In 2024, the Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver core will look different. Earlier this month, Buffalo traded for former All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and fellow pass-catcher Gabe Davis signed a three-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bills have added Mack Hollins and Curtis Samuel as depth pieces, but they still need to replace their production.
The AFC East team may decide to spend a draft pick on a wide receiver in the competitive 2024 draft class, or they may continue to eye free agents to bolster their receiving corps. The Bills welcomed one of the quickest-rising rookies, former Oregon Ducks wideout Troy Franklin, on a visit with only a few weeks until the 2024 NFL draft.
Former Oregon Ducks WR Troy Franklin: Visits Buffalo Bills
Troy Franklin, a high NFL draft prospect, was the guest of the Buffalo Bills on Friday. The speedster also made stops in Cleveland, New York (Jets), Carolina, and New England. Franklin is ranked as the sixth-best wide receiver in the upcoming draft by NFL Draft Buzz.
Franklin completed three seasons as a collegiate player at Oregon. As a rookie, he caught 18 receptions for 209 yards and two touchdowns. The next season, the former four-star prospect more than doubled his output with 61 receptions for 891 yards and nine touchdowns. Last year, Franklin had his greatest season yet, hauling in 81 catches for 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns, almost a Pac-12 record. At the NFL Scouting Combine in 2024, Franklin showed off his skills by running a 4.41 40-yard sprint and registering a 39-inch vertical jump. Buffalo has the 28th overall pick, and Franklin is presently projected as a late first-round selection.
The explosive combination of Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs won’t be used by the Buffalo Bills for the first time since 2020. While playing for the Bills for four years, Davis caught 27 touchdowns. Diggs, meanwhile, was named an All-Pro in 2020 and appeared in the Pro Bowl each of his team’s seasons.
For the Buffalo team in 2024, Khalil Shakir and Justin Shorter are the best wide receiver returners. Last season, Shakir—a former fifth-round pick—caught 39 passes for 611 yards and two touchdowns, while Shorter did not record a reception.
