WR COLE BEASLEY COMES OUT OF RETIREMENT TO SIGN WITH THE BUFFALO BILLS
Former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley officially came out of retirement to sign with the Bills’ practice squad, the team confirmed on Tuesday.
In a corresponding move, the team released second-year wide receiver Marquez Stevenson who has struggled to make an impact and break into the first team in Buffalo. Beasley is expected to be elevated to the game-day roster in short order.
After a two-week stint in Florida with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this season, Beasley decided to call time on an impressive 11-year career saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. Beasley’s agent Justin Turner told NFL Network in October: “He is ready to be with his family after playing in 11 seasons and it’s time to be a full-time dad and husband.”
The 33-year-old veteran pass catcher is now back on the playing side of things and will once again reunite with quarterback Josh Allen after spending three years together. Beasley put up 231 catches, 2,438 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns over three seasons in his first stint with the Bills, therefore chemistry isn’t expected to be an issue.
The former undrafted rookie free agent recorded 82 catches for 693 yards and a touchdown in 16 games for the Bills last year, and the expectation for Brandon Beane & Co. is that Beasley fills the slot receiver position and contributes immediately to the passing game.
Although very impressive on the field, Beasley’s time in Buffalo was marred by off-field controversies including his advocacy against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and most of the NFL’s protocols at the time. Beasley was granted permission by the Bills to seek a trade and was eventually released in March.
The former SMU Mustang is now back and will rejoin his old receiver room that has been short on veteran depth behind Steffon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and Isaiah McKenzie. The team has also missed former New York Jet, Jamison Crowder who remains on injured reserve after sustaining an ankle injury in Week 4. Crowder was signed in March as veteran help and is expected to return down the stretch and contribute in the postseason.
Beasley is glad to be back in Buffalo and reacted to a painted mural of him on Tuesday by commenting on social media saying: “That’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. No place like Buffalo.”
The Bills also brought back former 32-year-old receiver John “Smoke” Brown a few weeks prior and elevated him to the 53-man roster on Saturday. The return of Brown alongside Cole Beasley encapsulates a series of moves at the receiver position as Buffalo tries to build around Josh Allen with pass catchers that he knows and trusts.
The addition of Beasley most assuredly means the Bills won’t be signing Odell Beckham Jr. The Bills hosted the three-time Pro Bowler for a recent visit, one of three teams to do so, including the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys. It’s been reported that teams are having reservations about Beckham’s availability for this season, fearing that he won’t be able to contribute until at least mid-January, and are thus looking elsewhere at receiver. One of the favorites to land Beckham, the Dallas Cowboys, signed veteran receiver T.Y Hilton to improve their receiving corps on Monday.
The Bills also made some moves on defense on Tuesday, signing DT Brandin Bryant to the 53-man roster on Tuesday and in a corresponding move releasing undrafted rookie free agent DT C.J. Brewer.
The Bills currently sit atop the AFC East at 10-3 and are loading up for a deep playoff run as Josh Allen and company chase a maiden Super Bowl for the 63-year-old franchise. Buffalo will welcome the 8-5 Miami Dolphins to Orchard Park on Saturday at 8:15 pm ET in what is set up to be a tough divisional game.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
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