtis Samuel over the middle for a big gain” all training camp.

Samuel knows this front office well. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady was in Carolina scouting Samuel a few years ago, and Beane was in the Panthers front office that scouted Samuel when he was at Ohio State. Beane likes how Samuel spent time in the receivers room and backroom at Ohio State, which is exactly how Brady used Samuel in Carolina. Samuel will be a versatile weapon in the new Bills offense.

Khalil Shakir

Few players on the Bills roster are developing a cult following like Khalil Shakir, and I count myself among those drinking the Kool-Aid. The Boise State product took a big step forward in the second half of his second professional season, showing great YAC ability and flexibility within the program.

His usage saw a massive increase starting in Week 8 last season, recording four or more targets in six of the last 10 games, including three games during that stretch with 92 or more receiving yards. Shakir was also heavily targeted in the Bills’ two playoff games, scoring a touchdown in both games while recording a career-high nine field goals in the (swallowed) loss to the Chiefs.

Shakir is shifty with tremendous short-yardage agility and route-running chops, and seems to fit what Brady wants to do with the Bills offense. He’s going to have his look.

Keon Coleman

We can’t not talk about Coleman, who will bring a unique skill set to the Bills’ offense that they’ve been lacking – a big wide receiver with contested catching ability.

Coleman carries all the excitement in the world and his jovial, genuine personality has garnered the affection of Bills fans around the world. While it has been stated that the Bills expect Coleman to step in and be the X in this offense, fans should also temper their expectations and give the kid time to adjust to the NFL.

That said, he is a physical wide receiver with leaping ability and plenty of scoring catches under his belt. When a play breaks down and Josh Allen scrambles and starts playing court football, Coleman could be a benefactor of jump ball situations. There will be a lot of red zone highlights/contested catches flying around when training camp opens, but please, I’m begging you – don’t let the hype train get out of control too much early.