3 fascinating storylines to watch at Bills’ 2024 NFL minicamp

The Buffalo Bills will kick off their 2024 veteran mandatory minicamp on June 11, the three-day set of practices serving as the last major event before a six-week dead period and the commencement of training camp in late July. Minicamp not only serves as our final opportunity to view the team before we ramp up to a new campaign, but it also plants the seeds for some potentially fun summer storylines while itself providing a few interesting bits of information.

Considering this, here are three fascinating storylines to keep an eye on as Buffalo minicamp rolls on this week.

Buffalo’s 2023 mandatory minicamp got off to a less-than-ideal start when perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs skipped the opening day, prompting a 24-hour frenzy that culminated with head coach Sean McDermott telling the press that he was “very concerned” about the wideout. Diggs returned the next day, but his absence indicated that his relationship with the organization was not as healthy as many had assumed; the team ultimately traded him to the Houston Texans in the 2024 offseason.

Any absences from this year’s minicamp don’t figure to be as high-profile as that of Diggs, but they’re important to keep an eye on nevertheless. Starting cornerback Rasul Douglas is a player to watch in this regard—the 29-year-old, whom the team acquired from the Green Bay Packers at last year’s trade deadline, was not spotted at any of the team’s voluntary OTAs. He was not contractually obligated to report, and some veterans simply prefer to conduct their own workouts in the offseason—Douglas also missed voluntary workouts throughout his time in Green Bay. 

That said, the defensive back is entering the final year of his contract, and thus, his absence is noteworthy. This, as of right now, has the makings of a potential contract holdout, but it doesn’t look as though it’s trending in that direction; Douglas’s presence will be something to monitor come June 11.

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Buffalo’s receiving corps saw significant turnover in the offseason; Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis departed in the spring, the team replacing them on the depth chart with rookie Keon Coleman and free agent signees Curtis Samuel and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The Bills hope to spread the vacated production out amongst these pass-catchers in addition to third-year contributor Khalil Shakir and second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid this season.

The team’s pass-catching corps, though revamped, appears rather set in stone—Kincaid figures to be quarterback Josh Allen’s primary target while Coleman, Samuel, and Shakir lead the way in the receiving corps. That said, we’re early enough in the offseason that an under-the-radar player can carve a fairly significant role in the rotation with consistent flashes.

Mack Hollins is a name to watch in this regard, as the 30-year-old journeyman has earned consistent praise from Allen and Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane throughout the offseason. Chase Claypool is another player to watch; the 25-year-old, who is just a few years removed from being viewed as one of the most promising young pass-catchers in football, reportedly flashed at OTAs and could further climb the depth chart with a strong minicamp performance.

Names to keep an eye on further down the depth chart include K.J. Hamler, Justin Shorter, and Xavier Johnson; a former second-round pick who has been plagued by injuries throughout his professional career, Beane recently stated that Hamler impressed at OTAs thanks to his speed. Shorter is a recent fifth-round draft pick who spent his entire rookie year on injured reserve but, in theory, is a big-bodied boundary and red-zone option. Johnson, an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State, is a fun gadget player the likes of which Buffalo doesn’t have on its roster; it will be interesting to see if the team has any initial plans for him.

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Building off the Hamler-Shorter-Johnson idea, it will be fascinating to see if any players seemingly buried on Buffalo’s depth chart better position themselves for a summer run at the roster with a strong minicamp outing.

Names to watch offensively include undrafted free agents Frank Gore Jr. and Gunner Britton. Gore Jr. is, as one would assume, the son of legendary NFL running back Frank Gore; he’s not quite as stout as his pops, but his elusiveness and ability to force missed tackles could offer a unique skill set to Buffalo’s backfield. Britton is a versatile offensive lineman with experience at guard and tackle the likes of which the Bills value down the depth chart—he’s a roster long shot, but his road to the practice squad could commence at minicamp.

Javon Solomon, Keni-H Lovley, and Gable Steveson are names to watch defensively. A fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Solomon’s roster status isn’t in jeopardy, but it will be interesting to see how far up the depth chart he can climb; the former Troy Trojan led the FBS in sacks last season with 16. Lovely is a trait-sy undrafted cornerback who doesn’t have much competition at the bottom of the depth chart. Steveson is an Olympic gold medalist wrestler who signed with the team last month; having never played the defensive tackle position—or football—before, it’s unfair to expect anything significant from him immediately, but it will be fascinating to see whether his athleticism flashes at minicamp.