The Buffalo Bills are in the middle of a championship window. As Bills fans know all too well, the margins at this level of competition are razor thin. Seemingly minor decisions like who makes the final 53-man roster can be the difference between a Super Bowl appearance and another playoff loss.
Every player on the final roster has to be able to contribute to winning football games. As difficult as it may be, the Bills might have to move on from Curtis Samuel.
Curtis Samuel might not make it through Bills training camp
2024 marked a major shift in the Bills' receiver room. They traded Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, signed both Curtis Samuel and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and drafted Keon Coleman. In one offseason, the group took on a completely different look.
Samuel was expected to be a key member of Buffalo's passing attack. Alongside Coleman, Valdes-Scantling, and Khalil Shakir, he was set to hold a starting job.
But the production just didn't come. Samuel caught just 31 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown through the regular season. He took a backseat as Shakir, Coleman, and Amari Cooper commanded most of the receiver snaps.
Samuel did contribute a bit more during the playoffs, catching touchdown passes against the Broncos and Chiefs. Still, he didn't come close to living up to his $24 million price tag.
This offseason, the Bills have continued to add to their receiving corps. They were aggressive in free agency, signing Josh Palmer, Elijah Moore, and Laviska Shenault. They even took Kaden Prather late in the NFL Draft.
With all of those additions, it's hard to see a clear role for Samuel. Coleman and Palmer should start on the outside with Shakir in the slot. Behind them, you'd expect Moore and Shenault to contribute. Samuel may still have something to give, but would the Bills keep him around as a sixth receiver?
Buffalo can free up significant cap space in 2026 if they choose to move on from Samuel this season. If he's not going to play a major role in the offense, he's probably not worth keeping around.
Samuel does still have a chance to fight for his roster spot, though. Training camp will be the perfect opportunity to prove that he can still bring something unique to the Bills' offense. He'll need to make some big plays to grab the attention of his coaches. If he fails to do so, this could be the ned of Curtis Samuel in Buffalo.