Buffalo Bills Sign Former Chiefs Speedster To Deal

The Buffalo Bills and Marquez Valdes-Scantling had a free-agency visit yesterday. It apparently went well. In less than 24 hours, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting the two sides have agreed on a deal. In his six-year career, Valdes-Scantling has caught 186 passes for 3,155 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is known for being a deep threat because of his speed, something quarterback Josh Allen will love to have on the team.

This signing doesn’t come without risks. The talented receiver has been known to drop some passes. Last season, he famously dropped a would-be touchdown in prime time against the Philadelphia Eagles. Throughout the season, Marquez Valdes-Scantling had issues with drops, though the stats indicate this may be overblown. Despite the risks, the Buffalo Bills get a two-time Super Bowl champion who has spent his six-year career in some of the best offenses in the league.

Receiver Room Coming Into Focus

This offense is starting to come into focus. The WR1 position is Keon Coleman’s to lose. If he can generate chemistry with Allen quickly, he is in store for a big season. From there, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Curtis Samuel provide solid veteran targets for a team trying to make a Super Bowl run. I was dubious about Samuel being the WR2, but I like it as the third or fourth option. Ultimately, an elite quarterback like Josh Allen covers a lot of warts. We’ve seen quarterbacks like Allen be able to take mediocre receivers and turn them into stars.

There is another aspect of the Buffalo Bills signing a former Chiefs receiver. There is a little bit of gamesmanship involved. No doubt the team will try and extract some inside information on how to best stop Patrick Mahomes. While Andy Reid will change things up in 2024, the Bills hope they can learn something about how to slow down their archrival. The Bills continue to improve their roster. Will it be enough to topple the AFC’s elite?