The Buffalo Bills made five roster moves on Thursday, June 11, 2026, including the signings of wide receivers Deven Thompkins and Max Tomczak, per official NFL transaction reports. These moves serve as late-spring depth additions ahead of training camp, but also provide insight into how the Bills are shaping their wide receiver corps for the upcoming season.
Existing Wide Receiver Landscape
Under General Manager Brandon Beane and Head Coach Joe Brady, the Bills have assembled a wide receiver group rich in numbers but currently lacking a dominant star beyond their primary options. At quarterback, Josh Allen returns to lead the offense.
The receiver depth chart is led by Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir. Coleman, entering his third professional season after being drafted in 2024, caught 38 passes for 404 yards and four touchdowns during the 2025 season. While solid, those are more complementary numbers than those of a primary target.
Khalil Shakir has emerged as the Bills' most reliable receiving option beyond the quarterback, hauling in 72 catches for 719 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. He currently represents the closest profile to a true WR1 on the roster.
Beyond those leaders, the receiver room is crowded.
DJ Moore, acquired via trade during the offseason, caught 50 passes for 682 yards and six touchdowns for the Chicago Bears in 2025. At 29, Moore brings veteran experience and is expected to compete for an immediate starting role.
Joshua Palmer, signed as a free agent, logged 22 receptions for 303 yards last year but missed significant time due to injury. Mecole Hardman Jr. played just two games in 2025 without recording a reception, while Trent Sherfield appeared in ten games for the Denver Broncos, catching three passes for 21 yards.
Including these seven established NFL receivers, the Bills already have considerable experience on the roster before adding Thompkins and Tomczak.
Who Are Thompkins and Tomczak?
Deven Thompkins is a familiar name to league observers, having played two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and spent time with multiple organizations in 2025. Standing 5-foot-8 and weighing 185 pounds, Thompkins fits the profile of a classic slot receiver. However, with Shakir occupying the primary slot role, Thompkins' niche may lie elsewhere.
A notable strength Thompkins brings is his experience as a punt and kickoff returner with Tampa Bay. The Bills' special teams unit currently lacks a definitive returner, and Thompkins could provide valuable competition for that job. If he makes the final roster, it would most likely be as a return specialist who also provides emergency receiver depth.
Max Tomczak is a true rookie camp addition with no NFL regular-season statistics to his name. His primary role will be as a depth player through training camp workouts and practices. The Bills historically carry few undrafted or unsigned rookies on their 53-man roster unless they distinguish themselves in special teams play. Tomczak will need to impress in these areas to secure a roster spot.
Evaluating the Numbers and Roster Impact
During the 2025 season, Buffalo dressed seven wide receivers at various points but typically featured only four in significant offensive snaps alongside Josh Allen. Shakir, Coleman, and Moore are effectively locks for the roster based on their roles and production. The fourth spot is expected to be a battle involving Palmer, Hardman, and Sherfield.
This leaves Thompkins and Tomczak competing against each other and potential undrafted free agent prospects primarily for a practice squad spot or the last few spots on the 53-man roster.
Caps considerations further cement the low-cost, lottery-ticket nature of these signings. As of early June 2026, the Bills carry approximately $9.81 million in cap space, with a hefty $46.21 million tied up in dead money from previous restructures. Thompkins and Tomczak signed near minimum-salary deals that preserve cap flexibility. The team is not allocating premium cap resources to bottom-tier receiver depth.
Outlook and Training Camp Projections
The consensus outlook is that neither Thompkins nor Tomczak will make the Bills' initial 53-man roster out of training camp.
The Bills entered the offseason with seven receivers boasting NFL experience who will command significant preseason playing time. Moore, Coleman, and Shakir are all guaranteed roster spots. Hardman and Palmer, recently added via trade and free agency, are expected to remain barring injury or a major setback. Sherfield, familiar with the Bills' system and a special teams contributor, also figures to be in the mix.
That essentially leaves only four or five active roster receiver spots, with Thompkins and Tomczak likely on the roster bubble.
Thompkins' most realistic path to the roster is through excelling as a returner, but competition is stiff. Running backs Ty Johnson and James Cook both have return capabilities, and Buffalo recently drafted a punter skilled at placement, reducing return specialists' exclusivity.
Tomczak's ceiling appears to be the practice squad, where he can develop and provide depth during the season. However, turning 24 before the season starts makes him an older developmental rookie, which is a significant factor in roster decisions.
Long-Term Receiver Room Considerations
The Bills clearly are not finished adding to their wide receiver room. Head Coach Joe Brady stated on June 5, 2026: "The plan is to have these guys ready to go for training camp," highlighting the team's focus on evaluating younger players and building competition during offseason workouts.
Buffalo's playoff struggles in 2025 partly stemmed from a lack of a consistent, explosive downfield receiver beyond Shakir. Coleman is still developing, and Moore, though productive, is more of a volume receiver than a deep threat. The 2026 draft addition, Skyler Bell, a fourth-round pick, projects more as a possession receiver than a vertical threat.
At 5-foot-8, Thompkins represents neither a long-term deep threat solution nor a significant upgrade on the outside. His value currently lies in special teams and slot depth.
The Bills' wide receiver room remains deep in quantity but shallow in elite top-end talent, a reality persisting since Stefon Diggs' trade. Until Buffalo adds or develops a receiver who can consistently win one-on-one man coverage and command safety attention downfield, the ceiling for this offense's passing game will be limited.
Neither Thompkins nor Tomczak alters that trajectory. Their signings fill out the 90-man offseason roster and increase competition but are unlikely to impact the team's immediate offensive production.
Conclusion
Buffalo's addition of Deven Thompkins and Max Tomczak is precisely what the roster building process looks like in June--low-cost depth signings aimed at competition and training camp bodies. Logistics and cap constraints make their chances of cracking the final roster slim, but their presence pushes incumbent receivers and provides valuable insurance.
Their signings also underscore the wider challenge the Bills face in their wide receiver corps: a clear need for a more dynamic, reliable downfield threat beyond the current core of Shakir, Coleman, and Moore.
As training camp approaches, the battle for the final receiver spots -- and the elusive offensive ceiling they represent -- will be a key storyline for Buffalo's 2026 campaign.
Now the focus shifts to how these players perform in camp and whether anyone emerges as a late riser in Buffalo's receiving room. The Bills have their depth pieces in place; the real impact players will need to show up on the field.
