Bills general manager Brandon Beane was pretty upset with reporters—and radio hosts—this offseason after constantly being asked about his team’s wide receiver situation.
It’s easy to understand Beane’s frustrations because Josh Allen earned his first MVP award and Buffalo averaged 30.9 points per game last season. Still, the questions were fair to ask because the Bills are lacking a difference-maker at the position. Also, Buffalo is usually in the market for wide receivers, as evidenced by last year’s trade for Amari Cooper.
Khalil Shakir is an outstanding downfield target, but he’s more of a No. 2 wide receiver. Keon Coleman, the 2024 second-round pick, has potential, but he’s still struggling to take steps forward.
With the Bills on a two-game losing streak, expect reporters in Buffalo to again ask about the wide receiver situation as we get closer to the Nov. 4 trade deadline. Also, the Bills might no longer have the best offense in the AFC, with the Colts being 6–1 and averaging a league-high 33.1 points per game. Buffalo ranks fourth at 27.8 .
Here are seven wide receiver trade targets for the Bills in order of who Beane should call about first.
1. Chris Olave, WR, Saints
Stats: 44 catches, 440 yards, three TDs, seven games
Maybe Olave shouldn’t be ranked No. 1 because Saints GM Mickey Loomis has been reluctant to trade his best players for many years now. Still, Beane needs to make it a priority to change Loomis’s mind.
New Orleans is 1–6 and likely doesn’t have a franchise quarterback on this current roster. It’s the right time to start from scratch. Perhaps a second-round pick can convince Loomis to give up the talented Olave, who seems to be on the right track after dealing with injuries the past few seasons. The 25-year-old Olave can also be a long-term weapon for Allen.
Stats: 29 catches, 329 yards, zero TDs, six games
Meyers might not be as talented as Olave, but he’s a friendly target with the ideal skill set to complement Buffalo’s receiving corps. Most importantly, he might actually be available, with the Raiders being 2–5 and Meyers requesting a trade before the start of the season.
Meyers would also be an asset for running back James Cook because he’s a gifted run blocker. At 28, Meyers still has plenty to offer and would increase the Bills’ chances of winning a Super Bowl. Compensation, however, could be tricky here because Meyers wants a new deal, but a fourth-round pick could get it done.
3. Rashid Shaheed, WR, Saints
Stats: 30 catches, 356 yards, two TDs, seven games
A trade for Shaheed would give Allen two dangerous downfield weapons, along with Shakir. Putting that kind of stress on secondaries, could also open up the field for Coleman, who has struggled to get open since entering the league last season.
At 27, Shaheed can also be a long-term asset for the Bills. It says plenty that Shaheed has made life easier for his second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler. He could do a lot more with the reigning MVP. Beane should offer a third-round pick and not look back. Shaheed is worth the price.
4. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Dolphins
Stats: 30 catches, 405 yards, three TDs, seven games
Waddle, 26, is the best wide receiver on this list, but there’s a small chance that the Dolphins trade him before the Nov. 4 deadline and an even smaller chance of Miami sending him to a divisional rival.
But, hey, Beane should at least call the Dolphins. You never know, especially after the Browns traded Joe Flacco to the Bengals.
Similar to Olave and Shaheed, Waddle’s big-play ability could take this Bills’ offense to the next level. Maybe Buffalo would be better off with a playmaker closer to the line of scrimmage, like Meyers, but offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s playbook would open up with endless possibilities if a miracle trade for Waddle were to happen.
Miami likely would want a first-round pick. That’s a steep price for a player who has been inconsistent at times, but maybe multiple picks get it done, including a 2026 second rounder.
Stats: 16 catches, 290 yards, zero TDs, six games
A trade for Ridley might not be feasible for several reasons, one being the Titans’ reluctance to trade the veteran wideout.
He’s the only quality target in Tennessee and trading Ridley could hinder Cam Ward’s development. Yes, the Titans need draft picks, but they also need Ward to improve after a slow start to his rookie year.
As for another obstacle, Ridley still has plenty of money left on the four-year, $92 million deal he signed with the Titans last year. Tennessee would need to eat a bulk of his salary, and maybe Ridley isn’t worth the trouble because he’s on the wrong side of 30.
6. Christian Kirk, WR, Texans
Stats: 10 catches, 109 yards, zero TDs, three games
The Kirk experience hasn’t worked out in Houston. He continues to be unavailable due to injuries and the last time he played a full season was the 2022 season with the Jaguars.
Still, the 28-year-old Kirk could be an inexpensive option for the Bills. Houston likely would do the trade for a fifth-round pick or even less because the team wants to see more from rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Then again, it’s hard to trust Kirk to stay healthy.
7. Adam Thielen, WR, Vikings
Stats: Five catches, 47 yards, zero TDs, six games
Thielen was traded from Carolina back to Minnesota before the season, primarily to be a friendly target for J.J. McCarthy and to provide depth for a short-handed receiving corps.
That didn’t work out because McCarthy has been sidelined since Week 2 and Thielen’s snaps have diminished since Jordan Addison returned from his three-game suspension. With Carson Wentz favoring Addison and Justin Jefferson, the Vikings might be willing to move Thielen again.
But it’s tough seeing the Bills going this route with a 35-year-old wideout. Last year’s trade for Cooper had mixed results because he didn’t have much left in the tank.
