How Josh Allen vibes helped the Buffalo Bills land free agent WR

There’s nothing better than a good old-fashioned vibe session with the boys.

A good “vibe session” hits differently; the best ones, in fact, may even entice you to sign with an NFL team.

That’s apparently the situation that recently played out in the mind of veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills last week. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Valdes-Scantling decided he wanted to “be a Bill” after having dinner at Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen’s house Monday night. The two men got along well and the contract was finalized on Tuesday morning.

It’s a testament to the power of good vibes, something Allen has brought to Western New York over the past six years. He’s been the catalyst for the Bills’ evolution from inconsequential running back to perennial contender, passing for 22,703 yards and 167 touchdowns since entering the league in 2018. He’s also prolific on the field , totaling 3,611 yards and 53 touchdowns during his career; The former All-Pro is currently in the midst of an NFL-record four-year streak in which he has thrown for 40 or more total touchdowns.

Related: ESPN questions Josh Allen’s status as ‘elite quarterback’ without Stefon Diggs

he is GOOD good, but he’ll soon have to find new go-to targets in Buffalo’s receiving corps following the offseason departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis, who finished first and second, respectively, in receiving yards for the team in each of the last two. seasons.

Enter Valdes-Scantling, who caught 186 passes for 3,155 yards and 16 touchdowns during his six years in the NFL. A tall field stretcher, Valdes-Scantling has never been an unabashed primary target in an offense (never surpassing 700 receiving yards in a single season), but he injects speed into a receiving corps of revamped Buffalo which was largely devoid of the attribute. He should serve as a fifth option in the aerial attack behind Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, rookie Keon Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid; That said, it’s reassuring to see that he and Allen are off to a good start.