Curtis Samuel giving Bills' Josh Allen-led offense exactly what it needs

The Buffalo Bills' free-agent signing has shown important attributes thus far this training camp.

Ralph Ventre | Aug 13, 2024

Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel puts out the stiff arm. / Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

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The Buffalo Bills revamped receiving corps features a proven speed option that has been rounding into form during training camp.

Veteran wide receiver Curtis Samuel, who signed a free-agent contract with the Bills back in March, hasn't been perfect, but he's sufficiently shown the type of weapon that he can be in the Josh Allen-led offense.

Although he played only 12 offensive snaps in a lopsided-sided loss, Samuel was a bright spot during the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears. He caught his lone two targets, gaining first-down yardage on both receptions.

Samuel led off the Bills' only first-half scoring drive by taking a screen pass 15 yards up field.

"You felt him when he caught that ball. It was a quick little screen pass, but he was 10 yards the field in a heartbeat. We're gonna need a lot of that from him," said Allen following Tuesday's practice in Orchard Park.

After Mitch Trubisky replaced Allen for the back half of the drive, Samuel made an eight-yard reception that gave Buffalo a fresh set of downs at Chicago's 5-yard line. The performance was a stark contrast to his experience at the Blue & Red scrimmage on August 2 at Highmark Stadium.

"I was very impressed how he, I think it was the Red and Blue, which was a week or two ago now, where he didn't have the night he wanted to have and then he came back. He responded," said head coach Sean McDermott on Monday. "I thought he did a good job in the game. He's played well since that moment, and I think that's key. You're gonna have some performances that you're gonna want back and it's what you do with them. He's responded to that situation."

So far, Samuel has shown the type of "growth mindset" that makes him a perfect fit on a McDermott-coached team. He's also shown the speed that the Bills have been lacking.

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