Bills Rumors: Curtis Samuel to Sign 3-Year, $24M Contract After Commanders Stint

The Buffalo Bills reportedly added a talented playmaker to their wide receiver group Thursday.

Buffalo agreed to a new three-year, $24 million contract with wideout Curtis Samuel, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The contract features $15 million guaranteed and can be worth up to $30 million.

Buffalo will be the third team of Samuel's career after he spent his first four seasons with the Carolina Panthers and the last three years on the Washington Commanders. Carolina selected him with a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft, and he has largely turned in solid production throughout his career.

While Samuel didn't play a significant role for the Panthers as a rookie, he scored seven touchdowns in each of his second and third seasons.

He then posted a career-best 77 catches for 851 yards and three touchdowns to go with 200 yards and two scores on the ground as a runner in 2020. He demonstrated some of the versatility he was known for in college at Ohio State as both a running back and wide receiver and earned a three-year deal with Washington as a result.

Unfortunately for Samuel, injuries limited him to five games in 2021.

He was an under-the-radar contributor heading into the 2022 campaign as a result, but he bounced back with 656 receiving yards, 187 rushing yards and five total touchdowns before posting similar numbers last season with 613 receiving yards and five total touchdowns ahead of free agency.

Pro Football Focus called Samuel "a reliable target who can fill out a wide receiver room. He's coming off a 2023 season during which he dropped just four of the 66 catchable passes thrown his way."

He brings plenty to the table as a speedster who can work in the slot or on the outside and occasionally contribute to the rushing attack. Throw in his surefire hands, and this is a decent addition for the Bills even though it won't generate the same headlines as a No. 1 receiver.

Samuel should be able to take advantage of the spacing created by playing alongside Stefon Diggs much like he did with Terry McLaurin during his time in Washington.

If he does, his production should be in line with his numbers from the past couple of years.