The Bills #1 WR is a guy the Fish just cut

[aristocrat]

and jerry hughes was a 1st traded by indy along with the lorax coming from somewhere.

[bobobonators]

and jerry hughes was a 1st traded by indy along with the lorax coming from somewhere.

That Hughes trade may be top 3-5 all-time in Bills history.

[Malazan]

It matters bc some are concerned about going to war with other teams "rejects." (For us former dolphins players).

 

What im saying is that player x's failure on another team doesnt mean they wont succeed with our coaches and system.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/www.masslive.com/articles/19369179/new_england_patriots_cleveland.amp?client=safari

 

That seems like an obvious thing to know. Players play better and worse on different teams all the time.

[OhDozeBills]

WR was the biggest issue with this team last offseason and it wasn't addressed. Bringing in a crew of castoffs to battle it out in training camp rather than try and get a legit guy has certainly backfired on us. Sammy is talented but was hurt so they should have been prepared. Woods is a #3. Hunter is a project/situational redzone guy. The rest of the guys should not be in the NFL. Hopefully we don't need to pass this week but imo we are in trouble vs the Pats

Disagree, nobody plans on their top three WR's getting hurt. Most teams would be in trouble. We have won 4 in a row as well with 2 of top 3 at the position being out. Losing Woods is just going to make it that much tougher.

[bigK14094]

How about the fact that Hunter, Clay, Richie and Gilislee all played for the Dolphins before being let go/taken away. We could beat them with their rejects and cast offs. That would be funny.

You forgot Carpenter

[KDIGGZ]

Disagree, nobody plans on their top three WR's getting hurt. Most teams would be in trouble. We have won 4 in a row as well with 2 of top 3 at the position being out. Losing Woods is just going to make it that much tougher.

Who is our top 3? What are Greg Salas' stats? Dude is a glorified practice squad player. How can you disagree that we don't and never have had a 3rd WR let alone any quality depth? They failed to replace Harvin, they knew Watkins was hurt going in, Woods isn't that good. Injuries are just exposing what was already an issue going into the season

[aristocrat]

welker was on miami too

[Jerry Jabber]

WR was the biggest issue with this team last offseason and it wasn't addressed. Bringing in a crew of castoffs to battle it out in training camp rather than try and get a legit guy has certainly backfired on us. Sammy is talented but was hurt so they should have been prepared. Woods is a #3. Hunter is a project/situational redzone guy. The rest of the guys should not be in the NFL. Hopefully we don't need to pass this week but imo we are in trouble vs the Pats

You nailed everything right on the head.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Clay,Woods, and Goodwin are all still better than Hunter at this point

 

Except that Woods is wearing a boot, did not practice, and is listed as "doubtful" for Sunday.

Clay injured his ankle, is listed as "Limited", and "questionable" for Sunday.

[3rdand12]

Clay,Woods, and Goodwin are all still better than Hunter at this point

Not statistically

Wait a minute. Did I miss something? Is Woods OUT? How did you figure OUT that Hunter is our #1? I've seen him work well on the OUTside, but he's only caught 3 passes.

 

I don't think our WRs are as OUT-matched as you think. Sure, with Sammy, and Salas being OUT, other guys have had to step up. But, O'Leary has stood OUT in the past couple games, and should get more targets, and I honestly believe that Goodwin's numbers have been less than OUTstanding as a result of the type of rOUTes he has been assigned- throws which TT has had trouble making.

 

And, of course, our run game has been stOUT.

Well done my friend

Fire Whaley?

don't stop there !

[ganesh]

Clay,Woods, and Goodwin are all still better than Hunter at this point

I think his point was Clay and Woods are questionable for teh game and at this point in practice Hunter is indeed the #1 WR on this team.

[3rdand12]

 

Except that Woods is wearing a boot, did not practice, and is listed as "doubtful" for Sunday.

Clay injured his ankle, is listed as "Limited", and "questionable" for Sunday.

This is AGAIN, where Coaching is what really matters. Get what you got lined up, and make it work

I think his point was Clay and Woods are questionable for teh game and at this point in practice Hunter is indeed the #1 WR on this team.

When you consider that seriously, a little " wow" just gasped out of me.

 

This should be fun ! I love when it gets weird like this. and i still expect to win.

looking for 22 sunday

[Hapless Bills Fan]

WR was the biggest issue with this team last offseason and it wasn't addressed. Bringing in a crew of castoffs to battle it out in training camp rather than try and get a legit guy has certainly backfired on us. Sammy is talented but was hurt so they should have been prepared. Woods is a #3. Hunter is a project/situational redzone guy. The rest of the guys should not be in the NFL. Hopefully we don't need to pass this week but imo we are in trouble vs the Pats

 

I get that you believe WR was "the biggest issue with this team last offseason", but obviously, the Bills FO and coaches didn't agree with you, which would be why we went heavy on D in the draft and FA signings.

 

And practically speaking, given that

1) we are built to win as a run-centered offense

2) we expected to have 3 of our top 5 WR back (Watkins, Wood, Goodwin back, Hogan and Harvin gone) and felt we had decent backups in Salas, Powell, and Lewis

3) in terms of performance, the O did OK last year and the huge dropoff on D coupled with loss of Mario Williams and Bradham in the offseason, appeared to leave obvious talent gaps to fill

I have to admit I understand their logic and must respectfully disagree with your assessment of WR as the biggest offseason issue on the team.

 

In re Watkins, even if the team knew he had a Jones fracture last offseason, the statistics are 80% heal without surgery, and with surgery 80% are able to RTP in 8-10 weeks. I understand the emotional fan tendency to want to blame the FO for everything, but try to follow the logic: if the probabilities favor your #1 wideout should be healthy and back and you like your #2 and your TE, does it really make sense to push the "panic button" on WR when you perceive a number of D positions as greater needs?

 

It's kind of the necessary SOP in the salary cap era: first you fill your starting positions, then you try to scrape in a pile of FA and UDFA and hope you find a little gem in the pile

 

Edited October 22, 2016 by Hapless Bills Fan

[3rdand12]

 

I get that you believe WR was "the biggest issue with this team last offseason", but obviously, the Bills FO and coaches didn't agree with you, which would be why we went heavy on D in the draft and FA signings.

 

And practically speaking, given that

1) we are built to win as a run-centered offense

2) we expected to have 3 of our top 5 WR back (Watkins, Wood, Goodwin back, Hogan and Harvin gone) and felt we had decent backups in Salas, Powell, and Lewis

3) in terms of performance, the O did OK last year and the huge dropoff on D coupled with loss of Mario Williams and Bradham in the offseason, appeared to leave obvious talent gaps to fill

I have to admit I understand their logic and must respectfully disagree with your assessment of WR as the biggest offseason issue on the team.

 

In re Watkins, even if the team knew he had a Jones fracture last offseason, the statistics are 80% heal without surgery, and with surgery 80% are able to RTP in 8-10 weeks. I understand the emotional fan tendency to want to blame the FO for everything, but try to follow the logic: if the probabilities favor your #1 wideout should be healthy and back and you like your #2 and your TE, does it really make sense to push the "panic button" on WR when you perceive a number of D positions as greater needs?

 

It's kind of the necessary SOP in the salary cap era: first you fill your starting positions, then you try to scrape in a pile of FA and UDFA and hope you find a little gem in the pile

 

Well maybe they could have put a bit more effort in?

Hunter was a bit of luck. Goodwin was not a for sure if he had not fallen short of qualifying.

Powell never really has proved anything up to the season start. Lewis went back to PS.

 

I appreciate your opinion for sure. But the answer is somewhere in between. I think the Bills were trying to squeak by, thinking Salas would be good enough. After a 3 game evaluation : ( .

Bills might have muffed this one

[bobobonators]

 

That seems like an obvious thing to know. Players play better and worse on different teams all the time.

Obviously.

[ganesh]

This is AGAIN, where Coaching is what really matters. Get what you got lined up, and make it work

When you consider that seriously, a little " wow" just gasped out of me.

 

This should be fun ! I love when it gets weird like this. and i still expect to win.

looking for 22 sunday

+1. We just need to get this win as our next three weeks are fairly difficult games where we will be the underdogs

Well maybe they could have put a bit more effort in?

Hunter was a bit of luck. Goodwin was not a for sure if he had not fallen short of qualifying.

Powell never really has proved anything up to the season start. Lewis went back to PS.

 

I appreciate your opinion for sure. But the answer is somewhere in between. I think the Bills were trying to squeak by, thinking Salas would be good enough. After a 3 game evaluation : ( .

Bills might have muffed this one

Remember they did bring in veteran Greg Little to battle out in the camp. He did not make the cut. The Bills had to take care of protecting the OL and did that. They drafted for the D as it was horrible last season. We still had Clay and Watkins as play makers and Woods as a decent #2/#3 option. Starting in FA, it was not a bad position

[jletha]

You forgot Carpenter

I also forgot Reggie Bush

[Marty McFly]

Clay,Woods, and Goodwin are all still better than Hunter at this point

I wouldnt say Goodwin, I think hes been hurt so much that its hurt his development to run the route tree and make those tough contested catches. I wouldnt say its talent with Hunter bc I havent seen him play enough to make that judgement, have you? Its really that he doesnt know the playbook yet. I would put Clay and Woods above him tho.

 

Their star safety is out for the rest of the year. Going to be some one on one match ups deep. This is where Tyrod's deep ball comes back to life after all these weeks on a respirator, IMO.

Yes! Im looking forward to that long bomb to Goodwin for a TD this Sunday! Count on it!

 

How about the fact that Hunter, Clay, Richie and Gilislee all played for the Dolphins before being let go/taken away. We could beat them with their rejects and cast offs. That would be funny.

And Reggie, and Carpenter. That would be awesome and its a very big possibility we pull this off because our Defense is better than their offense and Thurman will force Tanney to throw a pick or two with his schemey schemes.

 

But what does is signify? Tie-rod......doesn't make any sense. He'll lead the bills to ties? He collects twist ties? He doesn't tie his shoes? I don't get it

That comment was funny! People just use any type of TomFoolery to put someone down.

 

That Hughes trade may be top 3-5 all-time in Bills history.

Hell yeah bobobreh! Highway robbery, who pulled that off for us? That man deserves a cookie.

[TANK2]

Im putting oleary and clay out there together and Im just gonna pound it down their throats and throw it 20 times max. Play strong d. Dont turn it over. We win 19-10. Good old fashioned NFC East style football.

[bobobonators]

Im putting oleary and clay out there together and Im just gonna pound it down their throats and throw it 20 times max. Play strong d. Dont turn it over. We win 19-10. Good old fashioned NFC East style football.

Sounds good to me.

[Freddie's Dead]

I mean.... I want to billieve. I really do. But I can't get over our WR group vs their WR group.

 

 

Don't IN me either

With a nod to Bill from NYC, here's a little Dead tune:

 

Don't ease, don't ease...don't ease me IN.

I been all...night...long comin' home, don't ease me IN.

 

 

Bills be fine.

Edited October 22, 2016 by Freddie's Dead

[Alphadawg7]

WR was the biggest issue with this team last offseason and it wasn't addressed. Bringing in a crew of castoffs to battle it out in training camp rather than try and get a legit guy has certainly backfired on us. Sammy is talented but was hurt so they should have been prepared. Woods is a #3. Hunter is a project/situational redzone guy. The rest of the guys should not be in the NFL. Hopefully we don't need to pass this week but imo we are in trouble vs the Pats

 

This isn't even remotely true and this false garbage has to quit being spewed. Our biggest need this offseason was not WR. We had one of the most talented WR's that was supposed to be healthy with Woods being a solid #2 and some decent competition for the 3 and 4th spots. It wasn't our deepest or strongest, but sit here and act like it was our biggest hole is ridiculous. We don't have any WR's who are quality #1 WRs if Sammy isn't playing, but most team don't have the luxury of 2 worthy #1 WRs on their roster. Sammy got hurt and our WR core was quickly marginal because of it. Sammy was not injury prone in college, and only really missed games last year...there was no reason to believe he wouldn't be ready to go week 1 (thank our crappy medical staff for once again not getting the job done).

 

But you can not fill every hole...you don't get to pick 5 or 6 times in the first round or two to fill your roster normally unless youre Cleveland and suck so bad you can trade a top pick for a bounty of picks they will eventually screw up to ensure they are always picking high.

 

Going into the draft all anyone around here cried about was how our Defense let our offense down...how our lowly ranked defense was the biggest need. Now our Defense is playing well and people want to turn back the clock and change all the offseason whining narrative to be something else. If you listened to this boards flip flopping on what we needed you would think every single position from top to bottom on both sides of the ball were its BIGGEST NEEDS. People crying QB was the biggest...WR was the biggest...DE was the biggest...LB was the biggest...DB was the biggest...OL was the biggest...and on and on and on.

 

We needed to fix out defense first and foremost after last year. We needed to find a way to get to the passer like we used to so we could take pressure off our secondary and LB's, not to mention our offense. We also needed to fill big needs at LB with Lawson aging (who eventually got cut) and Bradham leaving. Now that Whaley did a great job rebuilding the defense even though our top 2 draft picks havent taken the field people want to change the narrative to complain about Whaley and say something else was our biggest need back then and he somehow screwed it up.

 

NEWS FLASH: Talented WR's don't just grow on trees. Most teams keep them when they are young and talented. They aren't just lying around for us to say screw it we don't want them. We invested draft picks at positions of need, we just don't have enough high picks to fill every need every draft. Now this next offseason, I fully expect WR to be near the top of the priority list with Sammy battling the same issue for 2 straight seasons and Woods proving he isn't able to fill his shoes even a little bit.

Edited October 22, 2016 by Alphadawg7

[John from Riverside]

It really is comedy hour around here when it come to Sammy Watkins....

 

Do you honestly think teams would not be willing to trade for him? You bet....cuz he is GOOD

[reddogblitz]

This is the week Hunter, Clay and Reggie Bush comes back to haunt the Dolphins

And Carp

[Last Guy on the Bench]

I think this is going to be the Nick O'Leary show. Why should they pay any attention to him? Clay torched them last year, so they are going to be worried about him. O'Leary hasn't featured at all yet. So no reason to game plan for him.

 

Meanwhile, O'Leary is back in his home state - where he played all his life. Used to the heat. Feeling good. Coming into his own. The Bills would be smart to work in a several plays designed specifically to go his way.

 

With our run game downgraded a little due to Shady's hammy (even if he plays), I say O'Leary grabs 8 balls for a buck twenty-five.

Edited October 22, 2016 by Last Guy on the Bench

[8-8 Forever?]

They'll be OK. O Line is healthy and rockin. that's the key. I for one believe most RBs are fairly interchangeable. O Line makes the run happen. The Run makes the passing game work, don't need Jerry Rice for this to work. + play great defense, which they will. go bills

Edited October 22, 2016 by 8and8-->NoMore

[Buffalo Barbarian]

I mean.... I want to billieve. I really do. But I can't get over our WR group vs their WR group.

 

 

Don't IN me either

 

I love that we are winning with these guys

[eball]

I'm not convinced its an issue until Tie-Rod shows he can run an efficient passing game. I dont like our chances at all in this match-up. Hopefully The D and S-teams are the difference but I can picture Tie-Rod taking a large dump on the mid-field logo in this game. I hope he makes me eat major crow.

 

Ah yes, the "I hope I'm wrong" analysis. Not picking on you specifically, but the Bills' offense has been pretty damned efficient over the last three weeks in particular -- that includes Tyrod picking up 3rd downs at a 48% clip and scoring a lot of points.

 

I really wish folks would stop looking at passing yardage statistics as the determining factor of whether a QB is playing well (not saying you are, but that's a beef of mine in general).

 

As to the original premise of this thread (WR corps), with Bobby Woods out it looks pretty mediocre -- there's no denying that. I guess we have to hope that as guys are elevated in the lineup they show that they are up to the task. I'm encouraged by Hunter, and I'd like to see more plays to Powell also.

 

I'm guessing the Fish are going to get a heavy dose of Clay and O'Leary -- the Bills' version of Pats***-lite.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Yes because of course Tyrod cannot throw......and the fact that we are a run dom team has nothing to do with his amount of throws

 

Even though he is good for a couple of TDs a game throwing so far

 

Erm, I actually kind of hate to pick a nit here, but with 6 games played and 8 TD thrown by Tyrod, the math on "couple of TD a game throwing" doesn't quite work out.

[PromoTheRobot]

Effin' hilarious. Bills run for 300+ and everyone is hatin' on Tyrod for not airing it out. Fins run D sucks. We'd be idiots not to do the same as we did against the Niners.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Well maybe they could have put a bit more effort in?

Hunter was a bit of luck. Goodwin was not a for sure if he had not fallen short of qualifying.

Powell never really has proved anything up to the season start. Lewis went back to PS.

 

I appreciate your opinion for sure. But the answer is somewhere in between. I think the Bills were trying to squeak by, thinking Salas would be good enough. After a 3 game evaluation : ( .

Bills might have muffed this one

 

Obviously with hindsight from where we are today, the Bills should have more effort into the WR position. I can't agree with the OP I was responding to that "WR was the biggest need on the team last offseason and it wasn't addressed". Do you? It wasn't the biggest need, and the Bills did try to address it according to their perception of the need (much lower down than DL, LB, OL and RB).

 

If we've moved on to whether or not I LIKE how the Bills addressed the WR position in the off season, I did not, and I agree they could have done more. Example: I didn't like using a 6th round pick on a guy who can't play this season. I tend to believe there might have been someone who could potentially play this season you could pick up, especially given you know there's a chance Watkins may not play and Goodwin may be off jumping around. But, lower round draft choices either get stashed on PS or play ST if they make the team, so the Bills may have looked at it "here's a guy we can stash right off". I just disagree.

 

I've heard the Bills really like Goodwin and they thought he had a great camp. OK. That'd be a place where as a fan, I don't agree with that judgement. I also think they had high hopes for Des Lewis, but he disappeared in camp. So they put him on the PS, but, was there no one who actually might contribute, out there? If there was an injury or something that derailed him, IR the guy and bring someone else in from the cutting floor.

 

Anyway, yes, I agree, the Bills could have done more with WR in the offseason. I understand why they went into TC thinking they'd done enough and had solid starters, as a fan it would be one place where I don't agree. But that doesn't mean I think it was the biggest need, or understand that the Bills thought they'd done sufficient to address it.

[ganesh]

 

 

 

I'm guessing the Fish are going to get a heavy dose of Clay and O'Leary -- the Bills' version of Pats***-lite.

They are going to the stack the box with 8 and have Tyrod throw the ball. Game will be in Tyrod's hands

[John from Riverside]

 

Erm, I actually kind of hate to pick a nit here, but with 6 games played and 8 TD thrown by Tyrod, the math on "couple of TD a game throwing" doesn't quite work out.

Your right....he has not thrown for exactly 2 TDs a game

 

My bad

[Chilly]

Their WR group isnt all that great. All they have to do is run 3 yards up field with Tanny launching those quick outs.

Tanny is #17 in the NFL in ay/a so far this year.

[TANK2]

 

This isn't even remotely true and this false garbage has to quit being spewed. Our biggest need this offseason was not WR. We had one of the most talented WR's that was supposed to be healthy with Woods being a solid #2 and some decent competition for the 3 and 4th spots. It wasn't our deepest or strongest, but sit here and act like it was our biggest hole is ridiculous. We don't have any WR's who are quality #1 WRs if Sammy isn't playing, but most team don't have the luxury of 2 worthy #1 WRs on their roster. Sammy got hurt and our WR core was quickly marginal because of it. Sammy was not injury prone in college, and only really missed games last year...there was no reason to believe he wouldn't be ready to go week 1 (thank our crappy medical staff for once again not getting the job done).

 

But you can not fill every hole...you don't get to pick 5 or 6 times in the first round or two to fill your roster normally unless youre Cleveland and suck so bad you can trade a top pick for a bounty of picks they will eventually screw up to ensure they are always picking high.

 

Going into the draft all anyone around here cried about was how our Defense let our offense down...how our lowly ranked defense was the biggest need. Now our Defense is playing well and people want to turn back the clock and change all the offseason whining narrative to be something else. If you listened to this boards flip flopping on what we needed you would think every single position from top to bottom on both sides of the ball were its BIGGEST NEEDS. People crying QB was the biggest...WR was the biggest...DE was the biggest...LB was the biggest...DB was the biggest...OL was the biggest...and on and on and on.

 

We needed to fix out defense first and foremost after last year. We needed to find a way to get to the passer like we used to so we could take pressure off our secondary and LB's, not to mention our offense. We also needed to fill big needs at LB with Lawson aging (who eventually got cut) and Bradham leaving. Now that Whaley did a great job rebuilding the defense even though our top 2 draft picks havent taken the field people want to change the narrative to complain about Whaley and say something else was our biggest need back then and he somehow screwed it up.

 

NEWS FLASH: Talented WR's don't just grow on trees. Most teams keep them when they are young and talented. They aren't just lying around for us to say screw it we don't want them. We invested draft picks at positions of need, we just don't have enough high picks to fill every need every draft. Now this next offseason, I fully expect WR to be near the top of the priority list with Sammy battling the same issue for 2 straight seasons and Woods proving he isn't able to fill his shoes even a little bit.

A bit longwinded but correct.

Effin' hilarious. Bills run for 300+ and everyone is hatin' on Tyrod for not airing it out. Fins run D sucks. We'd be idiots not to do the same as we did against the Niners.

Dont need tyrod to throw for two hundred so long as we keep playing d,keep running the ball, and keep not turning the ball over.

[Wayne Cubed]

@AdamSchefter

Bills WR Robert Woods, listed as doubtful with foot, is out today vs. Miami, per source. Buffalo WR Justin Hunter expected to start.

[eball]

Now the Bills' #1 WR really IS a guy the Fish just cut.

 

Wow.

[YoloinOhio]

Now the Bills' #1 WR really IS a guy the Fish just cut.

 

Wow.

that was the whole point of the thread title as soon as it looked like Woods wasn't playing. Fish didn't even think he was good enough to make a roster spot. He's the best WR we have to play today. This is fine.

[PolishDave]

If the Bills running game is working well today, then I suspect those wide receivers will make a few plays when they are called on to do so. If the Bills running game doesn't produce well and/or if the Bills defense doesn't get enough pressure on Tannehill, then the game could get ugly. I sure hope the Bills don't end up becoming one dimensional where Tyrod has to try to win this game throwing those guys the ball.

 

You can bet that the Dolphins will be stacking the box with 8 or 9 when they can to try and turn the Bills into a one dimensional offense that has to rely on those receivers. And when they do that, let's hope our running backs can get into the second level where they might make a guy miss and break off a big run.

[r00tabaga]

Goodwin and Hunter are at least good deep targets, which is where the dolphins will be vulnerable with Jones OUT. Woods doesn't have that stretch ability. The run game will open up those 1on1's today on the boundaries. Trod can really have a day if he and Lynn want to.