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Bills Decline 5th Year Option on Sammy Watkins


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guaranteed as soon as you decide

 

Got it.

Well, unfortunately for Sammy and the Bills, he's got to be seriously injured or a serious risk to re-injure his foot. Otherwise it's a no brainer. Foot breaks are tough and highly susceptible to future fractures. I think he's already fractured his foot like 3 times.

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I would try to trade him now to someone like Denver for a 1st if I could get it. I would say KC but we already go their 1st. What about their 2019 1st?

 

Better for everyone to get a fresh start.

 

Or trade him for 2 mediocre WRs who can stay healthy.

Surely you can't be serious....we already have plenty of mediocre receivers

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The Bills are finally making cold hearted business decisions. The Whaley Era is officially over. No more crazy $100M contracts for a DT.

 

This is the correct option. Sammy is a great talent and he'll prove that in this his contract year IMO. So they either work out an extension or make him a qualifying offer of $3.5 million for 2018. Then sit back and see what the market offers for him. Match whatever offer he gets at market value or decline and get another #1 Draft Pick as compensation.

 

Only risk is the dreaded "Poison Pill".

The Will Wilford rule killed the poison pill clause in the CBA. Besides, all we have to do is put the exclusive on him and teams have to go through us to talk with him then negotiate out a trade.

 

He is going no where unless traded

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So they're risking paying $4MM more for next year (if Sammy is healthy, $0 if he's not and they move on) vs. $13MM next year (if Sammy is healthy OR if he's hurt).

Well if they did the option the chances of him leaving after this year are about nil. Without it they are pretty decent.

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You got to look at it from Sammys side. He definitely won't resign after being disrespected. So mail it in, so they don't franchise you.

 

How is that? So Sammy isn't capable of a rational thought now where he sees a team that has had to wait for his foot injury over the span of 2 seasons heal? A team that might have made the playoffs had Sammy not been out or a decoy in 2016 cuz of a gimpy foot? I mean we were in the playoff race late in the season despite not having him really, McCoy missing all or part of 3 games in there, Woods being the annual gimp he was, and TT throwing to a bunch of scrubs he didnt trust enough to wait for them to get open. We lost 6 of 8 games under TT by 6 points or less...some of those might have swung another way if Sammy was out there.

 

So how can he not see that the Bills can't just have blind confidence in an injury he is STILL recovering from since 2015.

 

Besides, this is a great thing for Sammy because now he cashes in NEXT year if he stays healthy. So if he believes in his recovery, he now has everything to play for this year and everything to gain. And its not like the Bills aren't going to inform him of this...I am sure they want him here long term, who wouldn't, he is a rare talent. But talent is worthless if its not on the field.

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I'm loving Rotoworld's take:

 

Unbelievable. This is perhaps the only thing that could have made the Bills' trade up in the 2014 draft even more disastrous. The Bills are clearly petrified of Watkins suffering another injury and guaranteeing himself a massive payday for 2018 — options years are guaranteed for injury only — but they've backed themselves into a corner if Watkins has a monster 2017, something certainly not outside the realm of possibility for a wideout who has yet to turn 24. The franchise tag costs more than the option. In a league placing an ever-increasing premium on high-end receiving talent, the Bills are playing fire with theirs. The Bills maybe shouldn't be letting someone who was a defensive coordinator just five months ago run their front office.

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Bills decide to pass on Watkins' option year Unbelievable. This is perhaps the only thing that could have made the Bills' trade up in the 2014 draft even more disastrous. The Bills are clearly petrified of Watkins suffering another injury and guaranteeing himself a massive payday for 2018 options years are guaranteed for injury only but they've backed themselves into a corner if Watkins has a monster 2017, something certainly not outside the realm of possibility for a wideout who has yet to turn 24. The franchise tag costs more than the option. In a league placing an ever-increasing premium on high-end receiving talent, the Bills are playing fire with theirs. The Bills maybe shouldn't be letting someone who was a defensive coordinator just five months ago run their front office.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/859483283243053061

From rotoworld

Hey, some sense. Rare around these parts.

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Bills decide to pass on Watkins' option year Unbelievable. This is perhaps the only thing that could have made the Bills' trade up in the 2014 draft even more disastrous. The Bills are clearly petrified of Watkins suffering another injury and guaranteeing himself a massive payday for 2018 options years are guaranteed for injury only but they've backed themselves into a corner if Watkins has a monster 2017, something certainly not outside the realm of possibility for a wideout who has yet to turn 24. The franchise tag costs more than the option. In a league placing an ever-increasing premium on high-end receiving talent, the Bills are playing fire with theirs. The Bills maybe shouldn't be letting someone who was a defensive coordinator just five months ago run their front office.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/859483283243053061

From rotoworld

Where do you get this from? The Bills did the right and a great thing. No way in hell do you give a guaranteed 13 mill for injury to a guy oft injured. They made the right move.

Not really, NFL knows his talent. He will a big contract no matter what.

Bull. Teams arent' paying for oft injured, under performing athletes now.

look at it from an intelligent human's side. sammy's time is coming up to get a big pay day if he can show he can play to the extent we think he can, and stay healthy. mailing it in would do nothing but hurt his future. it's just a dumb thought.

Exactly. With the cap space we will have, we are going to tag him and get something regardless.

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No it's not. I'm a big Sammy fan but it's a very tough call. He's injured still so it's good for both parties. If he can't recover the Bills don't overinvest and if he does they can tag him and/or offer him a big long term deal before he hits free agency. For Sammy he can prove he's healthy enough for the big deal.

That's baloney. For what the Bills gave up and the talent Watkins has shown while healthy it's an easy decision. There is some risk to guaranteeing money to an athlete and this is part of it. You don't play hardball with your most talented guy because he has a reoccurring injury.

 

Jones fractures have always caused extended problems in athletes and led to second surgeries. This is not Byrd telling people his feet are sore. This is well documented.

 

Losing a year of leverage for what? If Sammy has a slow start due to the foot do you think he is signing here for less than that tag? No.

Edited by Commonsense
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I love the smart decisions going on at OBD finally. No way in hell do I pick up his option. He has to EARN the new contract and Sammy can't stay on the field. If he does, franchise him and work out a long term deal, if not trade him.

Smart decisions please take off those ruby red glasses.... We have a coach whose defense was mediocre that cant judge talent who gave away draft picks for plan b players...... Would you rather have tre white or Ruben Foster at 27 along with your 2nd , two 3rds and 4 5ths and a 6 in a draft deep in CB and WR...... Tre white will never see a second contract Ruben foster will become an ALL PRO beast

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Ah, there you go...

 

Regardless, even if it's $4 or $6MM more, it'll be an option (if they can't sign him long term, which is still on the table - AFTER he proves he's healthy in the season).

it is basically that they are willing to pay him just not to pay him to be on IR. They want him to prove he's going to be durable and available. I think that unfortunately there are big questions about his foot.
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I know I am in the minority here, but I believe this is a smart move.

 

His draft class has alot of Stud WRs in it. Most of them are getting 5th year options. The 2nd and 3rd rounders are not.

 

So what does this mean: He has a good/great season this year and they work out a solid contract for him or franchise tag him and continue it.

 

If they 5th year optioned him, they wouldnt be able to negotiate the new contract until next year when the other studs are getting significant raises and they are competiting number wise compared to age.

 

Also if they tagged him off of the previous 5th year...that tag would be higher too because it has to be a percentage above his previous year salary.

Edited by rsxfirefighter
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