How Curtis Samuel Can Keep Changing the Game For Buffalo
Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
When Curtis Samuel signed a three-year contract during the offseason with the Buffalo Bills, the expectation was that he would be a new weapon for Josh Allen‘s arsenal. But as of Sunday morning, he had been a major disappointment. Instead of that new shiny toy, Samuel looked more like a rusted-out Tonka truck that looked better in the garbage.
Maybe the Bills have used some rust remover or a little bit of WD40, but whatever it was, something clicked between Samuel and Allen in Buffalo’s 30-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Finally, the former Ohio State Buckeyes standout looked like the player the Bills were hoping for when they brought him into the organization.
All the chatter coming from Bills camp before the season started was about how good Samuel looked, but a turf toe injury led him to struggle to find snaps early in the season. But through it all, offensive coordinator Joe Brady never lost faith in Samuel. That confidence came from their relationship dating back to 2020 with the Carolina Panthers. During that season, Brady used Samuel as a slot receiver extraordinaire, putting Samuel in the slot on 71.4 percent of his plays. The receiver finished that season with 77 total catches for 851 yards and three touchdowns.
On Sunday, we finally saw the player that Brady raved about before the season.
“He’s an incredible blocker; he can play on the outside, play on the inside, move him around, he’s as fast as can be — just give him the ball and good things happen. Whether he’s playing receiver or whether he’s playing running back, it doesn’t really matter. Just his versatility will be an asset to the offense.”
Now that he’s finally burst onto the scene in Buffalo, his varied skill set will make him a difference-maker for the home stretch.
On Sunday against the Chiefs, Samuel showed off that speed (4.31 40-yard-dash at the NFL combine), lining up and cutting across the defense to catch the ball and prance into the end zone to get his first touchdown of the season.
Perfect time for Curtis Samuel's first touchdown as a BUFFALO BILL!
📺: @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/OXUcXrDBIy
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) November 17, 2024
The touchdown was huge for the moment, of course, but might it also give us a hint of what’s to come? He was on the field with Khalil Shakir, who has been Buffalo’s main slot receiver for the Bills this season, lining up there for 75.8% of his snaps. Samuel showing that he can co-exist with a slot receiver like Shakir means that Buffalo has the option to use Samuel most anywhere.
Keon Coleman missed Sunday’s game with a wrist injury, and when he’s back, Samuel will see his snaps drop a little bit. Still, Samuel does too much for Buffalo to drop him back to the levels he was at early in the season.
While Samuel isn’t known as an elite route-runner, we can see him using rub routes to his advantage.
Curtis Samuel in the slot to the top. Like how he stems his route to get his man caught in the rub/pick#Bills #BillsMafia #GoBills
— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) March 14, 2024
It’s the same thing that happened in the touchdown pass on Sunday. His speed got him open, and running his defender into the rub route ensured he stayed open.
We are entering Week 12 of the season, and injuries and just fatigue are catching up with every team, including the Bills. This is the time of year when guys like Samuel are more important than ever. While others are starting to wear down, Samuel is finally getting healthy and can spell the other receivers with fresh legs. Even when Coleman is back, wrist injuries can be tricky, but now Buffalo has the luxury of having someone like Samuel to ease Coleman into playing time.
Moving on from Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis was a big risk this offseason. For a while, it looked like a step back, but Amari Cooper‘s arrival, Coleman’s emergence, and Samuel looking up-to-speed puts Buffalo in arguably a better position. Besides, there’s no reason for seller’s remorse. Diggs is lost for the season because of a torn ACL, and Gabe Davis just suffered a knee injury that is expected to end his year.
Samuel might not be better than either of those guys individually, but he’s healthy now, and his versatility is perfect for Buffalo’s offense. It’s easy to look at Samuel as the WR4 on this squad, but this is more of a situation where the depth chart is interchangeable because all four options have talent. Samuel has great speed, as we were all pleasantly surprised to learn on Sunday, and it’s clear that Allen is finally seeing him as the weapon the Bills hoped he’d be.
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