The Buffalo Bills entered the 2026 offseason period in need of receiving help. Last year, they had a receiving corps that could kindly be described as poor, and it was one that was clearly not a threat for multiple top-flight defenses. When you can send any number of blitzers against a quarterback as good as Josh Allen, yet still have supreme confidence that his wideouts have next to no chance at uncovering, you know there’s a problem with the group as a whole.
So, general manager Brandon Beane fixed the mess that, well, he made the offseason prior. He traded for a stud veteran wideout, and the early returns on that deal seem positive. He also drafted a speedster in the fourth round, gambling that the slightly undersized pass-catcher’s talent would outweight that smaller stature.
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In today’s edition of “91 players in 91 days,” we discuss that rookie wideout.
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Name: Skyler Bell
Number: 13
Position: WR
Height/Weight: 5’11” 192 lbs.
Age: 24 (25 on 7/5/2027)
Experience/Draft: R; selected by Buffalo in the fourth round (No. 125 overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft
College: UConn
Acquired: Fourth-round draft choice
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Bell’s four-year rookie deal is worth a total of $5,471,764. For the 2026 season, his cap hit is $1,157,941 if he makes the 53-man roster. If he’s released, Buffalo will carry a dead cap charge equal to the total guarantees on the deal, or $1,091,764.
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2025 Recap: In his fifth year of eligibility, Bell had his best season, building on the solid start he had at Connecticut in 2024 and playing even better in 2025. He caught 101 passes for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns. All of those totals led Division I Independent schools (Notre Dame, Oregon State, and Washington State were the other Independent schools). Bell was a consensus All-American pick, and he was also named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top wide receiver. At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Bell displayed excellent speed and burst. He ran the forty-yard dash in 4.4 seconds, and he leapt 41″ in the vertical jump and 11’1″ in the broad jump.
Positional outlook: Bell is one of 14 wideouts in camp for the Bills. Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, DJ Moore, Joshua Palmer, Mecole Hardman Jr., Tyrell Shavers, Quentin Skinner, Dante Pettis, Mac Dalena, Max Tomczak, Stephen Gosnell, Trent Sherfield, and Ja’Mori Maclin are the others.
2026 Offseason: Bell is healthy and he’s been solid at training camp so far, albeit with some hiccups. The Bills have used him in a variety of roles, and he’s shown great burst and route running ability to give himself space. He’s had some issues with drops, however.
2026 Season outlook: When he was drafted, I envisioned Bell coming in and making an immediate impact as the third or fourth receiver. However, I think now that assessment might have been a little premature. Bell is going to make the team, and I still think he’s going to be active on game days and available for specific packages. However, with veteran Joshua Palmer having a good camp and third-year man Keon Coleman doing some good things, it’s going to be tough for Bell to find time on the field, especially if he has trouble securing catches after beating corners off the line of scrimmage.
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Bell has a speed element that most of Buffalo’s other wideouts just don’t have, but unless he offers the ability to return kickoffs or punts, he’s going to have a bit of an uphill climb to playing time early in his career. Could he beat out Coleman and Palmer for time? Absolutely. Palmer showed little in his time before suffering an injury last season, and Coleman has been a disappointment for two seasons running. Coleman, for what it’s worth, has had his own issues with drops this summer, so Bell could make a move as August rolls onward.
Buffalo’s top five receivers aren’t necessarily set in stone, but I feel fairly confident in calling Shakir, Moore, Palmer, Coleman, and Bell the five guys that will definitely be on the roster come September. Can Bell find some utility on punt return to make himself a lock for a game jersey on Sundays? OR will that role go to a veteran like Mecole Hardman Jr.? Will the Bills see enough potential in Bell that he leapfrogs Coleman or Palmer for reps on offense?
Those questions are all as-yet unanswered. For now, we know that the Bills seem to have found a good mid-round player in Skyler Bell. He’s someone I’m very excited to see in preseason action, and even more excited to see once the games matter in September and beyond.
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