The Buffalo Bills have painted themselves into a corner ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. After dealing Stefon Diggs for a ham sandwich (in 2025), the team will almost certainly draft a wide receiver in the first round. While general manager Brandon Beane may be tempted by wide receivers such as LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. and Texas’ Xavier Worthy, he must resist.
Aside from the dramatic proclamations, Beane and the Bills were almost certainly going to draft a wide receiver in the first round regardless. Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, Khalil Shakir, K.J. Hamler, Andy Isabella, Justin Shorter, Tyrell Shavers, and Bryan Thompson are all current Buffalo wide receivers. That squad can’t instill much confidence in Josh Allen.
So the Bills need a wideout, and this year’s NFL draft features one of the best receiver classes in recent memory. Who should they draft? We’ll keep that response for another time. Here’s a look at the three guys the Bills should avoid in the 2024 NFL Draft.
WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
Saying the Bills should avoid Brian Thomas Jr. in the NFL draft is not a criticism of Thomas. It’s a knock on Beane and the Bills.
Thomas is a terrific receiver who receives less attention than he deserves because he lined up opposite Malik Nabers at LSU. If the 6-foot-3, 209-pound pass-catcher with 4.33-second speed went to any other school, commentators would speak about him far more than they do now.
However, NFL scouts are interested in him, and after Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Rome Odunze go off the board, Thomas will follow closely behind. And that’s why Beane should avoid him.
If Thomas slides to No. 28, rush to the platform and deliver Roger Goodell a card with his name on it. That being said, Beane enjoys trading up a few spots to obtain a guy he wants, which is a horrible decision in the draft.
To get Thomas, Beane would likely have to give up either next year’s first-round pick or multiple seconds, negating the gain of the Diggs trade.
After purging a large portion of its roster, the Bills need to bring in as many pieces as possible in this draft, and trading assets to move up for a player like Brian Thomas Jr. when others like Oregon’s Troy Franklin, Florida State’s Keon Coleman, or Texas’ Adonai Mitchell should be available at 28, is not a wise decision.
So far, we have addressed Brian Thomas Jr., Troy Franklin, Keon Coleman, and Adonai Mitchell. What have they all got in common? They are all 6 feet or taller and have the body and skill to be NFL WR1s.
Xavier Worthy, a Texas wideout, is also an exceptional athlete. He ran a blistering 4.21-second 40 at the combine and possesses legitimate ball skills. However, at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, Worthy will be a deep ball specialist at the next level, which is something the Bills should avoid in the 2024 NFL Draft, particularly in Round 1.
A speedster like Worthy is appealing, especially when you consider him running go routes for Josh Allen and his rocket arm.
However, going deep frequently is one of Allen’s valuable instincts, and selecting a receiver who supports this is a mistake. The Bills, especially without Diggs, require wide receivers who can succeed at all three levels, and Worthy is not that player.
