The Bills were forced to cut much of their roster at the end of the 2024 NFL season. Stefon Diggs, Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer were among the most notable departures, all of whom left due to concerns about the city of Buffalo’s salary cap.

Another player who lost his spot due to salary cap disregard was Gabe Davis, whose career with the Bills came to a quick and sudden end this past NFL offseason.

Davis’ departure from Buffalo may have come as a surprise to those who knew his talent. The lanky wide receiver is only in his mid-20s and is blessed with a sizeable frame for a player of his position and role. Buffalo used that frame to its advantage during his four years with the franchise, using Davis to rip Josh Allen’s high-flying attempts out of the air. More often than not, he was successful.

So why was the red zone expert allowed to go? Here’s everything you need to know about Buffalo’s decision to let one of its best pass catchers go.

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Why didn’t the Bills re-sign Gabe Davis?

Davis was a polarizing figure during his time in Buffalo. On one hand, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound wide receiver was an effective No. 2, catching 163 passes for 2,730 yards and 27 touchdowns in four seasons with Buffalo – all while leaving the majority of his potential targets to his former teammate Stefon Diggs.

The 25-year-old had several spectacular performances, including a 201-yard, four-touchdown run against the Chiefs in the 2022 AFC Divisional Round. His penchant for touchdowns made him a staple in fantasy football, even if his day-to-day performance couldn’t match that of some of the league’s best pass catchers.

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This environment served as the backdrop for Davis’ departure. Although Davis impressed at times during his time with the Bills, those moments were brief. He failed to pass the 40-yard mark 36 times. At the same time, he only passed the 100-yard mark eight times.

What I’m saying is that Davis has been rather inconsistent in the blue and red jerseys. His inconsistency, coupled with Buffalo’s precarious salary cap situation, made his departure all the more likely, despite the Bills’ front office claiming otherwise.

“Gabe is a good player in this league, whether you want to call him No. 2 or No., whatever you want to call him, he’s a good player,” general manager Brandon Beane said in January, according to the Democrat and Chronicle. “He’s earned the right … to see what his market looks like. We’d be foolish not to want him back, but it’s got to work for him, it’s got to work for us.”

Davis tested the free agency waters shortly after the 2024 season ended. He found a home with Jacksonville, a team that also has another top young QB but could potentially offer him more touches than Buffalo. The price wasn’t too bad either; Davis signed a three-year, $39 million deal with the Jaguars.

The Bills wanted to keep Davis, but they couldn’t agree on a deal that was too expensive for the wide receiver who wanted to leave, so he brought his talent to the Bold City instead.

In two games with the Jags, he’s caught six of 10 passes for 105 yards, but his average is a stellar 17.5 yards per pass. Bills fans know he won’t make his former team pay for it in Week 3, but if he does, it’s not like they haven’t seen it before.