Rumor- Bills will entertain trade offers for Watkins?

[Real McClappy]

If we use Watkins career to date he averages 7.46 targets per game. That amounts to 119.36 targets per 16 games. He also average .554 catches per target, .062 TD per target and 8.91 yards per target. If we extrapolate that over the 16 game schedule it is 66 receptions, 1,063 yards and 7.4 TDs. Those numbers are solid.

 

​If you raise his targets to 9.06 per game (about 10-12th in the league) you are looking at 145 targets for the season (or 30 less than Mike Evans had last year). 145 would put Sammy in line with Crabtree and Demaryius Thomas. That feels reasonable. If you use his same career numbers with 145 targets looks like this:

80 catches

1,292 yards

9TDs

 

That would have him top 5 in yards, top 20 in receptions and top 6 in TDs. For those that only care about the gross stats they would be pretty happy. If they throw him the ball good things happen.

Right on.

 

It be great to see him get 10.8 targets (30% increase) a game like OBJ has through his career.

[John from Riverside]

I'm sure he Watkins would prefer not to be traded. He would prefer to let the Bills not pick up the option and become a free agent. At this point he and his agent can go to a team that:

A) has a real QB

B) has the passing game as a legitimate part of their game plan

C) is 1 or 2 players away from serious SB aspirations, with him being 1 of the 2 players. Maybe a WR and CB away from being "complete", or as "complete" as a team can be in this day and age of mediocrity

Unless, of course we find a trade partner that has 2 of the 3 situations happening.

 

Hopefully he is healthy and given every opportunity to excel. If so, I see a big year for him.

But if he has a big year what does that say about not having a "real" qb.....see the rub there?...

 

If he has a big year the bills probably franchise him......and then they probably work out a longer term deal

[Kirby Jackson]

Right on.

 

It be great to see him get 10.8 targets (30% increase) a game like OBJ has through his career.

Just for fun if he got that 10.8 targets like OBJ it would look like this:

96 catches

1,540 yards

10.7 TD

 

That would be tied for 6th in receptions, 1st in yards and top 5 in TDs.

Edited June 1, 2017 by Kirby Jackson

[Yav]

If you read the article they are simply saying the Bills have received trade offers and are considering.

 

Basically, they didn't pick up his option, smart move, if he gets hurt they can cut ties and move on. If he's healthy and plays they can work on a long term deal or franchise tag him.

 

Some teams may think they are looking to move on from him so they are calling about his availability. Now if someone is willing to give up the farm for him, you have to consider it.

 

It's really nothing substantial to this article.

[26CornerBlitz]

Just for fun if he got that 10.8 targets like OBJ it would look like this:

96 catches

1,540 yards

10.7 TD

 

Would not surprise me to see Dennison design game plans to ensure Sammy gets something close to those number of targets on a per game basis. McCoy and Watkins should both have big years.

[Kirby Jackson]

 

Would not surprise me to see Dennison design game plans to ensure Sammy gets something close to those number of targets on a per game basis. McCoy and Watkins should both have big years.

That's why I used the 145 targets. That's where Thomas was last year. It's probably fairly conservative if he's healthy.

[26CornerBlitz]

That's why I used the 145 targets. That's where Thomas was last year. It's probably fairly conservative if he's healthy.

 

Very reasonable projection.

[Real McClappy]

 

Very reasonable projection.

Agree!

[26CornerBlitz]

@Michael_Fabiano

Funny how we freak out that Sammy Watkins has missed 11 games since 2015, but no one worries Le'Veon Bell has missed 14 in that time.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

At this point in this thread they're equivalent

That is true.

[Fan in San Diego]

It would be a bold move.

 

Could be a homerun if he still battles the injury bug. Also though, could turn out to be a Lynch 2.0 trade.

 

It would be crazy having 3 first rounders next year though...

Lynch was a head case and didn't want to be in Buffalo. I had no problem with that trade.

 

@Michael_Fabiano

Funny how we freak out that Sammy Watkins has missed 11 games since 2015, but no one worries Le'Veon Bell has missed 14 in that time.

 

I was listening to the Godfather (Gil Brandt) on the NFL network. His opinion is that Sammy has no mental toughness to battle thru small injuries like some other players do. I'll Gil's opinion any day of the week.

[4_kidd_4]

Lol, they aint trading Watkins. Not yet anyways.

How bout now, mane?

[4merper4mer]

 

I was listening to the Godfather (Gil Brandt) on the NFL network. His opinion is that Sammy has no mental toughness to battle thru small injuries like some other players do. I'll Gil's opinion any day of the week.

 

For God's sake the guy had a broken foot.

 

"Gil"more Brandt:

 

Edited June 1, 2017 by 4merper4mer

[26CornerBlitz]

Lynch was a head case and didn't want to be in Buffalo. I had no problem with that trade.

I was listening to the Godfather (Gil Brandt) on the NFL network. His opinion is that Sammy has no mental toughness to battle thru small injuries like some other players do. I'll Gil's opinion any day of the week.

 

He battled through enough to play in 29 games out of 32 in his 1st two seasons and came back to play with a Jones Fracture last season when he clearly wasn't 100%. Brandt's assessment makes no sense to me.

Edited June 1, 2017 by 26CornerBlitz

[John from Riverside]

Lynch was a head case and didn't want to be in Buffalo. I had no problem with that trade.

I was listening to the Godfather (Gil Brandt) on the NFL network. His opinion is that Sammy has no mental toughness to battle thru small injuries like some other players do. I'll Gil's opinion any day of the week.

I would like to see Gil strap on a flak vest with fractured ribs and take hits from NFL monster's

[Wayne Cubed]

I was listening to the Godfather (Gil Brandt) on the NFL network. His opinion is that Sammy has no mental toughness to battle thru small injuries like some other players do. I'll Gil's opinion any day of the week.

 

I'm sorry but huh?

 

He played the start of the 2014 season with healing broken ribs, putting up 117 yards and a TD against Miami in Week 2 AND he finished the 2015 season, the best stretch statistically of his career (and in the NFL for that span), on a broken foot.

Edited June 1, 2017 by Wayne Cubed

[Freddie's Dead]

Gil Brandt is nuts. Sammy is a warrior who plays hurt all the time. As far as the Bills entertaining trade offers, they have three picks in Sammy, so they need three picks back, one of which has to be a first. So 1, 2, 3, at most, 1, 4, 5 at least, otherwise I keep Sammy and see how he does. Sammy's a potential blue-chip stock, you don't let him go for OTC prices.

Edited June 1, 2017 by Freddie's Dead

[26CornerBlitz]

Gil Brandt is nuts. Sammy is a warrior who plays hurt all the time. As far as the Bills entertaining trade offers, they have three picks in Sammy, so they need three picks back, one of which has to be a first. So 1, 2, 3, at most, 1, 4, 5 at least, otherwise I keep Sammy and see how he does. Sammy's a potential blue-chip stock, you don't let him go for OTC prices.

 

Some here obviously think he's "junk bonds".

[oldmanfan]

I like Gil but he might just be getting a little confused here.

[JM2009]

"FOXSports.com's Cameron DaSilva is a bit premature in putting Sammy Watkins on a list of 11 recently drafted players he says are on the verge of becoming busts.

DaSilva has the Bills' receiver ranked No. 2, behind Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles.

"Watkins is trending toward becoming a bust because he’s missed so much time, and when he has been on the field, he’s struggled a bit – particularly this past season," DaSilva writes. "It’s unfair to call a player a bust simply based on injuries, which is why Watkins has avoided that label up to this point, but another injury-plagued season – or one with fewer than 1,000 yards – and Watkins will be in the conversation after going fourth overall in 2014."

It is unfair to make injuries the primary reason for a bust label. Watkins is an immensely talented player.

The much larger burden he carries than an inability to stay healthy is what the Bills gave up to go up to get him -- first- and fourth-round picks.

That isn't Watkins' fault, but he's going to be strapped with that forever, along with expectations that aren't realistic for someone who is paid to catch passes on a team with a run-first offense, mostly poor quarterback play, and a philosophy of trying to win with defense since his rookie year.

Watkins can't escape the fact that fellow '14 classmate Odell Beckham Jr., has produced overwhelmingly better numbers despite being selected eight spots later.

Has Watkins' career been disappointing? Yes. The Bills' refusal to pick up the fifth-year option of his rookie contract adds to that disappointment.

However, assuming he recovers from a second foot surgery, I'm not expecting Watkins to flop. If anything, he'll be more motivated than ever to cash in on his impending contractual freedom." Vic C.