One of two undrafted rookies in the receiving corps, Easley faces a long road to a roster spot
The Buffalo Bills have overhauled their receiving corps during the past calendar year. Gone are big targets like Andre Holmes and Kelvin Benjamin, replaced instead by smaller, shiftier pass-catchers who can gain separation and make their mark in space. With 2019 an important year in quarterback Josh Allen’s growth and development, the team has gathered as many talented receivers (specifically those ready to contribute) for him as possible.
In today’s installment of our “90 players in 90 days” series, we look at one of Buffalo’s newest receivers, an undrafted free agent with the exact skill set offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has looked to add.
Name: Nick Easley
Number: 86
Position: WR
Height/Weight: 5’11” 203 lbs.
Age: 22 (23 on 1/14/20)
Experience/Draft: R; undrafted
College: Iowa
Acquired: Signed with Bills as UDFA on 4/27/19
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Easley’s contract is a three-year deal worth a total of $1,768,000. While most contracts for undrafted rookies contain zero guarantees, Buffalo gave Easley a $13,000 signing bonus. His 2019 cap hit is $499,333.
2018 Recap: Easley operated as Iowa’s primary slot receiver. With tight ends Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson on board to pilfer targets, expecting huge numbers from Easley would be a stretch. However, Easley led the Hawkeyes in receptions in spite of his first-round teammates, hauling in 52 passes on the season. He was third on the team in receiving yards, totaling 494, which trailed only his aforementioned teammates. He caught five touchdowns, which was also third on the team.
Positional outlook: Easley enters a crowded field at wide receiver, which includes incumbent starters Robert Foster and Zay Jones, high-end free-agent acquisitions John Brown and Cole Beasley, return specialist Andre Roberts, and “Swiss-Army Knives” Isaiah McKenzie and Ray-Ray McCloud III. Big-bodied Duke Williams, who starred last year in the CFL, was also added this offseason. DaMari Scott, Cam Phillips, Victor Bolden Jr., and David Sills V round out the positional group.
2019 Offseason: Easley worked in with the third receiver grouping during OTAs last week, serving as the slot receiver behind McCloud III and McKenzie. Cole Beasley has been out so far as he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a sports hernia.
2019 Season outlook: Easley is a talented player, and Buffalo clearly thinks highly of him given the fact that they gave him a contract that included guaranteed money (sure, it’s only $13,000, but that’s $13,000 more than most undrafted free agents receive). However, it appears that he has to leapfrog McCloud III and McKenzie in order to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, and that’s before Beasley even suits up for the Bills. Easley is a prime practice-squad candidate who could show well enough to squeak onto the roster as the last man on—depending on how things shake out this summer.
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