Robert Woods to play the Slot

[Jdizzle]

I really think he will excel in the slot. And with Watkins, Williams, and Goodwin on the outside, wow this offense could be lethal! Watkins is going to be so fun to watch, I havent been this excited about a Bills team in a longggggggggg time

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000354895/article/robert-woods-slated-for-slot-role-with-buffalo-bills

[mrags]

This group of WRs is scary that's for sure. Probably the best we've ever had. At least on paper. Let's hope Williams and Watkins can pick it up right away.

[jr1]

Really excited to see how he does

[Pilsner]

I'm wondering if he could play the Andre Reed role. He's smooth and we'll see how many YAC he averages.

 

This group of receivers is exciting to think about. Remember when Warren Moon had Duncan, Hill, Jeffires, and Givens to throw to? That was a lethal group. Our new receiving corp has some potential lethality to it.

 

Watkins and Williams and to a certain extent Goodwin should really open things up for Woods. If EJ plays well this group could be scary.

[VanCity]

I thought he had been expected to play the slot all along. Either way, I haven't been this excited about a Bills squad on offense for some time. If the Bills offense makes strides similar to what the defense did last year.....sky's the limit. The top 4 WRs (I'll put Goodwin in that group) bolstered by decent depth and steady, if unspectacular, and good blocking TEs really sets up well.

[TakeYouToTasker]

I'm wondering if he could play the Andre Reed role. He's smooth and we'll see how many YAC he averages.

 

This group of receivers is exciting to think about. Remember when Warren Moon had Duncan, Hill, Jeffires, and Givens to throw to? That was a lethal group. Our new receiving corp has some potential lethality to it.

 

Watkins and Williams and to a certain extent Goodwin should really open things up for Woods. If EJ plays well this group could be scary.

I liked the 1992 receivers better, when they added Webster Slaughter and Drew Hill left.

[Nanker]

You're forgetting that we have no quarterback!

Warren Moon wooda been HOF without those guys.

We're BillsFanOne, I tell ya, BillsFanOne!

[YoloinOhio]

Woods was born to play in the slot. I love this role for him. I do think, however, with the versatility of our WR group. we will see different guys line up there at different times based on matchups. Watkins, MW19, even Goodwin could all shine there.

Edited June 2, 2014 by YoloinOhio

[dollars 2 donuts]

Please let EJ have a full preseason to work with these guys, b/c if he gets on the same page with all these guys...wow.

Edited June 2, 2014 by dollars 2 donuts

[Flip Johnson]

No doubt this WR group has the talent to create a lot of problems. Woods could develop into a dynamic complement to Watkins.

 

This is going to be on EJ to make it happen. Not to overreact from what we're seeing at OTAs, but I do get the feeling that EJ is more comfortable. His throwing motion looks less mechanical. He also appears more relaxed in his press conferences. Little things, but they are hopeful signs.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Flip Johnson

[BigBuff423]

With the Off-Season moves the BILLS made in trading for Mike Williams and then trading up for Sammy, this move to me was a foregone conclusion...also, Woods is a prototypical slot WR in size and skill-set...add in Goodwin and all of a sudden the BILLS WR corp has become a strength instead of a weakness...

[Dorkington]

I like it

 

Hopefully EJ doesn't get him killed!

[hondo in seattle]

This group of WRs is scary that's for sure. Probably the best we've ever had. At least on paper. Let's hope Williams and Watkins can pick it up right away.

 

Wow, I love your optimism! But not one of these guys is a proven NFL star. With Woods only bringing in 40 receptions last year, you could argue that Williams in the only proven NFL starter.

 

There does seem to be a lot of potential in our WR corps, though, and it will be interesting to see who develops their potential and who doesn't. And I do think/fear we'll witness both those possibilities.

[Webster Guy]

I always saw Woods as a Lee Evans type of guy. A little more polished, better at crisp route running and getting open than yards after catch.

 

Our YAC guys seem to be Sammy and Goodwin, which is why I see them as more suited for slot receiver. Maybe I don't understand the slot, but I thought it was generally for shorter routes and quick hits, then letting the receiver make something happen running with the ball.

[CountryCletus]

This group of WRs is scary that's for sure. Probably the best we've ever had. At least on paper. Let's hope Williams and Watkins can pick it up right away.

 

If these cats can out perform Reed, Beebe, and Lofton- we are about to have some fun Sundays!!!

 

Obviously I don't mean statistics out perform, as the game has changed... But I think you smell what I'm stepping in!

[finn]

I'm happy about this group, too. But with EJ in only his second year, Watkins a rookie, Woods and Goodwin still developing and no chemistry yet between anyone, this will likely be just a growing year, with us talking "exciting potential!" again next year at this time. I have slightly higher hopes for the defense, but it's tempered by the new scheme Schwartz is bringing in. Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with it, but it involves another pretty major change, which means a "growing year" there, too.

 

Someday I'd like to see a coordinator have enough self esteem to come in and keep the same scheme if it works rather than changing it for the sake of being able to claim it's his if it works out, rather than his predecessor's. The team is damned if the scheme is very successful (and the coordinator leaves a la Pettine, with a brand new scheme brought in to confuse the players) AND if it's awful, because it's awful. What you want is a pretty good coordinator who stays four or five years. But of course that damns you, too, since pretty good is not the way to get to the playoffs.

 

Sorry for the cynicism. Fourteen years is long, long time.

[marauderswr80]

I expect a huge year for Scott Chandler!

 

A pro bowl kinda year!

[Ronin]

I'm wondering if he could play the Andre Reed role. He's smooth and we'll see how many YAC he averages.

 

This group of receivers is exciting to think about. Remember when Warren Moon had Duncan, Hill, Jeffires, and Givens to throw to? That was a lethal group. Our new receiving corp has some potential lethality to it.

 

Watkins and Williams and to a certain extent Goodwin should really open things up for Woods. If EJ plays well this group could be scary.

 

He's a good YAC receiver seemingly. A bit early to be making predictions about a WR corp that hasnt' proven anything yet in the NFL.

 

Goodwin is pure potential at this point. If he were that good why didn't he even hit 300 yards last season, mostly on a few big plays. I guess I still don't get the hype on a WR that never even hit 500 yards in one season and one that's supposed to be so fast yet averaged only 11.4 ypc in college.

 

Woods also showed potential, but there too, 587 yards with 3 TDs was only moderately impressive in today's pass-oriented NFL.

 

Williams won't provide any more than he ever has anywhere else, maybe less.

 

Watkins still has to prove that he can operate to the level (statistically) that he did in college without all of the gimmickry. I don't see that happening initially. Particularly given that one of his knocks is his route running. Again, if that system, Clemson's, weren't a huge factor in his success there, then why wasn't a QB of Drew Brees' size that consistently threw 30+ TDs every season drafted higher than the 6th round.

 

There's some reason for optimism, but again, it all comes down to Manuel. If the team wanted a more immediate return on their money, and perhaps a better long-term option, imo Mike Evans was a no-brainer.

 

Having said all of that, I have zero faith in Manuel. Once again, I'll cite this piece;

 

http://www.tomahawkn...l-florida-state

 

The issues that the authors cite were the exact same things we saw last year from Manuel last season.

Edited June 2, 2014 by TaskersGhost

[eball]

Is it any surprise Stevie didn't really pan out well in the slot last year? Injuries aside, you've got a herky-jerky, no-two-routes-the-same receiver working with two rookie QBs (EJ, Tuel) and a journeyman (Lewis). Of all WR positions, I'd argue timing and precision are most crucial from the slot receiver. I believe Woods will excel in this role, and a full camp working with EJ can only yield positive results.

 

Just pray to the invisible football fan in the sky they can stay healthy.

[Ronin]

I thought he had been expected to play the slot all along. Either way, I haven't been this excited about a Bills squad on offense for some time. If the Bills offense makes strides similar to what the defense did last year.....sky's the limit. The top 4 WRs (I'll put Goodwin in that group) bolstered by decent depth and steady, if unspectacular, and good blocking TEs really sets up well.

 

Yeah, Woods was the logical choice to play slot and the team even said that prior to now. You're right.

 

Lotsa "IF's" though. Think about it, we're really expecting a whole lotta things that have never happened to happen here.

 

Watkins hardly made his success in college playing the role of a traditional split (X) WR that he's now going to supposedly be playing regularly with Woods in the slot. Here's the thing about Watkins though, if the team plans on using him in the flats and on screens like Clemson used him, we all saw that this was probably Manuel's worse kind of throw, to the flats and on screens and such.

 

Goodwin, again, I just don't understand the sentiment. His college numbers are worse than Graham's. He too is being expected to do what he's never done. I don't think he'll even be with the team after the '15 season if perhaps not even after this one. I don't think that he'll be a "surprise cut" simply because the team has too much faith in him seemingly. I don't ever see him as being more than a 4th or 5th or putting up much more than Graham ever did. Everyone used to talk about Graham similarly although now the realization has set in.

 

What are the expecations for Williams? If they're more than the 700 or 800 yards he's put up on average since he's been in the league I'm not sure that's huge cause for hope.

 

Lastly, Woods. He's the biggest reason for hope here. He's also the only starting WR that Manuel's thrown to.

 

I'm happy about this group, too. But with EJ in only his second year, Watkins a rookie, Woods and Goodwin still developing and no chemistry yet between anyone, this will likely be just a growing year, with us talking "exciting potential!" again next year at this time. I have slightly higher hopes for the defense, but it's tempered by the new scheme Schwartz is bringing in. Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with it, but it involves another pretty major change, which means a "growing year" there, too.

 

Someday I'd like to see a coordinator have enough self esteem to come in and keep the same scheme if it works rather than changing it for the sake of being able to claim it's his if it works out, rather than his predecessor's. The team is damned if the scheme is very successful (and the coordinator leaves a la Pettine, with a brand new scheme brought in to confuse the players) AND if it's awful, because it's awful. What you want is a pretty good coordinator who stays four or five years. But of course that damns you, too, since pretty good is not the way to get to the playoffs.

 

Sorry for the cynicism. Fourteen years is long, long time.

 

You have every right to be skeptical, we all do despite others trying to convince us otherwise.

 

They should have kept Stevie for one more season, it would have helped immensely with the transition to all of the youth. Instead we get a 4th rounder, maybe a 3rd, but given our history of 3rd and 4th round picks, that falls into the who cares category. Shoulda kept Stevie.

 

Defensively I'll disagree with you. Pettine's system was heavy on pass-D but very light on run-D, which killed us in the long run. When we consider that we only played 1 team with a top 15 RB, that's hardly good. Also, we didn't exactly face the best passing teams either. New England was in a down year for them. NO and Atlanta, despite us logging 10 sacks in the two games, ripped us new ones passing nonetheless.

 

Pettine's D was overrated because of the sack stats and the fact that the average passing offenses that we played was 20th. Unfortuntely that will be misinterpreted this season as the quality of offensive opponentry increases. Schwartz will be blamed for inherent flaws in last year's D that no one called out.

 

I suspect that Pettine is going to flop in Cleveland. Really stepping out there I realize. lol Still.

 

If these cats can out perform Reed, Beebe, and Lofton- we are about to have some fun Sundays!!!

 

Obviously I don't mean statistics out perform, as the game has changed... But I think you smell what I'm stepping in!

 

Yeah, the game has changed. I don't see Manuel throwing for 3,000 yards in a league where average is in the 3,300-3,500 range.

 

In Kelly's day average was in the 2,500-2,700 range and he was well above average.