Bills trade Sammy Watkins to Rams for CB Gaines, 2nd rd pick

[Kirby Jackson]

You may want to check the drop statistics yourself. It's an interesting list

I'm aware of some good players on the list. A 5.1% drop percentage and top 10 in drops doesn't impress me though. I don't hate Matthews as a player but he's a downgrade. If he gives you 80 catches for 1000 yards it will be a good year.

[thebandit27]

I have. Do you think he dedicates more resources to stopping Watkins then boldin, for instance though?

Right.

 

That's the point

[Magox]

I have. Do you think he dedicates more resources to stopping Watkins then boldin, for instance though?

 

Yes, I do think he would use more resources in stopping Watkins than Boldin, but at the end of the day if you judge all of Sammy's history vs. Belichik's defenses, he really wasn't a threat that executed.

 

The point is that our big play making receiver for one reason or another was really never able to help us out too much against the Patriots. Or am I wrong?

[NoSaint]

 

Yes, I do think he would use more resources in stopping Watkins than Boldin, but at the end of the day if you judge all of Sammy's history vs. Belichik's defenses, he really wasn't a threat that executed.

 

The point is that our big play making receiver for one reason or another was really never able to help us out too much against the Patriots. Or am I wrong?

So you are arguing that he spent more resources to stop Sammy but that you don't see the differential for our offense?

 

Do you think that if he now puts that extra safety in the box to stop our run game without sacrificing anything in defending a downgraded passing game that doesn't effect our offense?

[Magox]

So you are arguing that he spent more resources to stop Sammy but that you don't see the differential for our offense?

 

Do you think that if he now puts that extra safety in the box to stop our run game without sacrificing anything in defending a downgraded passing game that doesn't effect our offense?

 

I think that having 2 new consistent solid players, who haven't missed any games over the past three years is arguably going to be as worrisome as Watkins who has yet to produce vs Belichek on a high level who also has missed a 1/3 of the games they've played.

[4merper4mer]

This seems as good a place as any:

 

Did Watkins go his entire Bills career without being thrown a WR screen?

[NoSaint]

 

I think that having 2 new consistent solid players, who haven't missed any games over the past three years is arguably going to be as worrisome as Watkins who has yet to produce vs Belichek on a high level who also has missed a 1/3 of the games they've played.

Matthews missed games last year, and has a knee issue that's followed him a bit this offseason and anquan missed games in sf 2 years ago... no?

[Magox]

Matthews missed games last year, and has a knee issue that's followed him a bit this offseason and anquan missed games in sf 2 years ago... no?

 

Yes, I misspoke, they missed a couple games.

[Crusher]

Matthews missed games last year, and has a knee issue that's followed him a bit this offseason and anquan missed games in sf 2 years ago... no?

Yes.

 

As a Philly resident...there was talk of a knee issue, but said it wasn't an issue at the start of clamp.

 

I wonder how much truth there is to the rumors.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

Inside the Sammy Watkins Trade

GM Les Snead and HC Sean McVay discuss the trade that’s brought the Rams a receiver with top-flight potential.

[John from Riverside]

Comical that you blast Goff and Wentz after one season but you sing the praises of TT who has shown little passing ability and is now on year SEVEN in the league.

 

Bills apologist hard at work, I see.

What is comical is you come out of the woodwork to discuss one topic and one topic only

 

well....no it actually is not that funny. Just boring

[BUFFALOTONE]

Bill, I don't understand your logic. On the one hand you rightly criticize Whaley and the organization for not having a coherent plan as to how to build a franchise. This franchise has failed because it took a patchwork approach instead of using its resources to build a foundation for sustainable success. That's what they are now doing! That's the course of action that you for years has strenuously called for. So what is your response when the organization does what you have been calling for? Lambaste them.

 

The time to take this tough action is at the beginning of the tenure of this new regime. Wasting valuable time and resources to merely get by as a fringe wild-card team makes no sense to me. And it shouldn't to you as one of the most vociferous critics of how this wretched operation has historically been run.

 

The Bills are accumulating assets (draft picks) to build a deeper roster and put themselves in a better position to acquire a franchise qb. Those ardent advocates who believed that TT was an adequate enough qb to build around have forcefully been responded to by the last regime and this new regime. He's simply not good now or ever will be. Those that believed this team as it was constructed was at the doorstep to being a serious team were out of touch with reality. The process is painful but the smart way to handle this grueling process is to do in quick bursts rather than continuing the incremental approach that has gotten this team nowhere for the past two consecutive generations.

 

Bill, you have screamed for years that this franchise was riding the wrong bus and taking the wrong route. This new regime has gotten on a different bus and is going in a different but more rational direction. Instead of celebrating you are denigrating! I find that to be perplexing.

Great post John and exactly what I have said from the get go. Some people just need something to complain about. We are all sick and tired of being sick and tired. It seems they are finally headed in the right direction. No more band aids. It's sucks to let Watkins go considering the price and how far it has set us back. This franchise is so wayward it's not even funny.

 

Let's hope they hit on the draft and start building that foundation. That's all we can do at this point is hope.

[Nanker]

Oh poop!

[Jamie Muellers Ghost]

Has anyone mentioned at all that perhaps Zay Jones looking so good I Camp also was a factor in all this?

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

....I'd bet the split regarding the Sammy trade lines up with choosing sides on the 5th year option decision........with probable long term health outlook being a major component.....

[#34fan]

They took one look at TT and Peterman, an KNEW the way forward... They don't want to waste any time.... It's Darnold, or bust.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

They took one look at TT and Peterman, an KNEW the way forward... They don't want to waste any time.... It's Darnold, or bust.

 

....so your crystal ball is THAT clear?.......what was your Ryan Leaf forecast??............

[#34fan]

 

....so your crystal ball is THAT clear?.......what was your Ryan Leaf forecast??............

 

I never cared for leaf... Not one bit.

There isn't a better time for a tank.... Not for a new GM & HC.... Don't be shocked if more players go bye-bye...

[YoloinOhio]

Yes.

 

As a Philly resident...there was talk of a knee issue, but said it wasn't an issue at the start of clamp.

 

I wonder how much truth there is to the rumors.

I heard Stephania Bell on ESPN radio this morning - said he played through a knee injury last year but it's ok now. Edited August 12, 2017 by YoloinOhio

[#34fan]

I heard Stephania Bell on ESPN radio this morning - said he played through a knee injury last year but it's ok now.

 

Sounds like grade-A bulls#1t.... -Any one who's ever had a knee injury knows it ain't that simple.

[likei've]

 

Sounds like grade-A bulls#1t.... -Any one who's ever had a knee injury knows it ain't that simple.

So does anyone who's ever had a foot injury.

[Bill_with_it]

Ha ha ha ha, the star receiver wants the ball?!? Oh the nerve of that guy!! The other players need to get a turn as well. Why throw it to Sammy when Greg Salas hasn't seen the ball all game? Walt Powell wants needs his chance too.

Yeah I mean lets not give the ball to an open Mccoy or Clay because Sammy with an injury whos covered demands the ball.

He qb dont listen to the offensive coordinator and go through your reads matter of factly you just turn and immediately fire it to Sammy. Because Sammy wants the ball regardless of whether or not Shady or Clay or anyone else for that matter is open.

I have a question for fans of this trade:

 

Do we think that Belichick is unhappy that he has to game plan against Jordan Matthews/Zay Jones/Anquan Boldin instead of Watkins?

Thats assuming Sammy took the field. Then assuming he felt like playing.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

 

I never cared for leaf... Not one bit.

There isn't a better time for a tank.... Not for a new GM & HC.... Don't be shocked if more players go bye-bye...

 

...I agree...."tank" is the honorable way out to the future.....no way in hell the "tanking" idea mimics the "Cheatriots" because "tanking" in the upstanding way.......great input...........

[Kirby Jackson]

Yeah I mean lets not give the ball to an open Mccoy or Clay because Sammy with an injury whos covered demands the ball.

He qb dont listen to the offensive coordinator and go through your reads matter of factly you just turn and immediately fire it to Sammy. Because Sammy wants the ball regardless of whether or not Shady or Clay or anyone else for that matter is open.

The most targeted players in the NFL last year: OBJ, Evans, Antonio Brown, Hopkins, Edelman, Nelson, Hilton (I will stop there). Good teams throw the ball to their star receiver 9-12 times a game not 6. Edited August 12, 2017 by Kirby Jackson

[CanadianFan]

On the plus side, it's only 9 months to the draft!!! yay!!!!

[Boatdrinks]

Yeah I mean lets not give the ball to an open Mccoy or Clay because Sammy with an injury whos covered demands the ball.

He qb dont listen to the offensive coordinator and go through your reads matter of factly you just turn and immediately fire it to Sammy. Because Sammy wants the ball regardless of whether or not Shady or Clay or anyone else for that matter is open.

Thats assuming Sammy took the field. Then assuming he felt like playing.

Hmmmmm If I recall when he " asked for the ball" they started throwing it to him and he tore it up with TT the rest of that season. He was injured last season, yes. Sammy showed he's open even when covered. But stay comfortable in your revisionist history.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Folks hyping up Matthews because of his "availability" don't understand the impact that Sammy had on opposing defenses who had to gameplan for him and account for him on every play. Matthews is a JAG. Defenses can now key on Tyrod and Shady, and both will have a very difficult time being successful this season.

I found his impact right here in his average production per game played. He's the most elite statistically average WR in the N effing L

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rec_yds_per_g_career.htm

 

 

Hint you'll need to unhide rows 21-250 to find him.

 

I wonder how all the guys that produce also with marginal QBs manage to strike fear into defenses AND rack up yards...

Edited August 12, 2017 by Over 29 years of fanhood

[JohnC]

John, I understand that the above could confuse you. I will try to explain:

 

In the 2017 draft, I failed to see much difference wrt the way the new coach went about things. They walked away from a QB and traded down. To draft who? That's right, another first round defensive back. They DID draft a blocker although they had to trade up to do so, but that can work. It did with Levitre. Why should I (or even you) believe that they will not waste most of these picks that they now possess? Six picks in the first 3 rounds? Great! Will they use 4 on running backs and defensive backs John? Is this what you want?

 

Now, they traded away a decent corner and traded for a perhaps weak one. This leaves the door wide open for more wasted picks. I don't want to hear any more that players like Spiller, McKelvin, and Whitner were "good." We lost football games because we wasted our resources on these people. And if Gilmore was SO good, why didn't we keep him?

 

In short, I don't trust the new administration yet. I believe they are better than Rex/Whaley but only because they couldn't possibly be worse. How about we make the playoffs before we throw roses at these guys?

With respect to the last draft I agree with you. If you review my prior postings I strongly advocated taking a qb. In my opinion either Watson or Mahomes would have been the right way to go. This new group apparently decided that they could get a better qb in another draft. I disagreed with their decision but their reasoning was understandable.

 

It was the owner who screwed this franchise and set it back by years. The hiring of the clownish Rex was a horrendous mistake that sent this franchise back by at least four years, the two that he coached and another two to clean out that mess he left.

 

The Bills weren't going to sign Gilmore at the rate that he was able to get on the market. So letting him go wasn't an unreasonable decision especially since he was replaced with a lower round first round pick. You are adamantly against drafted DBs in the first round while I am not, along as the player being drafted is rated in the vicinity of where he was picked. I believe this was the case this year.

 

The Bills were not going to be a playoff team this year and next (prior to the moves) as this roster was constructed. So when the construction is bad you systematically tear it down to build it back up. You may not have confidence in the new regime but what I can say with confidence is that if they would have continued on the same path of incremental change as has happened during the prior regimes the middling results would continue on.

 

The Bills are accumulating added picks with their deals. That is the right approach to take. You may be remorseful but I am not.

[JohnC]

Great post John and exactly what I have said from the get go. Some people just need something to complain about. We are all sick and tired of being sick and tired. It seems they are finally headed in the right direction. No more band aids. It's sucks to let Watkins go considering the price and how far it has set us back. This franchise is so wayward it's not even funny.

 

Let's hope they hit on the draft and start building that foundation. That's all we can do at this point is hope.]/b]

With respect to the highlighted segment that is the core issue. What do you do with the picks? If they make good picks the rebuild strategy will work. If they don't draft well then this strategy or any roster building strategy will fail. If some of the picks are parlayed into acquiring a legitimate qb prospect then how can anyone complain, especially since this franchise hasn't had a franchise qb for almost a quarter century?

[#34fan]

 

...I agree...."tank" is the honorable way out to the future.....no way in hell the "tanking" idea mimics the "Cheatriots" because "tanking" in the upstanding way.......great input...........

 

Honor has nothing to do with it... Sooner or later this HAS to get done... A GM can BOMB the first year, and blame it on the last GM... After that, it's all on him.... If I'm Beane, I make the most out of my Freebie...

[Rocky Landing]

 

Sounds like grade-A bulls#1t.... -Any one who's ever had a knee injury knows it ain't that simple.

I've had three surgeries on my left knee. I was training this last year for the LA Marathon, and sprained both knees in December while skiing. I was unable to train for three weeks. When I ran the marathon in March, both knees, including the one that has had three surgeries over the years, were fine.

[Bad Things]

Holy cow! My flight just landed in Auckland and I see this news. Wow!

[Doc Brown]

Rams are looking to sign Watkins to a long term deal. The equivalent of putting most of your money on red in Roulette.

[Mr Wild]

Rams are looking to sign Watkins to a long term deal. The equivalent of putting most of your money on red in Roulette.

 

[Boatdrinks]

Watkins would be wise not to take the Rams deal unless it's for boxcar #s . Goff isn't that good so it's kinda the same situation for him. Better to hit FA and go to a place of his choosing

[YoloinOhio]

 

Sounds like grade-A bulls#1t.... -Any one who's ever had a knee injury knows it ain't that simple.

tbh I just caught the end of it so I don't know what all she said

[Bill_with_it]

The most targeted players in the NFL last year: OBJ, Evans, Antonio Brown, Hopkins, Edelman, Nelson, Hilton (I will stop there). Good teams throw the ball to their star receiver 9-12 times a game not 6.

Cool story thats not what we were talking about. We were talking about a whiner in an interview stating he wants the ball everytime regardless of another player being open. Thats not 9-12 times a game thats every pass.

Hmmmmm If I recall when he " asked for the ball" they started throwing it to him and he tore it up with TT the rest of that season. He was injured last season, yes. Sammy showed he's open even when covered. But stay comfortable in your revisionist history.

Im not revising any history. I didnt say he didnt put up numbers quite the contrary. Yet even putting up great numbers for the last 9 games of the year didnt cause the Bills as a team to perform even marfinally better with regard to the w/l column.

[Maury Ballstein]

Cool story thats not what we were talking about. We were talking about a whiner in an interview stating he wants the ball everytime regardless of another player being open. Thats not 9-12 times a game thats every pass.

Im not revising any history. I didnt say he didnt put up numbers quite the contrary. Yet even putting up great numbers for the last 9 games of the year didnt cause the Bills as a team to perform even marfinally better with regard to the w/l column.

Lol. Don't throw the guy the ball whose always open.

 

This is dog crap.

[Bill_with_it]

Lol. Don't throw the guy the ball whose always open.

 

This is dog crap.

Hes not always open. Dont start with that crap.

[Boatdrinks]

Cool story thats not what we were talking about. We were talking about a whiner in an interview stating he wants the ball everytime regardless of another player being open. Thats not 9-12 times a game thats every pass.

Im not revising any history. I didnt say he didnt put up numbers quite the contrary. Yet even putting up great numbers for the last 9 games of the year didnt cause the Bills as a team to perform even marfinally better with regard to the w/l column.

He never said that. He said he wanted the ball, as they weren't throwing it to him hardly at all. Practically all WRs say this stuff at some point. It's their nature. He backed it up when they did, end of story. Any WR wants the ball and if one says he doesn't we don't need him