Trade: Bills sign a blockbuster deal with the former City Chiefs WR
One player from the Kansas City Chiefs, who won the Super Bowl the previous season, is supposedly the target of the Buffalo Bills.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Bills invited wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a meeting on Monday night. Following a visit with another prominent AFC team last week, Valdes-Scantling traveled to Buffalo.
Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, the Bills’ two best wide receivers from the previous campaign, were cut. Both players led the Bills in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, respectively. Getting a replacement for the two veteran players who left with 15 touchdowns was presumably Buffalo’s main offseason priority.
A former wide receiver for the NFC team seeking a new beginning recently joined with the Bills. Moreover, Buffalo selected a promising wide receiver in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. However, it seems like the team is still searching for more depth at receiver.
Valdes-Scantling played for the Chiefs for his final two seasons. In 2023, the 29-year-old had his least successful statistical season. For 315 yards and one touchdown, he only caught 21 catches, which is a career low for the seasoned wide receiver.
More than any of his 21 catches from the previous season, one major error may be what Chiefs fans remember about Valdes-Scantling.
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Wide receiver for the recently released Chiefs visiting the AFC rival Bills as a decision approaches
The squad that Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s Kansas City Chiefs have been tormenting for the past several seasons is a potential signing.
The former wide receiver for the Chiefs was reportedly in Buffalo on Monday night to speak with the Bills, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This follows a recent encounter between the Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers, their AFC West rivals.
At this point in the offseason, the Bills and Chargers are still two of the clubs that need wide receivers the most, and Valdes-Scantling is one of the top free agents still available.
Coming off his poorest season as a pro, 29-year-old receiver Valdes-Scantling recorded career-lows in catches (21), yards (315), and touchdowns (1). But in 2023, he played well in the postseason for Kansas City, even receiving a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl as the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25–22.
The Packers selected Valdes-Scantling in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and he has since established himself as a reliable veteran receiver in both Green Bay and Kansas City. Valdes-Scantling recorded 38 receptions for 581 yards and two scores during his rookie campaign. After that, he had two more touchdowns and 26 receptions for 452 yards in 2019 before having his finest season to date in 2020.
One of the top downfield threats in the game that year, Valdes-Scantling caught 33 catches for a career-high 690 yards and six scores. Following a back injury that sidelined him for half of the 2021 season, the Packers decided not to re-sign him when he became available for signing.
Valdes-Scantling and the Chiefs agreed to a three-year, $30 million contract in March 2022. In 2022, he caught 42 receptions for a career-high 687 yards and two touchdowns; but, in 2023, he saw his target yardage almost reduced in half.
This summer, the Chiefs made the decision to cut Valdes-Scantling, which opened approximately $12 million in cap space. Following their free agency signing of wide receiver Marquise Brown, they made a trade with the Bills to advance in the draft and choose Texas native Xavier Worthy, who is quite quick.
While the Chiefs appear content with their wide receiver room, the Bills are not in the same boat.
The Bills added youngster Keon Coleman to the receiving group, but they also allowed Gabe Davis depart in free agency after trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. Before the following season, they might want to add another receiver, and Valdes-Scantling seems like a good fit.
Despite his lack of exceptional wide receiving ability, the 29-year-old could be a reliable depth option for a team that is devoid of many players with established quality. In addition to Coleman, the Bills’ starting wide receivers are Curtis Samuel and Khalil Shakir; other receivers include Mack Hollins, Chase Claypool, and K.J. Hamler.
For the gunslinging Josh Allen, Valdes-Scantling would be a very good deep-threat option even though he might not be the most well-known player. We’ll see if Valdes-Scantling completes his tour of AFC teams or departs Buffalo with a deal.
