The Bills shuffled the top of their WR depth chart this offseason, parting ways with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis while signing Curtis Samuel in free agency and adding Keon Coleman in the second round of the draft. The club also acquired Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who has had issues with drops in his career but who possesses the type of big-play ability that Davis has, which meshes well with quarterback Josh Allen‘s powerful arm.
Early last month, we heard that Valdes-Scantling appeared to be a roster lock. Unfortunately for him, that no longer appears to be the case, as Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports that MVS “has faded into the background” and is not getting as many reps with Allen as he did when training camp opened (subscription required).
Buscaglia posits that the decision to have MVS work with the second and third units could simply be the coaching staff’s way of sending a message to the speedy wideout. Still, it’s a potentially ominous sign for a player who largely struggled throughout the 2023 regular season as a member of the Chiefs (despite some memorable highlights during Kansas City’s Super Bowl run).
Interestingly, Buscaglia says that Tyrell Shavers, a 2023 UDFA who did not see any regular season action last year, has outplayed Valdes-Scantling. Even Chase Claypool, whose star has fallen considerably since a promising start to his careeer with the Steelers, was getting more reps with Allen prior to sustaining a toe injury.
For now, the top four receivers in the Bills’ pecking order appear to be Samuel, Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Mack Hollins. Behind that quartet, players like MVS, Shavers, Claypool, Justin Shorter, KJ Hamler, and Andy Isabella will continue battling for a spot on the 53-man roster.
If Buffalo were to release Valdes-Scantling, it would incur $2.25MM in dead money, though the team has proven that it will not allow such an outcome to prevent what it believes is a necessary move. Indeed, trading Diggs to the Texans resulted in a dead cap charge of $31MM, and Buscaglia reminds us that the team cut tight end O.J. Howard before final cutdowns in 2022 — despite having signed him in March of that year — in favor of second-year UDFA Quintin Morris.
I think he is safe.
He has something nobody else on the roster does – speed.
Quiet camp – but I think he gets a spot.
Claypool is probably out. Shavers to practice squad.
Meh. I think Curtis is the only new safe addition. Everyone else has to compete overtime for a spot
Samuel, Shakir and Coleman are locks. Shakir is probably WR 1.
Mack Hollins somehow is hanging on too.
That leaves 1-2 spots. Probably 2. I think they go MVS for at least 1.
They also guaranteed most of his contract even if its just 2.5.
Yeah to clarify I meant non draft picks. The Three Headed Beasts can easily be Coleman Shakir and Samuel
Samuel had 8 games last season where he caught 3 or fewer passes…not exactly “Beast” material.
Bills scheme and a waaay better QB than Howell can help Curtis reclaim his WR2 status he was building next to DJ Moore back in CAROLINA. He didn’t get to showcase it a lot but Curtis is a deep threat and twitchy burner, I put him in the same wheelhouse as Calvin Austin or Mecole Hardman
I don’t believe the Bills will label anyone a #1 after all the Diggs drama. It’s better to let the players settle that ranking on the field this year.
Al Davis “You can’t teach speed. Everything else in the game can be taught, but speed is a gift from God.”
Land of Misfit Toys at wrs Claypool and MVS
Hollins can fit in that too and I had no clue Isabella was still around.