Curtis Samuel planted his right foot in the grass and quickly cut to the inside of the field before the Buffalo Bills wide receiver caught a pass from Josh Allen during practice.
Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel had 31 catches for 253 yards and one touchdown in his first season in Buffalo last year.
The hamstring injury that kept Samuel out for most of training camp is healed. Missing so much time ahead of a season with Super Bowl expectations raised questions about his future in Buffalo.
Ahead of the Bills鈥 second preseason game in Chicago, coach Sean McDermott called Samuel an 鈥渋mportant piece,鈥 but the team needed to see how he fits in their offense for 2025. Though Samuel participated in team drills for just three padded practices, he was on the initial 53-man roster announced Tuesday.
鈥淚 know what I鈥檓 capable of doing when I鈥檓 out there,鈥 Samuel told The Buffalo News recently. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to fight and work to be out there.鈥
People are also reading…
Availability has been Samuel鈥檚 issue since the 29-year-old receiver signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Bills as a free agent in 2024. Over the past week, an illness kept him out of the preseason finale and he missed practice Wednesday.
Samuel appeared in 14 games during his first season in Buffalo, catching 31 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown. In three playoff games, he caught six passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns.
But a turf toe injury suffered in training camp last year sidelined Samuel during the preseason and delayed his involvement in the offense. Back in time for Week 1, Samuel caught just 12 passes in seven games before he injured his shoulder. It cost him one game in Week 8 and he missed two additional games late in the regular season because of a pectoral injury.
Samuel showed in the playoffs how he can help the Bills. He鈥檚 an exceptional athlete who can turn a short pass into a long gain. The 2017 second-round pick had 90-plus targets in four of five seasons from 2019-2023, including in 2020, when he set career highs in catches (77) and receiving yards (851) in Carolina with Joe Brady calling plays for the Panthers before he became the Bills鈥 offensive coordinator.
鈥淎 little bit of juice,鈥 Allen said of how Samuel bolsters Buffalo鈥檚 offense. 鈥淭he shiftiness, the quickness that he has when the ball鈥檚 in his hands. He鈥檚 an electric football player. So just getting him back to health and getting him out there and getting reps with us, that was good to see.鈥
The Bills used Samuel across the formation in 2024, with 198 snaps out wide and 167 in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus. Thirteen of his receptions were behind the line of scrimmage, while 15 were within 9 yards. He has run-after-the-catch ability, and the speed to take advantage of an opponent using a single high safety.
Injuries haven鈥檛 kept Samuel off the field for long. He has appeared in at least 14 games in each of the past three seasons. His only significant issue occurred in 2021, when a groin injury limited him to five games. Still, the minor nagging injuries can take a toll on a player physically and mentally.
The issues never impacted Samuel鈥檚 confidence, he explained, but it鈥檚 not enjoyable to go to work every day if you鈥檙e working with an athletic trainer instead of on the field catching passes from the NFL MVP.
鈥淚 may be frustrated, but my head is always held high,鈥 said Samuel. 鈥淵ou have to remember not many people have the opportunity to play this game. It鈥檚 one thing when you doubt your talent and your ability, then you鈥檙e having issues, but I don鈥檛 doubt myself one bit. Once I鈥檓 out there, I know what鈥檚 going to happen.鈥
Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel keeps his toes inbounds for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the AFC championship game at Arrowhead Stadium on Jan. 26.
The problem, however, is opportunity. Samuel鈥檚 absence in training camp meant Allen was throwing more often to Elijah Moore and Tyrell Shavers, two of the six receivers to make the 53-man roster. Moore, in particular, is a threat to Samuel鈥檚 usage because their strengths are similar.
Of Moore鈥檚 61 catches with Cleveland in 2024, 47 were behind the line of scrimmage or within 9 yards. His time was split almost equally between out wide and in the slot. Khalil Shakir had similar usage with the Bills, catching 37 passes behind the line of scrimmage and 47 within 9 yards.
The team wants to attack downfield more often in 2024. Allen completed 26 passes that traveled 26-plus air yards, but he thought he missed on too many throws. To try to stretch the field more this season, general manager Brandon Beane also signed veteran receiver Joshua Palmer, who averaged at least 15 yards per reception during his final two seasons with the Chargers.
The Bills鈥 preference for a variety of skill sets in their receiving corps led them to host Gabe Davis on a free-agent visit during the final week of the preseason. His 2024 season in Jacksonville ended abruptly because of a torn meniscus, so Buffalo鈥檚 medical staff spent more time with Davis than McDermott, but the visit showed that Beane is weighing his options.
Shavers can earn his way into the rotation by showing he can take advantage of single-high coverage. He has the prototypical size and contested-catch ability of an X receiver, traits that Buffalo also has in Palmer and Keon Coleman.
Cutting Samuel wouldn鈥檛 have saved the Bills much cap space, and there can鈥檛 be much of a trade market given the recent injuries. They value Samuel and his skill set in their offense, but he has to be available. Even though he made the 53-man roster, Samuel has to keep earning his spot each day.
鈥淚 understand sometimes the opportunities aren鈥檛 that much, but the way to get more opportunities is by going out there, showing up every day and putting in the work and making plays,鈥 Samuel said.
