Bills giving tryout to former first-rounder could put pressure on fringe roster players

08-14-2024
2 min read
Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buffalo Bills have had several moving pieces at the wide receiver position over the last week.

Chase Claypool was put on season-ending IR with a toe injury, and the Bills signed veterans Deon Cain and Damiere Byrd. Cain had a great season in the UFL for the Birmingham Stallions, totaling 436 yards (ninth in the league) and also added 280 kick return yards. Byrd appeared in one game for the Atlanta Falcons in 2023, and has a kick return touchdown to his credit when he was with the Carolina Panthers. Now, it appears Buffalo could be bringing in a former top five overall pick at the position.

The Bills gave a tryout to Corey Davis, who was drafted No. 5 overall by the Tennessee Titans in 2017. Davis never lived up to the expectations that came with being such a high draft pick, never catching more than 65 passes in a season and retiring after the 2022 season. However, he is coming out of retirement and looking to make a comeback after spending two seasons with the New York Jets. 

The consistent addition of receivers could spell the beginning of the end for some who have been struggling in camp or preseason. KJ Hamler muffed a kickoff, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling has had drop issues in camp that carried over into the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears. If these new additions play well, that could spell the end for MVS and Hamler.