Bills Urged to Sign Former Chiefs $30 Million WR in Free Agency
The Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said he has no plans to make a big splash trade in free agency, however, adding a discounted veteran remains an option.
Following the NFL draft, there’s still concern over the Bills wide receivers room. Buffalo signed free agent wide receiver Chase Claypool last week and gave him Stefon Diggs‘ jersey number, but he may not even make the team.
In a push for the Bills to finally reach the Super Bowl this season, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox urged Buffalo to sign former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
“It was surprising to see the Bills not do more to aid quarterback Josh Allen,” Knox wrote. “(Keon) Coleman might be an adequate replacement for Diggs as a No. 1 target, but Buffalo didn’t add another receiver in the draft and has only added the likes of Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins in free agency.
“There’s room for another receiver in Buffalo’s lineup, specifically one who can stretch the field as Diggs once did. Scooping up former conference rival Marquez Valdes-Scantling would be a great move for the Bills. Valdes-Scantling wasn’t particularly consistent in his two years with the Chiefs, but he came up big during the 2023 postseason—including two catches for 62 yards against Buffalo in the divisional round.
“After winning back-to-back Super Bowls with the Chiefs, Valdes-Scantling could also help show the Bills what is required to take that proverbial next step. Plus, any insight he might provide on how to beat Kansas City in the postseason would be remarkably valuable.”
Valdes-Scantling was entering the final year of his $30 million contract when the Chiefs cut him in late February. The move saved Kansas City $11.9 million in 2024 with a $2 million dead money charge.
MVS finished the regular season catching 21-of-42 targets for a paltry 314 yards for one touchdown. As the highest-paid receiver on the Chiefs roster, his postseason performance wasn’t enough to keep him in Kansas City. In four playoff games, he caught 8-of-13 targets for 124 yards and one score.
“The 29-year-old earned just under $9 million with Kansas City last year and might not be eager to take a substantial pay cut,” Knox wrote. “At this point in the offseason, though, he might not have a choice.”
The Bills have approximately $2.8 million in cap space but will clear another $10.2 million with Tre’Davious White’s post-June 1 release. The Buffalo News‘ Jay Skurski also named the former 2018 fifth-rounder as a free-agent option for the Bills.
“It was Valdes-Scantling, and not Stefon Diggs, who was making big plays down the field when the Bills hosted the Chiefs in January in an AFC divisional playoff game. At the very least, Valdes-Scantling, 29, is big-game tested.”
While it’s difficult to get excited about Valdes-Scantling, he helped propel the Chiefs to the Super Bowl last year, too. After tallying just 42-of-81 targets for 687 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2022, he registered 6 catches for 116 yards and 1 touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship game.
The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov reported that MVS met with the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday, May 6. So, there might be some competition to land the veteran.
Bills News: The Veteran FA Wide Receiver Market Is Dwindling
While Valdes-Scantling’s drop rate may turn the Bills off, the free-agent wide receiver market is dwindling.
Skurski named former New Orleans Saints starter Michael Thomas as an option, along with former Bills wide receiver Zay Jones. Both names have also been floated among Chiefs analysts, who predict Kansas City could add another veteran player amid Rashee Rice’s expected suspension.
