Roughly 30% of the Buffalo Bills’ 13-man wide receiver group is unavailable for their joint practice against the Cleveland Browns, and their status for Saturday’s Week 2 preseason game is seriously up in the air. We’re talking about a significant chunk of their receiving corps sidelined, and that’s a tough pill to swallow when you’re trying to gear up for the regular season.
Who’s Out and Why It’s a Problem
Look, when Sal Capaccio from WGR550 drops a list of receivers who are either completely missing or not practicing, you pay attention. Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Skyler Bell, and Dante Pettis are all in that non-participating group. We know Keon Coleman is battling a sprained toe/foot, though Coach Brady isn’t showing long-term concern. Skyler Bell was spotted working with a trainer on the sideline, and word came out that Shakir was injured even before this joint practice in Cleveland kicked off. When you do the math, nearly one-third of their entire wide receiver room is currently a no-go for this critical joint session, and it puts their readiness for the Week 2 preseason game against the Browns firmly in question. This isn’t a good look for building chemistry and depth.
GM Beane’s Tough Call and Who’s Left Standing
So, who *is* out there trying to catch balls? DJ Moore, thankfully, was participating, along with a handful of other depth options. But here’s the telling part: once the joint practice actually started, the vast majority of news and video highlights shared were plays targeting the Bills’ tight ends. That should tell you everything about where the passes are going when your wideouts are banged up.
Bills President of Football Operations and General Manager Brandon Beane can’t just sit around hoping for the best. He put in a concerted effort to trade for Moore, and that move still looks like it could be a great one. But Moore’s effectiveness is definitely going to be limited if the surrounding cast is unavailable. This puts Beane in a real bind. Does he roll the dice with the in-house options like Mac Dalena, Stephen Gosnell, Mecole Hardman Jr., Ja’Mori Maclin, Joshua Palmer, Trent Sherfield, Quentin Skinner, and Max Tomczak? Or does he need to dive back into the free-agent pool and find someone new?
The answer probably hinges on how confident the team is that Coleman, Shakir, Bell, and Pettis will be fully ready for Week 1. Maybe Joshua Palmer steps up big time alongside Moore, or Mecole Hardman helps fill in admirably if Shakir can’t go. Whatever they decide, this situation is far from settled.
The Bills are staring down their Week 2 preseason game against the Browns, and every day counts. Beane’s decision on whether to trust the current roster or look for outside help is going to shape their early season, no doubt about it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Buffalo Rumblings.
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