Ryan O'Halloran: After Samuel, Coleman and Shakir, the Bills' receiver picture is out of focus
Put the Buffalo Bills in the "negative clarity category" about the back end of their receiver depth chart. It became clear during the final set of practices in Pittsford and crystallized during Saturday’s 33-6 clunker of a loss to the Chicago Bears. After Curtis Samuel, Keon Coleman and Khalil...
At this stage of August, with multiple training camp weeks and the first preseason game in the books, NFL teams can safely say they have reached two kinds of clarity about any position competition.
The negative kind: Guys are injured or not productive, and the situation is on the cusp of “Uh-Oh Time.”
The positive kind: Guys are healthy and making plays, and it is a given that tough roster cuts are on the way.
Put the Buffalo Bills in the negative clarity category about the back end of their receiver depth chart. It became clear during the final set of practices in Pittsford and crystallized during Saturday’s 33-6 clunker of a loss to the Chicago Bears.
The Bills know they can count on Curtis Samuel, Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir when things start for real Sept. 8 against Arizona. Samuel and Shakir, in particular, have shown the ability to line up all over the formation and get open.
But after that trio, they have questions, like: Which receivers can stay healthy between now and Aug. 27?
Tough-to-answer questions, like: Who can get healthy and catch up to the other players in the next two exhibitions?
And concerning questions, like: Who can play well if Samuel, Coleman or Shakir get nicked up, or if the Bills want to mix in some four-receiver personnel as a game-plan changeup?
This wasn’t supposed to be a problem when the Bills reported to training camp.
My guess on the Bills’ plan, while signing Samuel in free agency and drafting Coleman, was to throw a bunch of darts at the board and see what stuck.
Heading into camp, I thought Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mack Hollins and Chase Claypool would be the Nos. 4-5-6 in some order. Two would make the roster, and maybe all three.
Back to the drawing board.
Valdes-Scantling was basically invisible early in camp but had a few good days of practice recently. The Bills should want to see more.
Hollins was solid early in camp but went on the injury report Thursday with a toe problem.
And Claypool … forget about it. He hasn’t practiced since July 28 because of a toe injury.
Hollins should have time to return; he was that solid during camp and has emerged an off-the-field voice for the receiver group.
The Bills want Valdes-Scantling to work out because they would absorb a $2.25 million dead salary-cap hit, according to industry website Over The Cap, if they cut him. Ol’ MVS will have every opportunity to stick.
Among the healthy receivers, who has earned the best odds of making the initial 53-man roster? I talked to three of them in the Bills’ postgame locker room Saturday.
KJ Hamler played in his first game since Oct. 30, 2022. He caught one pass for 9 yards, returned two kicks for a 10.5-yard average and one punt for 15 yards. The punt return, in particular, showed the kind of wiggle that made Hamler a second-round pick by Denver in 2020.
“I like playing in the preseason because I hadn’t played in (so long),” Hamler said. “I feel I’m going to get a lot of returns this year and there will be a lot of creases to take advantage of.”
Buffalo Bills receiver KJ Hamler (19) cannot hold on to a ball against the Chicago Bears during the second half. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
Andy Isabella was nicked up in Monday’s practice but didn’t miss any time. He had a 15-yard catch and 20-yard kick return against Chicago. He had to think on his cleats in-game.
“I wasn’t really supposed to play outside receiver (Saturday) – I hadn’t taken one rep outside this entire camp,” said Isabella, who has been a slot receiver. “I had studied my plays and made sure I was ready to go.”
Tyrell Shavers was an early star of camp, earning praise from coach Sean McDermott and quarterback Josh Allen. Shavers had a 10-yard catch against Chicago. Among the trio, Shavers should have the best chance to stick on the 53. The key for him moving forward is not take any backward steps.
“I just want to literally carry things over from practice and showing up for the games doing the same things,” Shavers said.
The Bills have a joint practice and a game at Pittsburgh, followed by a game against Carolina. The backup receivers have that much time to make an impact. If the Bills keep six, my final three picks would be Hollins, Valdes-Scantling and Shavers. If the Bills keep five, I would go Hollins and Shavers. The wild card is if the Bills feel they must keep Hamler as a returner.
Overall, the injury concerns at receiver are real, but the calendar doesn't stop for any reason, and the Bills have two weeks to figure out who should be their fourth, fifth and maybe sixth receivers.