The Buffalo Bills have been one of the top contenders in the AFC for much of Josh Allen’s tenure as the starting quarterback. However, despite the continued success, Buffalo has been unable to get over the hump and will look to make some roster changes ahead of the 2026 season to retool and attempt a deep postseason run.
Buffalo Bills Projected To Release Curtis Samuel Ahead of Free Agency
Buffalo fell to the Denver Broncos in overtime in the Divisional Round of the 2025-26 NFL Playoffs and made a significant coaching staff change the following week. The team parted ways with head coach Sean McDermott and promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach, signaling a focus on the offense in 2026.
After the change at head coach, the focus shifts to retooling their roster and making the Super Bowl for the first time in the Josh Allen era. The wide receiver room has been a massive need for the Bills since Stefon Diggs was traded away in April 2024.
Before Buffalo can even think of addressing any needs, it has to get under the salary cap. The Bills are currently $10,217,073 over the salary cap and will need to shed some salary to become compliant. One player who seems most likely to be one of the cap casualties is wide receiver Curtis Samuel.
“Cutting Samuel helps both situations, as it adds over $6 million to their salary cap and helps refresh an inconsistent receiver room from 2025,” said Joe Buscaglia of ‘The Athletic.’ “Samuel, a free-agent signing in 2024, has had two inconsistent and injury-marred seasons in Buffalo. He was at his best near the end of the 2024 season and showed flashes, which helped him stick around in 2025. But he never secured a top three role on the team.”
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In two years with Buffalo, Samuel caught 38 of 55 targets for 334 yards and two touchdowns. He didn’t live up to the Swiss army knife role that Buffalo thought they were getting when they signed him on a three-year, $24 million deal.
Samuel, Keon Coleman, Josh Palmer, and Amari Cooper were among the players brought in over the past two seasons to help fill the void of Diggs for Allen, but none proved to be much of a difference maker for the offense.
That has not stopped Allen from playing at a high level, as he ranked No. 3 among quarterbacks in PFSN’s 2025 Quarterback Impact Metrics (QBi) and won the NFL MVP in 2024. He has relied more heavily on the run game, his tight ends, his slot receiver Khalil Shakir, and his own legs over the past two seasons, due to the lack of outside options.
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Addressing the wide receiver position will be one of Buffalo’s top priorities after it gets under the salary cap. They expect to be among the top contenders in the NFL once again in 2026, and if they can add a difference maker at the wide receiver position, that could be the piece that swings the pendulum for them to take the next step in the postseason.
