As injuries reshape the Buffalo depth chart, the young wideout is building vital chemistry with Josh Allen, mastering scramble drills to prove he belongs in the rotation.
Skyler Bell knows he has an opportunity in front of him with the Buffalo Bills. Now, he's starting to get more chances to show what he can do with them.
With injuries and limitations affecting some of Buffalo's other receivers, Bell has seen an increased number of first-team reps in practice. He's taking advantage of those opportunities, and one of the biggest parts of that process has been developing a connection with Josh Allen.
Bell said that chemistry with Allen is continuing to improve, with the quarterback having thrown him routes throughout training camp.
Bell said that Allen has been throwing him routes since training camp, and they're both working on finding the timing and rhythm with each other. He added that it's been getting better.
"We've connected a bunch today," Bell said Thursday after practice.
That's important for a young receiver trying to work his way onto the field, particularly when playing with a quarterback like Allen, who requires knowing exactly where to be when a play breaks down.
Bell said Allen has also been willing to correct him when he's not in the right spot, giving him a better understanding of what the quarterback expects from him.
That could become particularly valuable because Bell believes his skill set fits the way Allen plays when things break down.
Bell said he's a player who can create separation, "not only off the scramble drill, but just off a base play." He believes in his ability to get open, especially when a play starts to break down and Allen starts scrambling around.
Bell's approach has been relatively simple throughout his opportunity. Joe Brady's message to him has been to "be you with us," and Bell has taken that to heart.
"Myself is just good enough," Bell said. "Just make the easy plays, make the routine plays, and the big plays will come."
That's a particularly important mindset for a player still waiting for his first NFL game.
Bell said he has remained locked into the playbook and practice while waiting for his opportunity, taking every rep seriously and learning from veterans around him. Now that he's receiving more first-team work, he's focused on making sure he's on the same page with Allen.
It's all about being ready when his moment comes, and he's not down on the fact it hasn't happened yet.
"I'm still living my dream," Bell said. "I'm taking every day that I'm not playing for granted."
Bell's first chance to see regular-season playing time could come this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers. DJ Moore and Keon Coleman are dealing with injuries, and there's no certainty that either of them will play when the game kicks off at 1pm ET on Sunday afternoon.
