Bills Sign WR Josh Palmer 3-$36M

[FLFan]

24 minutes ago, MikePJ76 said:

what is the obsession with the 40 yard time?

 

 

Good point.  Diggs ran 4.42 at the combine.  Hardly a burner, yet he was an elite separator in his prime.  Speed is not the biggest factor in separation.  Palmer is a great fit for the Z role in Buffalo.  

Edited 19 hours ago by FLFan

[BigDingus]

Neat. The one WR we get in FA every year who we all hope breaks out. 

 

Maybe this time it'll actually happen.

[Aussie Joe]

Just now, BigDingus said:

Neat. The one WR we get in FA every year who we all hope breaks out. 

 

Maybe this time it'll actually happen.

What’s his ceiling ?

[SoTier]

1 hour ago, Doc Brown said:

Stop with the Metcalf stuff please.  I'm still in mourning.

 

I got over Garrett.  You'll survive.

[GolfandBills]

Good route runner, top 5 in separation % and can win downfield.  Our offense needed a guy like this.  Still room to draft another WR too

Edited 19 hours ago by GolfandBills

[Chandler#81]

https://x.com/jones11_/status/1899185975273677213?s=61

 

https://x.com/thebillsguys/status/1899176756273406273?s=61

Edited 19 hours ago by Chandler#81

[NewEra]

7 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Exactly....you're not guaranteed instant chemistry.  Cooper & Samuel didn't exactly click right away. Hope I'm wrong about Palmer but his seperation / td ratio doesn't amaze me.

His separation/td ratio?  😂 ffs man.

 

I’m sure it would amaze you if he ran a 4.39.

 

He’s a great separator.  He has great hands.  He can get deep.  He can get open 10-20 better than 90% of the league.  TDs totals are  tough to control as a WR

[billsfan_34]

3 hours ago, Magox said:

Yes Yes Yes!!!

 

I thought there was a really good chance the Bills could get him.  I’ve been pounding the table for him

 

He gets big time separation m, he is a man to man beater.

 

Im stoked about this one

…”man to man beater” 😂

[BigDingus]

3 minutes ago, Aussie Joe said:

What’s his ceiling ?

 

No idea, but his TDs have gone down every year since he was a rookie.

 

2021: 4 TDs

2022: 3 TDs

2023: 2 TDs

2024: 1 TD

 

Here's to 0 TDs in 2025 to cap things off! 😂

[Dr. Who]

1 hour ago, Logic said:

I can recognize and appreciate the "separation and man beating ability" argument, but...

 

Ultimately, we were all saying "if this offense needs one thing, it's another difference maker", and Palmer simply doesn't feel like that. Now...to be fair...there really weren't/aren't many difference makers available in free agency, short of maybe a Davante Adams. But still...

 

League average receivers who can pitch in 400-500 yards and be effective role players are pretty much all we HAD last year, and so far appear to be all we'll have THIS year. Granted, they haven't yet re-signed Cooper or Hollins, so I suppose from a sheer numbers standpoint, they had to do SOMETHING.

 

But...a year after everyone got excited for career long average receiver Curtis Samuel (and even HE had more career production than Josh Palmer), it's hard for me to get too excited for career long average receiver Josh Palmer.

I'm sure he'll play a role. I'm sure he'll have some nice moments. I'm not sure I see how it IMPROVES our offense in a tangible way, though.

We absolutely needed a boundary receiver with his skill set. It opens up the field for everyone, and adds some explosive play ability. I agree that we still need elite difference makers. I surely wanted one at WR, and personally I still think Metcalf could have been that guy. But I feel a lot better having this role filled by at minimum an adequate player.

[billsfan_34]

3 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Feels like a decent signing. That’s a big number for him but he can hopefully help stretch the field. He has averaged over 15 YPC each of the last 2 years. 

From Ontario, Canada. Big bodied receiver that has really good hands. Weather won’t be a factor for him. 12 mil per seems a tad steep though. Show me the baby 😂

[Since1981]

Ground Hog Day. Rinse Repeat. 
I guess, it’s a “keep swinging until some WR sticks” kind of thing…. 

[Buffalo716]

11 minutes ago, FLFan said:

Good point.  Diggs ran 4.42 at the combine.  Hardly a burner, yet he was an elite separator in his prime.  Speed is not the biggest factor in separation.  Palmer is a great fit for the Z role in Buffalo.  

Modern training has inflated 40 numbers to where people think great numbers are bad lol

 

A 4.50 is fast.. it's peaking at 20 miles an hour... There's plenty of guys running for 4.38s that suck 

 

Be get me wrong.. is a guy running a 4.42 fast? Yea... So is a 4.5 and 4.39

 

We're talking tenths of a second..  if you are a good route runner with 4.5 speed and you're tough... You're probably going to be a good wide receiver because that's plenty fast enough

4 minutes ago, billsfan_34 said:

From Ontario, Canada. Big bodied receiver that has really good hands. Weather won’t be a factor for him. 12 mil per seems a tad steep though. Show me the baby 😂

I don't know what being from Ontario Canada has to do with anything though 

 

I don't care if he's from Zimbabwe or Pakistan 

[The Wiz]

11 minutes ago, BigDingus said:

Neat. The one WR we get in FA every year who we all hope breaks out. 

 

Maybe this time it'll actually happen.

Beasley, McKenzie and Hollins all had their best year(s) in Buffalo.

 

Did they become superstars/elite? no.  But to say that these players didn't "break out" with Allen at QB is a bit misinformative. 

I'm sure Gabe and Diggs are super happy right now on their new teams.

[biggerdaddynj]

PFF’s grade on the Palmer deal:

 

“2024 PFF Grade: 67.0

2024 PFF WAR: 0.17

Contract: 3 years, $36 million ($18 million guaranteed)

PFF Projected Contract: 2 years, $15 million ($10 million guaranteed)

PFF Deal Grade: Average

Palmer's signing signals the end of Amari Cooper’s tenure in Buffalo, as he was a trade deadline pickup for the Bills in 2024 but currently remains a free agent. Last year in Los Angeles, Palmer totaled 43 catches for 603 yards and a score, with 102 of his yards earned after the catch. During his four years with the Chargers, he accumulated 58 explosive plays (receptions of 15-plus yards).”

 

Here’s a link to the entire article to kill some time:

 

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2025-nfl-free-agency-live-deal-grader-grading-and-tracking-every-transaction

Some interesting tidbits related to our hopes/dreams—the DK Metcalf deal was “average”; the CBs signed likewise “average”; and the 1 year Mack deal they graded as “elite” (guess it’s based on production and market).  

 

[notpolian]

2 hours ago, stlbills13 said:

I still think CB is the biggest weakness on the team right now and one of the positions where I have the least confidence in a rookie stepping in. 

Didn't Benford start his first year?  I'm old, I honestly can't recall.

 

Also I believe the Eagles had two rookie corners this year.  Their season worked out ok.

[Simon]

51 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Maybe I'm not an adept connoisseur of wide receiver work but his stats say he's a jag and, to me, the video of all his '23 targets says the same thing.  

 

Yeah, I didn't really see any single facet of his game that stood out enough to say "Wow, he's a really good _______" .

Not particularly quick, not particularly physical, fights the ball sometimes instead of being a fluid catcher, not much of a RAC guy, not a very aggressive blocker, doesn't appear to relish combat, not consistently active or instinctive during scrambles and his downfield game seemed to consist almost solely of taking advantage of busted coverages.

I'm sure there is more that the Bills have seen doing thorough studies, but I thought that was the kind of uninspiring film that looks like a guy who ends up being a 4th/5th option in the pass game. 

[Chandler#81]

https://x.com/patmcafeeshow/status/1899176981381722492?s=61

Edited 19 hours ago by Chandler#81

[JohnBonhamRocks]

Hoping him being a good separator plays out similarly to two other signings with that trait: Beasley and Brown.
 

(Yes, I get that they are different players and Palmer is slower than Brown.)

Edited 19 hours ago by JohnBonhamRocks

[DrDawkinstein]

31 minutes ago, Aussie Joe said:

What’s his ceiling ?

 

popcorn, WITH the sparkles