thebandit27

It's not surprising. The only thing we differ on is that I believe that he has been good consistently, and I place a much greater portion of the responsibility for his lack of usage on the play-calling (for better or worse).

Like I said, it's been a combination of factors, but by far the greatest contributor is the fact that the Bills simply don't throw the ball much. Dead last in the NFL in attempts for 2 consecutive years. Let's face it: that he tore the league up, down, and sideways during the final 9 games of 2015 is evidence that he can produce at an elite level when given the targets (and he was the 4th-most targeted WR in the NFL over that 9-game stretch).

Depends on how much you want to spend. Taketsuru pure malt blended is a good intro if you want one that isn't too pricey, but Nikka Yoichi single malt is tremendous. My two favorites are Hibiki 17 and Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique. Sublime.

My point isn't to focus on YPT as the defining metic, but rather to show that the guy produces as a No. 1 WR despite not being given anywhere near the same opportunity as the league's most productive. I mean, Julio Jones got 204 targets in 2015 compared to Sammy's 95...and yet Sammy had more TDs and 60% of Julio's yards on less than 50% of his touches. I'm not against the wait-and-see approach, but that's my original point in this thread: picking up his option is still taking a wait-and-see approach.

Sigh...I thought, up until this post, we actually found a subject you could argue without going off the deep end...apparently I was wrong. You need to read the CBA, because there's a LOT more to what you're saying than the team simply deeming him unfit...which is why in the long history of the tag, we can't readily recall any team attempting to do that. Do you honestly believe that's a realistic possibility? As to Gilislee, that's an absurd comparison. Gilly averaged 6.7 attempts per game--nowhere near enough to project what he could do if given a full workload over the course of a season. You also need to look at efficiency in context: he ranked 40th in carries, and 29th in yards. That's good, but not a major statistical outlier. Watkins, by contrast, ranked 47th in targets in 2015, yet he finished 22nd in yards and tied for 14th in TDs. That's absolutely ridiculous. For comparison's sake, the guys that finished ahead of him in yards and had at least as many TDs are as follows: Doug Baldwin - 104 targets Brandin Cooks - 129 targets AJ Green - 132 targets Allen Robinson - 153 targets Odell Beckham - 159 targets Brandon Marshall - 174 targets DeAndre Hopkins - 192 targets Antonio Brown - 195 targets Julio Jones - 204 targets Sammy had 95 targets--95. Go back and read the links I posted--context. It matters. No, it's not new, and it's not all-encompassing. It is, however, very handy in showing how efficient guys are when they're given opportunities. Absolutely--he's been poorly utilized (with the exception of the final 10 games of 2015)

First, the franchise tag is fully guaranteed at the moment of signing. As for Sammy, as I said earlier in the thread, he lead the entire NFL in yards/target over his first 2 seasons in the league (cumulative). I've said many times here that the number one predictor of WR success is targets, and Sammy plays in an offense that happens to have attempted the fewest passes in the NFL for 2 consecutive years. That he has managed to produce as he has is actually quite remarkable. Take the entire 2015 season as an example: Amari Cooper--who many would consider a top-10 NFL WR--made the pro bowl, whereas Watkins did not. Cooper had 72 receptions and 1,070 yards with 6 TDs on 130 targets in 16 games. Watkins had 60 receptions on 95 targets and 1,047 yards with 9 TDs in 13 games, Compare that, for example, to another pro bowler (and likely consensus top-10 NFL WR) Jarvis Landry's 2015 season. He had 94 receptions on 165 targets and 1,157 yards with 4 TDs in 16 games. In other words, Sammy is equaling (or, it can be argued, out-producing) these guys despite being given far, far fewer opportunities. I maintain that his only issue is availability. Forget the trade-up, the guy started 29 of 32 games for his first 2 seasons and was outstanding when actually utilized like a No. 1 WR...that's why you pick up the option.

I like both of those as well. What we really need is an Asian Whiskey thread.

4 was a typo (it was early )...supposed to say 3 Sammy has played in 37 games through 3 seasons Brown played in 38 games through 3 seasons Julio played in 34 games through 3 seasons As for status, I wouldn't put Sammy in elite yet precisely because of availability; I add the caveat that when he's on the field and targeted, he produces right alongside the elite of the NFL. I found the 2 articles below to be quite useful for contextual purposes: http://www.footballperspective.com/guest-post-adam-harstad-on-sammy-watkins/ http://nysportsbiz.com/2016/01/04/sammy-watkins-arguably-nfls-top-wr-2nd-half-season/ A better business decision, IMO, is to pick up the option, which doesn't become fully-guaranteed until the new league year. That way, you (a) have time to evaluate his ongoing availability without being locked in to paying a lot of gtd money, (b) have the opportunity to sign him to an extension while he's still under contract, and © save a bit of money against the tag.

For my money, the 2 best WRs in the NFL are Antonio Brown and Julio Jones. Both played the same number of games through 4 NFL seasons as Watkins.

Blanton's or Widow Jane

Look at the numbers He out produces all but the top 3-4 WRs in the gam on a per target basis

When you use phrasing like "the problem", you're effectively trying to pigeonhole the discussion. There are many reasons why Watkins isn't targeted as much as his peers (at least not as often--the final 9 games of 2015 notwithstanding). Among them: - Lack of availability - a run-first offense - and yes, that the QB isn't as free-wheeling or confident If you knew my mentality, you know how I feel about drafting QBs: if you don't have a franchise guy, and you believe that someone in the draft can be that guy, then absolutely, you take him at 10. You don't, however, draft a QB just for the sake of drafting one, nor do you play games and hope that the guy you believe can be franchise falls to round 2.

That's probably because Thompson wasn't platooned behind a very high level of talent at Washington. And if we're going to compare their senior seasons (the only one in which Riley was a starter), Riley was actually more productive than Thompson. http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/duke-riley-1.html http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/shaq-thompson-1.html I agree that I like Evans, but not as much as some of the other coverage 'backers I've mentioned on here before (Jayon Brown, Charmeachealle Moore, Elijah Lee, JRM)

Statements like this tell me that some folks still don't know how to evaluate performance. Example: did you know that Sammy Watkins lead the entire NFL in yards/target for the cumulative seasons of 2014 and 2015? He's outpacing the league on a per-target basis. His only issue has been availability, and even then, he's missed the same number of games through 3 seasons as Julio Jones did (and Demaryius Thomas and Antonio Brown as well).

What's there to decide? Pick it up...easily a top-10 (if not top-5) WR when healthy.

That would be LSU's Duke Riley. Shaq Thompson - 6'0", 228 lbs, 33" arms, 4.64 sec 40, No bench, 33.5" vertical, 117" broad jump, 6.99 sec 3-cone, 4.08 sec 20-yard shuttle Duke Riley - 6'0", 232 lbs, 32" arms, 4.59 sec 40, 18 reps, 34.5" vertical, 122" broad jump, 6.89 sec 3-cone, 4.21 sec 20-yard shuttle Both can run, are nimble, can tackle, and can cover.

Opinion or #scoop?

It's realistic, and I'd sign up for it right now: YOUR PICKS 1: R1P10 QB MITCH TRUBISKY NORTH CAROLINA 2: R2P12 WR ZAY JONES EAST CAROLINA 3: R3P11 CB RASUL DOUGLAS WEST VIRGINIA 4: R5P12 S JOHN JOHNSON BOSTON COLLEGE 5: R5P27 LB JALEN REEVES-MAYBIN TENNESSEE 6: R6P11 EDGE KEIONTA DAVIS CHATTANOOGA

Kyle Williams

Nice work as usual Gunner We differ on a few things (as expected), but overall it's well-conceived.

Thomas is an absolutely perfect fit for McDermott's D...but yeah, he's in the conversation for the #2 overall pick, so very unlikely he's there at 10

I agree on your 5

Fortaleza is absolutely spectacular...great sipper Casa Noble Anejo is excellent as well.

There are a few guys that I think are Day 3 LBs that offer plenty of coverage ability. I would be absolutely fine with a guy like UCLA's Jayon Brown, either of the KSU guys (Elijah Lee or Charmeachealle Moore), and LSU's Duke Riley as guys that can contribute in sub-package looks. I'm a big Bowser guy actually. He's lean, athletic, and explosive. I like his productivity as well (12 TFLs and 8.5 sacks in 8 games as a senior). I think he could go as high as the late 20's, but is probably in the 35-50 range. He's your classic LEO; he'd probably be a fantastic fit for what they're trying to put together in SF.

Indeed--I just don't see either guy getting to 12 was my point. I've had McCaffrey going to Carolina at 8 for quite some time actually...I think that's a very real possibility. I think the fact that he's an excellent receiver will push McCaffrey into the top-10