MarlinTheMagician

Sammy Watkins

The guys we have now - animals.

17 years clearly left a mark, and no one can blame anyone for that. These were the right moves.

Our wide receiver group is better than what we had on the field last year. It would be tough for our secondary to be worse than last year. And we have picks. Stop ya whining. Anyone see Fitz pick us apart last year? Still hurts.

Chris Hogan

The jump-drop vs, Falcons dude we had, who laid down on a kickoff for Rexie when he later signed with Jets. How fast I forget these guys! Or Marlin Briscoe - the Magician!

Gotta identify the QB, but those wideouts are crazy. Robert Woods may have fit in!

We are building the roster. Sometimes you have to take one step back to make two steps forward. Our WR group - savages.

We will see. I too like Ty and am rooting for him. He has more weapons - when Sammy was out WRs were garbage last year. Too bad if Glenn can't go - could be tough without him.

Don't make waves! Kidding, darn good question. Not clear if CG can't go.

Don't matter. Wishing Sammy well. Like our group, they got the dog in 'em.

Very nice guy, friends went to Clemson with him said he was very nice. Nice -- and perhaps soft by NFL standards. I thought EJ was gonna get him killed, but I was wrong. GOFF! Gimme the righteous dudes in the room for now. Add talent as needed with draft or FA. Probs need a true number 1 at some point, when OG Boldin retires and we know who our QB will be (Tyrod or otherwise). Not a tank, good business not to tie your future to an oft-injured but talented wideout as it would take a truckload to sign him - if he would even take it.

Boldin is THE OG! Class act pro who does not need to worry about what anyone thinks. Man is a man and he will not suffer any fools. Goff may get Sammy killed. I hope not, but if he thought B-lo was tough - have you watched the Lams? Oy! Matthews, OG and Zay - that is a pretty righteous group.

Goff will limit Sammy's production. Sammy may stay healthy - it is a contract year. But whether he does or doesn't Rams likely have to back up the truck to pay him basketball money. Matthews is an elite slot guy and if he shows out we should sign him. Zay on one side. Boldin will likely retire. True #1 not on roster yet, but he will be on the other side. Free agent or draft, there are safer bets than Sammy for the big $$$$. Folks need to get over the fact that he was our pride and joy. Now he ain't - I wish him well.

He is playing with Goff. Numbers will be pedestrian if healthy, and worse if not. And what I am really interested in is NEXT YEAR's numbers, after he has gotten paid. Glad we don't own that issue.

Very happy for EJ. He needs to hold a clip board for a couple years.

Agree. I think it will be situational. When they are looking for an 8 yard gain, Zay, Matthews and Boldin all make sense. When they need to take the top off either as a decoy or trying to hit the home run, I think Matthews or Boldin will rotate out and Holmes (or maybe Streater) will rotate in. I really, really like Matthews, but everything I have read is his strength is finding gaps in the coverage on intermediate routes, principally from the slot. And everything I have read is he struggles gaining separation when outside. I would not think they would force him to play roles he has not been too successful in, but agree he can run what he runs well from the outside as well as slot based on scheme.

I think Streater and Holmes can stretch the field, and hopefully Zay. They can rotate out Matthews or Boldin for Holmes or Streater if they need more than 1 deep threat on the field with Zay - could be kind of situational. I think they will be better than Glass. See below from a Raiders blog when they were trying to retain Holmes a year ago: Holmes will likely never reach his 2014 production again in Oakland, but he is a very useful receiver to have as evidenced by his four touchdowns last season. A player who has both height and speed as a deep threat who is also dangerous in the endzone, Holmes staying in Oakland would be an underrated success for the team’s offensive attack with how the 6’5″ continues to make plays for the Silver and Black.

We could score last year, but defense was atrocious. We couldn't cover last year, and the 200 yard games were so painful. I think corners are de-emphasized in the scheme. Not put on islands a la Rexie. I believe D Line will be meaningfully better - and with luck reminiscent of 2014. Like many teams, we did not miss the playoffs by much last year. If D is significantly improved and offense is same or slightly better (I will take three pros over one hurt star in the receiving corps), there is no reason we should not be in the hunt.

I was just playing, not offended. I do believe strongly the team will be much better this year. The reason is I think the defense will be much improved, and I believe the offense will be comparable or slightly better. We could score last year, but couldn't stop a high school team. I think McD will button that down significantly. That would mean a significant improvement this year, and a much brighter future. I will pass on the sour, thank you. It is hard enough to be a Bills fan without self-inflicted mental wounds. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

Good post, agree. Team should be entertaining at the least, and headed in right direction. At best - what the OP said.

Better this year, and much better in the future. They are aligned on that, it seems to me. Nothing they have done so far suggests to me they are not on track for that. Really no one knows how Darby/Sammy will perform vs. Matthews/Gaines, and that is a small piece of the equation. We are addressing our cap problems, addressing the draft and we have not decimated this year's product like the Jets have. IMHO. Sammy contributed almost nothing last year, and neither did Darby. Why assume we will not be improved?

Well said, and me too.

I had a Watkins jersey -- but it fell apart after 4 games ;-) And I tried to get this dude with a little job to sew it back together, but he just refused for some reason.

Fitzpatrick. Just had to say it.