The 2026 NFL Draft gave franchises an important opportunity to strengthen their rosters with young talent in positions of need. However, it also left some gaps unfilled, prompting teams to continue making roster adjustments afterward, including the signing of available free agents. One such post-draft move involved a former Buffalo Bills wide receiver finding a new team.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling Joins the Cowboys After Bills Stint
According to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, the Dallas Cowboys have signed veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a one-year contract.
Valdes-Scantling, who has spent eight seasons in the NFL, began his professional career with the Green Bay Packers, where he played in 58 games and established himself as a deep-threat receiver. He later joined the Kansas City Chiefs, spending two seasons with the team and contributing to their success, including back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 2022 and 2023.
In 2024, he moved on to the Buffalo Bills, but his time there was short-lived. He appeared in only six games and recorded just two catches for 26 yards before the team released him. After leaving Buffalo, he spent the remainder of the 2024 season with the New Orleans Saints. In 2025, he continued his journeyman career with brief stops at both the San Francisco 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Although he is now in the later stages of his career, Valdes-Scantling has accumulated a respectable résumé over 116 NFL games, totaling 3,686 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns.
For Dallas, this signing appears to be a low-risk move. The Cowboys are likely bringing him in to compete during training camp and evaluate whether he can still contribute meaningfully. If he performs well, he could earn a roster spot; if not, the team can release him without significant financial consequences.
Buffalo Continues to Reshape Its Receiving Corps
Even though Valdes-Scantling had a brief tenure in Buffalo, his departure is part of a broader trend of the Bills continuously reshaping their wide receiver group in recent years as they try to maximize quarterback Josh Allen’s offensive weapons.
This offseason, Buffalo made a notable addition by acquiring wide receiver DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears. The team is hoping Moore can provide a similar level of impact to what Stefon Diggs once offered before his departure to the Houston Texans in 2024.
In addition to the trade, the Bills also invested in the future during the 2026 NFL Draft by selecting UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell in the fourth round. General manager Brandon Beane expressed strong enthusiasm about the pick, praising Bell’s versatility and playmaking ability.
Beane explained that Bell stood out on film as a dynamic player who can operate both inside and outside, emphasizing how excited the team was that he was still available at that stage of the draft.
While Bell may need time to develop before making a major impact at the NFL level, he will have the advantage of learning in a system that now includes experienced talent like DJ Moore, giving him a strong environment to grow into a productive professional receiver.
