Curtis Samuel of the Buffalo Bills carries the ball for a touchdown
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Curtis Samuel of the Buffalo Bills carries the ball for a touchdown
The Buffalo Bills brought in wide receiver Curtis Samuel last year as a key part of their “everybody eats” approach, but the veteran has been unable to find a place at the table so far this season.
Samuel was a healthy scratch for the second straight game against the New York Jets, losing his spot on the depth chart to a former practice squad player. The development has led to speculation that the Bills could trade Samuel, reviving rumors that lasted throughout the offseason.
Bills Keeping Curtis Samuel on the Bench
The Bills announced on Sunday that Samuel was among the inactives, the only receiver on the active roster who did not dress for the game. Samuel had fallen short of expectations in the 2024 season, making 31 receptions for 253 yards and one touchdown while appearing in 14 games.
There had been questions about Samuel’s place on the team heading into the start of this season, with some speculation that the team could trade him. Richie Witt of SI.com wrote in August that Samuel was “squarely” on the trade block as final cuts approached and other teams came looking for receivers.
“With NFL scrambling for receiver help as roster deadlines and the regular season looms, Samuel is squarely on the trading block,” Witt wrote. “After his lack of production and plethora of injuries, there may not be a robust market for him but there are several teams on the hunt.”
Reporter Ryan Talbot of Syracuse.com predicted the Bills would trade Samuel ahead of the final roster cutdown, a strategy that general manager Brandon Beane has taken in the past with players on the fringes of the roster.
“Multiple teams are looking for help at wide receiver, which could benefit the Bills in unloading Curtis Samuel’s contract,” Talbot wrote. “In the trade scenario, Buffalo sends the receiver and a future fifth-round pick to a receiver-needy team in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick. Buffalo doesn’t care about the potential return as they get Samuel’s contract off the books and are left with a minimal dead cap hit.”
Samuel’s healthy scratch on Sunday revived trade speculation, with some wondering how long the Bills would keep the veteran on the bench before putting him on the trade block.
Bills Give Shot to Another Wide Receiver
While the Bills ended up holding onto Samuel at final cuts, he has fallen to the bottom of the depth chart at wide receiver. The team has regularly played five receivers — Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore, and former practice squad member Tyrell Shavers.
It was Shavers who earned the final roster spot in training camp, largely due to his special teams contributions. Samuel does not play on any of the special teams units, limiting his utility with the team.
Samuel would still hold value for the Bills, as trading him would take away key depth. The veteran receiver will be called on if there is an injury to another member of the receiving corps, with no other veterans on the practice squad to call up.