The New England Patriots started this year's organized team activities (OTAs) on Monday, signalling the next phase of the 2025 NFL offseason. The last few months have felt long for Patriots fans across the country, and the start of OTAs means the fanbase will finally get a proper glimpse of how the Mike Vrabel era is shaping up.
Even though the Patriots' latest offseason workouts are underway, that isn't the case for every team. The AFC East rival Buffalo Bills won't start their OTAs until May 27, for example, giving them more than enough time to further flesh out their roster before the action resumes.
Interestingly enough, Buffalo used its pause in action to sign a free agent who's more than familiar with New England.
Former Patriots WR Kristian Wilkerson Signs With Bills as OTAs Begin
On Monday afternoon, NFL insider Aaron Wilson reported that the Bills have signed former Patriots wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson before OTAs begin. The ex-Southeast Missouri State product spent a trio of seasons with the Pats (2020-2022) before spending the last two with the Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders.
After an All-OVC career at SE Missouri, Wilkerson began his NFL journey by joining the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He was waived as a part of the Titans' final roster cuts that summer, opening the door for him to sign with the Patriots' practice squad just a few weeks later.
During his time in New England, Wilkerson played 69 offensive snaps across four appearances. He didn't make the most of his limited opportunities, hauling in only 4-of-8 targets (50.0%) for 42 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. He enjoyed a three-month stay in Indianapolis before heading to Las Vegas in May 2023, starting a run that saw him post a 2-18-1 stat line in five outings with the Raiders.
Time will reveal if Wilkerson has what it takes to crack the Bills' 53-man roster. Outside of Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir's status as the top wideouts, the Patriots rival's WR depth chart is open for a ton of movement. Whether or not a 28-year-old UDFA is good enough to crack the mix remains to be seen.
In the meantime, Patriots fans have no complaints about their own WR depth chart. The front office did a great job by adding the likes of Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, and rookie Kyle Williams, and that's without mentioning key returning names like Demario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, and Ja'Lynn Polk.
At the end of the day, it's great knowing that — unlike their desperate rivals — the Patriots no longer need to roll the dice on unknown WR commodities like Wilkerson anymore.