Cole Beasley is reportedly signing with the Buffalo Bills, providing quarterback Josh Allen and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey with another weapon for the stretch run and NFL playoffs.
Buffalo enters Week 15 sitting atop the AFC East, holding the tiebreaker over the Kansas City Chiefs due to their head-to-head matchup. In need of immediate help to strengthen their offense, the Bills add a receiver they are familiar with who can play immediately.
- Cole Beasley stats (Buffalo Bills career): 231 receptions, 2,438 receiving yards in 46 games
Beasley last played for Buffalo in 2021, suiting up in 16 games with eight starts. In his age-32 season, the 5-foot-8 slot receiver hauled in 82 receptions for 693 receiving yards with 37 first downs.
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As first reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Beasley is coming out of retirement to re-sign with the Bills. Importantly, he is first joining Buffalo’s practice squad before being added to the 53-man roster in the coming days.
The 33-year-old receiver fielded offers from multiple NFL contenders this summer but he didn’t sign until early in the regular season. He joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at a time when they were razor-thin at wideout and played in just two games before announcing his retirement.
Seeing an opportunity to both compete for a Super Bowl ring and assist his former team, Beasley agreed to come out of retirement. It will likely be his final NFL season, concluding a career that began in 2012.
Impact of Cole Beasley signing on Odell Beckham Jr
Odell Beckham Jr visited the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants in early December. At the time, he was viewed as the best free-agent wide receiver available, seeking an opportunity to compete for a Lombardi Trophy and eyeing a lucrative multi-year contract.
However, the situation has changed dramatically in recent weeks. Recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the Super Bowl, Beckham Jr. wouldn’t participate in drills for teams to prove he could cut and make football moves. When examined by medical staff, teams came away believing the former All-Pro wideout wasn’t ready to play.
Weeks away from even having a chance to see the field, the Cowboys moved on by signing T.Y. Hilton. While Dallas hasn’t entirely ruled itself out on signing Beckham Jr., the emergence of Michael Gallup and the addition of Hilton likely take them out of the running.
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It’s likely the same outcome for Buffalo. The Bills’ coaching staff needed a player who they could depend on to play right away. Not only is Beasley available to play in Week 15, he is also respected in the locker room and has chemistry with Allen.
Considering the Giants are falling out of the playoff race, Beckham Jr. might be running out of options. Months of rumors about his return haven’t yielded a signing and it appears increasingly probable that he won’t play a snap this season or in the playoffs.