WR Corps Needs A Boost

[voodoo poonani]

EDIT: Updated stats after week 6. Justin Hunter caught another TD

 

Our depleted WR corps is having a tough time with injuries. Sammy Watkins and Greg Salas are on IR. Justin Hunter was picked up to try and plug a hole, but I think Whaley should keep looking (and I'm sure he is always on the lookout to upgrade talent). I thought this thread could be used to spitball. Who would you like to see the Bills sign or trade for (if so, how much would you give up)? The are a few free agents still out there. I'd prefer a veteran who could contribute early to help sustain drives. Some teams with older vets may be willing to trade for a low round pick.

Our WR corps statistics so far this season: (from ESPN)

NAME....................REC....TAR.....YDS.....AVG.....TD.....LONG.....20+.....YDS/G....YAC
Robert Woods..........25......37........240......9.6.......1..........24.........3...........40.0......56
Charles Clay.............22......31........239....10.9.......0.........33.........3...........39.8.......61
Marquise Goodwin.....8......25........165....20.6.......2..........84.........1...........27.5......38
LeSean McCoy.........21......24.........97.......4.6.......1...........13.........0..........16.2....104
Greg Salas.................4........6.........89.....22.3........1...........71........1...........44.5.....32
Sammy Watkins.........6......11..........63.....10.5........0..........19........0...........31.5........4

Walter Powell.............7......11..........50.......7.1........0..........14........0...........12.5......27

Justin Hunter..............2.......3..........34......17.0.......2...........30.......1...........17.0........0

Nick O'Leary...............3.......4..........48.....16.0........0..........28........1.............9.6......20
Mike Gillislee..............3.......4..........27.......9.0........1..........18........0.............5.4......19
Jerome Felton............1.......1............5.......5.0........0............5........0.............1.3........2
Totals........................87...140........907.....10.4.......6...........84........9...........181.4....326
Opponents..............110...175.......1395....12.7.......2...........66......20...........279.0....467

Goodwin is only catching 2 out of every 7 passes thrown his way, good for worst percentage on the team. I've long called for him to be replaced. I'd rather see Hunter try, or put Powell out there.

WRs available: (typically older)
Roddy White
Hakeem Nicks
Percy Harvin (retired)
Riley Cooper
Malcolm Floyd (retired)
Dwayne Bowe
Marques Colston

Potential trade targets: (deadline is November 1st 4PM ET)
Alson Jeffery (Bears)
Andre Johnson (Titans)
Eric Decker (Jets) contract could be an issue
Brandon Marshall (Jets)
Terrell Pryor (Browns) maybe not available since he's the Browns only offensive weapon
Jeremy Kerley (49ers)
Torrey Smith (49ers)
Golden Tate (Lions)

Edited October 17, 2016 by voodoo poonani

[C.Biscuit97]

Receiver isn't going to make a big difference.

[Freddie's Dead]

Agreed that our WR need a boost. 'quise needs to play in 4" heels, or we do the rugby move and lift him into the air.

[jr1]

Goodwin never had more than 33 catches in a college season

[ndirish1978]

Goodwin is no better than a 3rd maybe 4th receiver. I pray Hunter pans out because we have Woods and then no one.

[metzelaars_lives]

Receiver isn't going to make a big difference.

What? Please explain this one.

[yungmack]

Your focus on the WR position overlooks the ugly truth that you could have Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss in their prime and it wouldn't matter one bit if the QB can't get the ball to them. Until TT suddenly blossoms into a real NFL passer, or the Bills finally find a true "franchise QB," expending draft choices on high-end receivers is a waste of time and money.

[voodoo poonani]

Receiver isn't going to make a big difference.

Considering the All-22 reviews and how much drops are killing drives, I disagree.

[C.Biscuit97]

What? Please explain this one.

We are never going to be a team that passes a ton under Rex. I think Watkins, Woods, Hogan, & Clay was a really good group last year. Taylor doesn't go through progressions enough and Rex is a conservative coach.

Considering the All-22 reviews and how much drops are killing drives, I disagree.

So does plays of receivers getting wide open and getting missed by the qb.

[Jamie Nails]

The boost is Sammy Watkins in week 12

[voodoo poonani]

Your focus on the WR position overlooks the ugly truth that you could have Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss in their prime and it wouldn't matter one bit if the QB can't get the ball to them. Until TT suddenly blossoms into a real NFL passer, or the Bills finally find a true "franchise QB," expending draft choices on high-end receivers is a waste of time and money.

Thanks for the input. I doubt any team is going to trade us their franchise QB (although Rivers is a nice idea). Instead I decided to focus on a position that can (and probably should) be upgraded during the season before the trade deadline (which I should have mentioned in the original post is November 1st 4PM ET).

[John from Riverside]

I am praying that Justin Hunter passes Goodwin on the depth chart.......quickly

[voodoo poonani]

We are never going to be a team that passes a ton under Rex. I think Watkins, Woods, Hogan, & Clay was a really good group last year. Taylor doesn't go through progressions enough and Rex is a conservative coach.

 

So does plays of receivers getting wide open and getting missed by the qb.

Thanks for the input. There was one long play where TT missed a wide open Woods on the throw. I'm sure there are other plays where TT never even threw to a wide open receiver. That said, I'm focusing here on the throws TT did make, could have been caught, but weren't. Clay and Woods had some drops, but they have higher percentages of receptions. Goodwin has had plenty of targets, but way too many drops. If you swap out that one receivers reception percentage for another closer to Woods' or Clay's percentage, then we could actually see many more sustained drives, points, and TOP. These are things we are going to need heading into the stronger part of our schedule if we want to end this damn playoff drought.

The boost is Sammy Watkins in week 12

Are you sure he'll be back in week 12?

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/buffalo-bills-rex-ryan-doesn-130047042.html

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Setting aside the injury risks, is there any reason why we can't use Goodwin like the rams were doing with Tayvon Austin? Jet sweeps, swing passes, quick screens.

[Jamie Nails]

Thanks for the input. There was one long play where TT missed a wide open Woods on the throw. I'm sure there are other plays where TT never even threw to a wide open receiver. That said, I'm focusing here on the throws TT did make, could have been caught, but weren't. Clay and Woods had some drops, but they have higher percentages of receptions. Goodwin has had plenty of targets, but way too many drops. If you swap out that one receivers reception percentage for another closer to Woods' or Clay's percentage, then we could actually see many more sustained drives, points, and TOP. These are things we are going to need heading into the stronger part of our schedule if we want to end this damn playoff drought.

 

Are you sure he'll be back in week 12?

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/buffalo-bills-rex-ryan-doesn-130047042.html

 

The story doesn't concern me because there's nothing new. The comment on it does:

 

"Someone in our local Bills Backer chapter ran into him at the airport today. He was moving around in the airport in a wheel chair and could barely stand."

[bmur66]

Bills receivers minus Sammy scares nobody. Whaley needs to do something.

[ndirish1978]

We need a receiver because we need the THREAT of a passing offense. All anyone needs to do is bracket Woods and stack the box and we're pretty much stuck throwing to Clay or no one else.

[Nihilarian]

Setting aside the injury risks, is there any reason why we can't use Goodwin like the rams were doing with Tayvon Austin? Jet sweeps, swing passes, quick screens.

Yep! Things made of glass tend to break easily...

 

 

Seriously, though, the guy should be running fly patterns every other play to keep the defense from crowding the line and all it would take is one deep ball being caught to put the fear of god in opposing secondaries. Taylor has an excellent deep ball and I can only think he needs to throw a few each game to get in sync. At 5'9'' 179 Goodwin is not the player I would want to see running around in heavy traffic most plays.

 

Kinda surprising this run first team doesn't have that bruising, over the middle tough guy to move the chains all game long. Even Woods is kinda slight at 6'0'' 190 compared to a receiver like Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin at 6'5'' 255.

Edited October 11, 2016 by Nihilarian

[C.Biscuit97]

Yep! Things made of glass tend to break easily...

 

 

Seriously, though, the guy should be running fly patterns every other play to keep the defense from crowding the line and all it would take is one deep ball being caught to put the fear of god in opposing secondaries. Taylor has an excellent deep ball and I can only think he needs to throw a few each game to get in sync. At 5'9'' 179 Goodwin is not the player I would want to see running around in heavy traffic most plays.

 

Kinda surprising this run first team doesn't have that bruising, over the middle tough guy to move the chains all game long. Even Woods is kinda slight at 6'0'' 190 compared to a receiver like Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin at 6'5'' 255.

But would Taylor throw there even if they did? His ints would go up forcing in those tight passes. Clay is a pretty decently sized guy.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Setting aside the injury risks, is there any reason why we can't use Goodwin like the rams were doing with Tayvon Austin? Jet sweeps, swing passes, quick screens.

I've never seen evidence he can be elusive unless it's a drag race.

 

I would like to see them try out powell for this sort of thing.

 

Also does Listenbee have a shot at returning this year or is he already shelved for the whole year?