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Gregg Easterbrook on the Watkins Pick


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Per TMQB:

Buffalo Bills: "Working on this book, yours truly was on the Virginia Tech sideline in 2011 as Sammy Watkins twice destroyed a stacked Hokies secondary that boasted Kyle Fuller, also taken in Thursday's first round; Jayron Hosley, a 2012 third-round pick; and Antone Exum, a sixth-round selection last weekend. Half a dozen times Watkins did things that made me say, "Wow." Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster shook his head and said, "Wow is an understatement."

Watkins was the special talent of the 2014 draft. He has as much upside as Jadeveon Clowney, but less downside. The last time the Bills made a king's-ransom trade, for Cornelius Bennett in 1987, the arrival of "Biscuit" changed a group of talented underachievers into contenders. Watkins might do the same for the current Bills.

To flip 2014 positions with the Browns, Buffalo surrendered only 2015 draft choices. The current front office knows the team will be sold soon, and if Buffalo fails to break its playoff drought, everyone who doesn't wear cleats will be fired. So there's no point in saving for the future. Either Buffalo makes the playoffs this season and all is well, or a new management team inherits a mess with future picks already spent."

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I have consistently argued that this trade was a good value because Watkins is as much a can't miss prospect as can be. But the reason the pick was worth the trade was because of the make-up of the team. Greg Robinson or Jake Matthews for that trade would have been stupid, IMO. Even Clowney (which would have cost substantially more) would have made the D Line a terror, but too much invested in one position which was already our best. So that would have been much riskier. Everything is in context.

 

The player and person himself, Watkins, the can't miss elite talent, the need for a #1 and playmaker at the position, the QB situation, and the rest of the make-up of the team are all factors that need to be considered when making any prediction of this trade's value. When looked at as a whole, to me, it's a very good risk. I doubt I would have liked the trade for any other player.

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By mid season everyone bashing giving away that 1st rounder will be talking about what a absolute genious Doug Whaley is....

 

and the funny thing is they will soley focus on it when he did so many other smart moves in free agency and draft

 

- What 6th rounder will give us the production of Mike Williams?

- The trade to get bryce brown

- MOVING BACK in the 2nd round....picking up a pick....and still netting Cujo who will be a fixture at RT for us

- Taking the low risk chance on Sentrel

- Picking up Cyrus in the 5th

- Spikes

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By mid season everyone bashing giving away that 1st rounder will be talking about what a absolute genious Doug Whaley is....

 

and the funny thing is they will soley focus on it when he did so many other smart moves in free agency and draft

 

- What 6th rounder will give us the production of Mike Williams?

- The trade to get bryce brown

- MOVING BACK in the 2nd round....picking up a pick....and still netting Cujo who will be a fixture at RT for us

- Taking the low risk chance on Sentrel

- Picking up Cyrus in the 5th

- Spikes

 

Yep. And Corey Graham. That was my favorite signing of them all. Kid is going to be our starting FS, and he can do it.

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I have consistently argued that this trade was a good value because Watkins is as much a can't miss prospect as can be. But the reason the pick was worth the trade was because of the make-up of the team. Greg Robinson or Jake Matthews for that trade would have been stupid, IMO. Even Clowney (which would have cost substantially more) would have made the D Line a terror, but too much invested in one position which was already our best. So that would have been much riskier. Everything is in context.

 

The player and person himself, Watkins, the can't miss elite talent, the need for a #1 and playmaker at the position, the QB situation, and the rest of the make-up of the team are all factors that need to be considered when making any prediction of this trade's value. When looked at as a whole, to me, it's a very good risk. I doubt I would have liked the trade for any other player.

 

this is a GREAT analysis. Too many "experts" are critiquing the Watkins solely on the basis of what the Bills had to give up to get him, while conveniently omitting to entire context you have pointed out.

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For history's sake: did pundits say the same thing about Spiller?

The Bills didn't trade up for Spiller did they? All I remember the pundits questioning is taking a player like Spiller at #9 (situational, would be there later, luxury pick etc.).

Edited by CodeMonkey
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By mid season everyone bashing giving away that 1st rounder will be talking about what a absolute genious Doug Whaley is....

 

and the funny thing is they will soley focus on it when he did so many other smart moves in free agency and draft

 

- What 6th rounder will give us the production of Mike Williams?

- The trade to get bryce brown

- MOVING BACK in the 2nd round....picking up a pick....and still netting Cujo who will be a fixture at RT for us

- Taking the low risk chance on Sentrel

- Picking up Cyrus in the 5th

- Spikes

I mean usually there are few moves where you're like ouch not so sure about that but right now on paper these are strong aggressive moves that can add more Ws to the team. (Both figuratively and figuratively??)

 

People have gotten their panties in a bunch about letting Byrd walk and Flipping Stevie Johnson for Bryce Brown. But those two players were key figures in the perpetual 6-10 teams. I think Watkins, Williams, Bryce Brown, Spikes, Preston, and Kuoandjio can get to 6-10 just fine and maybe even flip that to 10-6 if everything gels.

 

I can't wait for September for a change.

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I think Luxury was the common CJ narrative by "experts".

I'm not sure where you were going with that comment too.

The Bills didn't trade up for Spiller did they? All I remember the pundits questioning is taking a player like Spiller at #9 (situational, would be there later, luxury pick etc.).

 

That nobody was questioning his dynamic playmaking ability. That he was a game changer, THE playmaker of the 2010 draft.

 

I seem to recall those statements being similar between the two.

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I love what Easterbrook had to say about the Watkins pick. Watkins is going to put us back on the map.

 

Whaley has done what so few Bills' GMs have done......and that's wheel and deal. You have to be confident in your knowledge to be able to do that.

 

Trading our R2 pick (#41) for the #44 pick and a R5 pick was a great move. We still got our starting RT for now and the future AND we got another player who could eventually be a starter for us. This is the kind of thing that the Bills were just not willing to do in the past.

 

Teams like Seattle, NE, and SF do it all the time and that's a big reason why they are where they are.

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We need us some 'Wow'.

 

For the record the Bills make me say "Wow" all the time, but it's usually in the context of "Wow, I can't believe that just happened. Again." :D

 

Go Sammy!

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I have consistently argued that this trade was a good value because Watkins is as much a can't miss prospect as can be. But the reason the pick was worth the trade was because of the make-up of the team. Greg Robinson or Jake Matthews for that trade would have been stupid, IMO. Even Clowney (which would have cost substantially more) would have made the D Line a terror, but too much invested in one position which was already our best. So that would have been much riskier. Everything is in context.

 

The player and person himself, Watkins, the can't miss elite talent, the need for a #1 and playmaker at the position, the QB situation, and the rest of the make-up of the team are all factors that need to be considered when making any prediction of this trade's value. When looked at as a whole, to me, it's a very good risk. I doubt I would have liked the trade for any other player.

 

Yet the major reason for the trade was right there in the article:

>>>>>The current front office knows the team will be sold soon, and if Buffalo fails to break its playoff drought, everyone who doesn't wear cleats will be fired.<<<<<

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For history's sake: did pundits say the same thing about Spiller?

 

No. They said he was incredibly fast but unlikely to be a workhorse. Weak between the tackles. Called a faster Reggie Bush most frequently.

 

I feel like scouting on CJ hit the nail on the head.

Edited by over 20 years of fanhood
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Yet the major reason for the trade was right there in the article:

>>>>>The current front office knows the team will be sold soon, and if Buffalo fails to break its playoff drought, everyone who doesn't wear cleats will be fired.<<<<<

I don't really believe that at all.

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