Bills are paying $24 million to learn what the Commanders already knew

When Curtis Samuel signed for the Washington Commanders in 2021 free agency, hopes were high that he could finally become a productive No. 2 wide receiver opposite Terry McLaurin. That never came to fruition, but it didn't stop the Buffalo Bills from shelling out decent money to bring him into the fold a few years later.

The Bills' coaching staff knew Samuel well from their time together on the Carolina Panthers. That also went for ex-Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, who thought he could get a tune out of the versatile wide receiver in Washington after he went over 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2020.

Rivera, not for the first time, was wrong. And now, the Bills are paying $24 million to find out what the Commanders already knew about Samuel.

Former Commanders WR Curtis Samuel is way down the Bills' pecking order

All eyes were on Buffalo's primetime clash with the Miami Dolphins to begin Week 3 around the league. It was another comfortable victory for the Super Bowl favorites on Thursday Night Football, although Mike McDaniel's squad deserves credit for putting up a fight.

As for Samuel? He was an innocent bystander once again. The Bills made the former Ohio State standout a healthy scratch for the contest. He's yet to feature this season, which is the second year of his deal. Keon Coleman, Elijah Moore, Khalil Shakir, and Joshua Palmer are clearly ahead of him in the pecking order right now. That's profoundly concerning for someone counting $9.06 million against Buffalo's salary cap in 2025.

If the same trend continues in the weeks ahead, and the Bills' pass-catchers all remain healthy, a situation could emerge where Samuel is put on the trade block. He's not dressed for any of Buffalo's first three games of the campaign, so it's going to take a health problem or two to get back into the mix.

Should the Bills ride out this season with Samuel, he'll be a prime cut candidate in 2026 with savings of $6.27 million attached. He was once a magician with the football in his hands, so to see the player descend to irrelevancy within Buffalo's explosive passing attack is deeply disappointing.

There would be suitors for Samuel if the Bills made him available, but what the franchise must figure out is whether they have enough in reserve to remove him from the equation. It's a lot of money to be spending on someone who isn't making a significant contribution, so it'll be interesting to see what those in power decide.

At the peak of his powers, Samuel is way too good to be sitting on the sidelines. But there is something amiss right now, and it's unclear where things will go from here.