From mastering complex terminology to syncing with Josh Allen, the UConn product is trading mental hurdles for on-field speed as he fights for a role in Buffalo.
For many NFL rookies, one of the biggest challenges is not the speed of the game. It is learning how to think less and react more.
That is where Buffalo Bills rookie wide receiver Skyler Bell believes he is making progress during organized team activities.
Bell, who is adjusting to life in the NFL after being selected in the fourth round out of UConn, said the transition has required him to absorb a significantly more complex playbook than anything he experienced in college. While there is still work to do, he feels more comfortable now than he did when he first got on the field with the team.
"I am getting there," Bell said. "I for sure am better than when I was when I first got out here the first week. Plays are starting to come a little bit faster."
For a rookie receiver, mastering the offense is often the first step toward earning opportunities on the field. Bell acknowledged earlier when speaking to the media that the Bills' playbook has presented a learning curve, citing the amount of terminology and detail involved in the offense. He credited the veteran receivers in the room for helping him navigate the adjustment.
As the mental side of the game becomes more familiar, Bell has started to focus on playing with greater confidence and speed. Rather than spending valuable moments processing assignments before the snap, he wants to reach the point where everything becomes second nature.
"I am starting to know what I have, and I am starting to play a little bit faster now," Bell said. "I just want to make sure that I can go out there with no thoughts and just go out and be me, the same me that got me here."
That ability to play instinctively is often what separates young players who are simply learning the playbook from those who begin making an impact on Sundays.
Bell is also learning what it takes to operate in an offense led by quarterback Josh Allen. He said one of the keys is ensuring he is exactly where the quarterback expects him to be so the timing of the play remains intact. Bell admitted he is still getting used to the speed of Allen's throws, but said that is part of the ongoing adjustment process.
"I got to get used to how fast that ball coming, but other than that, man, we gonna keep working," he said.
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