Welcome back to another Bills Mailbag. Let’s get right to your questions …
Brenda asks: I’m thinking of some of the mysteries of the world − Stonehenge, the Bermuda Triangle, whether UFOs exist, and why the Bills don’t start or play Curtis Samuel. Any thoughts on this Bills’ head-scratcher?
Dennis Priore asks: Last year, the Bills signed wide receiver Curtis Samuel to a three-year, $24 million contract that could be worth up to $30 million. In that first year, he had an up-and-down year, including battling injuries, but did rebound to catch two touchdowns in the postseason. This year, through the first three games, he’s been inactive. Why is the highest paid receiver on the team not getting a jersey on game day?
Josh asks: Are you surprised that Curtis Samuel, the highest-paid wide receiver on the team, has been a healthy scratch the first three games of the season? If he were to play, which wide receiver would he be replacing?
Jay: It’s pretty simple. Samuel has been passed on the depth chart by Elijah Moore, who has filled the “gadget” receiver role within the offense the first three weeks. Moore has had at least one carry in each of the first three games, and made a huge catch against the Dolphins on a drive that resulted in the go-ahead touchdown. Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir and Josh Palmer are the top three receivers, Moore is No. 4, and Tyrell Shavers has earned a jersey on game day thanks to his usefulness on special teams and his blocking ability. It certainly looks like Samuel might have to wait for an injury to one of the receivers ahead of him to crack the game day lineup. Samuel’s signing has been a bust of a free-agent acquisition by general manager Brandon Beane to this point.
Brian asks: You’re Joe Brady and you want to dial up a deep shot for the strongest arm in the league. Whose number do you call? Whose number can you call?
Jay: Josh Palmer. Through three games, his average air yards per target is 12.3. He’s been targeted on deep passes (defined as those traveling at least 20 yards through the air) on 15% of his routes. The Bills don’t have a true vertical threat who can take the top off defenses, but Palmer is the closest.
Frank in Pendleton asks: For a few years now we have seen the Bills’ defense struggle to get off the field on third down. I, for one, do not think that this is necessarily just a personnel problem, but it is a scheme problem. Do you think the Bills should look to change what defenses they call on third downs?
Jay: I do believe that. So does Bobby Babich. Here is what the Bills’ defensive coordinator said after the win over Miami, answering a question about the struggles on third down: “We know what the weaknesses are of every call that we’re in and if they attack one of the weaknesses, it’s my job to put us in a different call. And so, we’ll certainly address that, get it corrected and look to be better next time.”
That answer clearly shows that Babich planned to spend the extra time between games to address this topic.
Matt in Cape Cod asks: Do you think the Bills place too much importance on the so-called “character” and “Bills culture” characteristics when evaluating players? While I understand that ideally you would want a player with both outstanding personal as well as physical qualities, it seems that sometimes you need to take a chance on someone based primarily on their skills. Perhaps this is why, in my opinion, we have many players that are good, but not good enough to get us all the way. Your thoughts?
Jay: Beane has said many times he’s not looking to field a team full of choir boys. It’s a hard question to answer because we don’t know if there was a player on the draft board or in free agency who the Bills considered but ultimately did not draft or sign because they didn’t properly check the character box.
Ultimately, I feel like Beane has approached the topic the right way. It’s not like drafting or signing a bunch of players with character concerns somehow makes them better players than those with no such questions.
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The Bills should approach each of those decisions on a case-by-case basis.
Jim Maher asks: In last week’s mailbag, you mentioned that Taron Johnson is not a good fit for outside cornerback due to his 5-foot-11 height. Yet the Bills’ first-round pick this year, Maxwell Hairston, is also 5-11. He is expected to play outside corner once he returns from injury. Does Maxwell have other abilities that would partially offset his height?
Jay: I think the Bills are being generous with Johnson being listed at 5-11. I’d like to see him standing next to Hairston, who certainly looks taller. Hairston’s top physical attribute is his speed. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine. Hairston has been seen in recent days working out with trainers during practice, although it remains to be seen if he’ll be ready to play as early as next week, when he’s first eligible to return from injured reserve.
Jeff Miller asks: The defensive numbers looked good, but something is amiss. We did what we had to do to win the game against Miami. We got the turnover that essentially sealed the game, but it is the hapless Dolphins after all. They never should have been in the game. It should have been another Jets game. Is the entire defense in trouble? It’s a good thing we have four “should win” games, plus a bye, coming up to get things straightened out. Am I too gloom and doom?
Jay: Yes, I’m sorry to say that you are, Jeff. The Bills are 3-0, and they’ve yet to play a complete game. Look at it as the glass being half full. Yes, there are some defensive issues to get straightened out, especially when it comes to getting off the field on third down. But the Bills are without four key pieces of that unit at the moment with defensive tackle Ed Oliver and linebacker Matt Milano hurt and defensive linemen Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi still suspended. Let’s give that side of the ball some time to come together. If it can correct mistakes after wins, that’s all the better. The Bills have a clear path to the No. 1 seed in the AFC. They just need to keep winning. Not every game is going to be a 40-0 win. The end result is ultimately what matters. That’s not to say you should overlook some of the team’s displayed shortcomings, but we need to keep the big picture in mind.
John Jarzynski asks: Both teams losing is unfeasible, so do we want Kansas City or Baltimore to win?
Jay: If the Chiefs win, they stay two games behind the Bills (assuming a Buffalo win), while the Ravens would be four games back. If the Ravens win, both the Chiefs and Baltimore would be three games back of the Bills (by way of Buffalo having the head-to-head tiebreaker over Baltimore), with a head-to-head matchup with Kansas City still to come on the schedule. Having both teams be three games back is the correct answer, so root for a Baltimore victory.
Drew asks: Although not directly a Bills issue, if the New York Giants decide to move on from Russell Wilson and release him, should the Bengals, with their set of receivers, be a fit for his skillset? Is he mobile enough or even capable of keeping the Bengals afloat until the return of Joe Burrow? Do you think the Dolphins bid adios to Tyreek Hill by the trade deadline and if so, where do you see him fitting in without disrupting the future salary cap space of the team acquiring him.
Jay: After his performance Sunday against the Chiefs, it’s hard to imagine any team looking at Russell Wilson as a viable option to start. It’s unrealistic to think that he would be able to get up to speed quickly enough with the Bengals that he would be a better option than Jake Browning. As for Hill, the Chiefs have been the team mentioned most as a possible suitor. The connection is obvious with Hill starting his career in Kansas City. Hill’s base salary this season is $10 million, so any team acquiring him would need a good amount of cap space to make the deal work. The Chiefs have just $3.6 million in available space, according to sports business website spotrac.com, so they’d have to do some gymnastics to fit Hill under the cap.
Hill has one year remaining on his contract with $29.9 million in base salary, so any team trading for him likely would want to work out a contract extension to lower that number. If Hill gets traded, the Chiefs make the most sense.
Drew Shapiro asks: Is this the season when the Saints recognize and determine that the timing is right to trade Alvin Kamara?
Jay: It should be. The Saints are going nowhere this season. They need to maximize draft capital in their rebuild. Kamara’s base salary is just $2.637 million, which makes him affordable for a contender looking to add a running back at or near the trade deadline. The Saints’ focus this season should be on identifying whether they’ve got a quarterback of the future on their roster. If not, they should be in a good position to draft one in 2026.
Louis Stromberg asks: With the lowly Saints rolling into town, the Bills will look to continue their winning ways, so please rank the following ways: Ernest Hemingway, sleepaway camp, Wayne Newton, Milky Way (candy bar not outer space), “Carlito’s Way.”
Jay: 5. Milky Way. A note for those buying Halloween candy: Stay away from these. Nobody likes them. 4. “Carlito’s Way.” Like with most movies and TV shows, I’ve not seen this, so I can’t rank it any higher. 3. Wayne Newton. Vegas, baby. Vegas. 2. Sleepaway camp. 1. Ernest Hemingway. Did you know “The Sun Also Rises” was Hemingway’s first novel? Also, he worked as a newspaper reporter, so clearly, he’s going to be No. 1 on this list.
Thank you for all the questions this week! As a reminder, they can be submitted via X to @JaySkurski or by email to jskurski@buffnews.com.
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Jay Skurski
News Sports Reporter
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