As the NFL offseason ramps up and the new league year looms, the Buffalo Bills are staring down a familiar challenge: how to finally get over the postseason hump. For general manager Brandon Beane, the mission is clear-and it starts with revamping the wide receiver room.
The Bills have been circling the issue for a couple of seasons now, but the results haven’t matched the intent. Past free-agent additions like Curtis Samuel and Joshua Palmer were supposed to add depth and versatility, but neither has moved the needle for Josh Allen or the offense. With Stefon Diggs aging and the supporting cast inconsistent, Buffalo needs more than just another body in the receiver room-they need a plan.
That plan doesn’t necessarily have to hinge on signing a superstar in free agency-because, frankly, this year’s crop of receivers isn’t overflowing with elite options. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t smart, strategic moves to be made.
One name that could make sense for Buffalo? Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.
Brown, who’s set to hit the open market after two underwhelming seasons in Kansas City, isn’t the No. 1 receiver the Bills need. But he might be the complementary piece they’ve been missing.
At 29, he still has the speed to stretch defenses and the experience to contribute in a playoff-caliber offense. And while his time with the Chiefs didn’t produce eye-popping numbers-just 49 catches for 587 yards and five touchdowns last season-context matters.
Injuries limited him to just two games in 2024, and even when healthy, he was part of a crowded and inconsistent receiving corps in Kansas City.
Still, Brown’s résumé includes a 1,000-yard season with Baltimore and playoff experience on two different teams. That’s more than you can say for some of the Bills’ recent additions.
Compared to Brandin Cooks, a fellow veteran deep threat who could be on his way out in Buffalo, Brown offers more upside at this stage of his career. Cooks, now approaching 33, has seen his production taper off, while Brown still has the kind of burst that can tilt a defense.
Financially, Brown wouldn’t break the bank either. His projected market value sits around $6.24 million per year-less than what he made in Kansas City and a manageable number for a Bills team that needs to be smart with its cap space.
It’s not a splashy move, but it’s a sensible one. And after a couple of misses in free agency, a little sensibility might go a long way.
Let’s be clear: signing Brown doesn’t fix the Bills’ receiver problem on its own. He’s not a WR1, and he’s not going to suddenly transform the offense. But if Beane approaches the position with a multi-pronged strategy-trading for a top-tier target, drafting a developmental playmaker, and adding a reliable veteran like Brown-then the picture starts to look a whole lot better.
Bills Mafia has every right to be skeptical of another mid-tier wideout signing. But Brown’s track record, skill set, and potential fit in Buffalo’s offense make him a smarter gamble than some of the team’s recent swings. He won’t carry the offense, but he could help unlock it-especially if the Bills finally land that true No. 1 target to line up opposite him.