After announcing his retirement in October of this year, few predicted they would see the wide receiver on the field so soon. However, after only 2 months officially off the field, he has come out of his retirement to return to the Buffalo Bills practice squad. His return comes shortly after free agent wide receiver, Odell Beckham Junior was seen visiting the team although he left unsigned.
With his solid record, Jeffery Rusert of Jefferson County says that the Buffalo Bills fans hope that his return to the team will help to strengthen the team’s offense and increase their team’s chances of coming out on top this upcoming season.
Road to Retirement
For the first seven years of his career, 2012-2018, Cole Beasley played as a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. After seven years in Texas, he went to the Buffalo Bills where he played for the next three years from 2019-2021.
During his time with the Buffalo Bills, he received a lot of heat for his controversial decision to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19. He also spoke against many of the COVID-19 regulations put in place by the NFL.
He also saw a drop in plays made including a decrease in touchdowns. In the 2021 season, he only made 1 touchdown, the lowest number since his debut with the Dallas Cowboys in 2012.
This controversy in combination with the overall decrease in plays made led him to request a trade from the Buffalo Bills.
When no trade was found he decided to move on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2022 season. However, after only two games he was released from the team. Later in October of this year, he announced his decision to retire.
Back to Buffalo
Despite announcing his decision to retire two months ago, it appears that Cole Beasley is not yet done with the NFL. Despite his averages having suffered slightly in recent seasons, Cole Beasley still has a lot to offer to the Bills, namely veteran experience.
Having played with the team previously, resigning Beasley offers the benefit of adding a player to the offense that already understands how the team works.
In the past, he has also consistently been one of the best wide receivers on the team in terms of receiving first downs. Over his three years on the team, he received a total of 124 first downs coming second to only one other player.
COVID-19 Controversy
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Beasley has been clear about his disagreements with the way that the NFL is handling regulations.
He was open about his decision to not be vaccinated and has reportedly been fined multiple times for breaking protocol. He deleted social media during his last season which helped to calm the situation down. However, he has since reappeared on social media and has backed down from his position against the NFL.
Cole Beasley was also recently called out for tweeting in support of a Nets basketball player who tweeted out the link to a movie containing antisemitic content.
These controversies have some Bills fans questioning whether bringing Beasley back on board is the right decision, or if it will spark more unrest within the team.
Wrap Up
Despite the previous seasons’ controversies, Cole Beasley is a solid wide receiver who has the potential to significantly strengthen the Bills’ offensive line. His veteran experience also puts him in a unique position of being able to jump into play relatively easily, not needing a period of introduction to the team.
As long as he is able to coast along without causing too much controversy, this new signing appears promising for the Buffalo Bills.
