After visiting multiple teams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills worth “up to” $4.5 million with a $1.125 million signing bonus. By doing this, Buffalo adds yet another wide receiver to a crowded room of players trying to offset the loss of Stefon Diggs. While the two-time Super Bowl champion didn’t break the bank, the Bills outbid at least two teams for his services.
Originally entering the NFL as a fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Valdes-Scantling first made a name for himself by recording 581 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. Following a moderately successful four years in Green Bay, the South Florida product helped the Chiefs win back-to-back Super Bowls during his two seasons with the club. While he was hardly the engine powering the offense, he made crucial catches in Kansas City’s latest Lombardi conquest. However, the Chiefs couldn’t justify his high cap hit, so they released Marquez Valdes-Scantling and allowed him to sign with the Bills.
Valdes-Scantling is a one-dimensional deep threat with decent speed and questionable hands. While players like him should never be the focal point of a passing attack, he belongs in the NFL. According to Jordan Schultz, the Bills beat out the Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints for Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
MVS fielded interest from several other teams, including the #Chargers and #Saints, before opting with Josh Allen and the #Bills. https://t.co/yGzHPrB73O
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 14, 2024
Bills Stole Marquez Valdes-Scantling From Saints, Chargers
The Saints could use another veteran wide receiver, but it’s surprising to see them go after Marquez Valdes-Scantling. New Orleans has a young do-everything star in Chris Olave and a reliable deep threat in Rashid Shaheed. This team needs a Michael Thomas replacement, and Valdes-Scantling is a completely different type of player. If anything, he’d be a little redundant with Shaheed on the roster.
The Los Angeles Chargers, meanwhile, make all the sense in the world. Justin Herbert doesn’t have a single reliable receiver, so it makes sense that they were bidding against the Bills for Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The team selected three wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft and already signed DJ Chark, so perhaps Valdes-Scantling wanted to go to a more open depth chart.
With Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the Bills, look for the Chargers and the Saints to start pursuing the top remaining free agnet wide receivers. New Orleans should express some interest in Hunter Renfrow, as the slot receiver excels in the short part of the field and has an established rapport with quarterback Derek Carr. While he might not have another 1,000-yard season in his tank, he can be an adequate replacement for the 2023 version of Michael Thoams.
The Chargers, meanwhile, are probably looking for another vertical threat. Mecole Hardman isn’t anything more than a gadget player, but he’s one of the fastest players in the league. A smart coach like Jim Harbaugh should be able to get the most out of him, and his vertical ability can open up underneath routes for Ladd McConkey. With Josh Palmer’s future uncertain, Hardman can be to the Chargers what Marquez Valdes-Scantling is to the Bills.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
