akm0404 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 I have zero disrespect for his injury history. Injuries are part of the game, and I'm sure the ribs hurt real bad and it hurt real bad to walk on the broken foot. I hope everything has/is healing nicely, and that he'll stay healthy for the rest of his career. But you're kidding yourself if his injury history isn't relevant to the decision to acquire assets for a player who was 16 games (if the foot holds up) away from walking out the door and leaving the little people of Buffalo and their little jobs behind him with nothing to show for it other than a stack of foot x-rays. To stay on topic: Trading a player with injury question marks for another player with superior stats, albeit perhaps a lower talent ceiling isn't really "blowing up the team". Matthews - 225 Receptions, 2673 Yards, 19 Touchdowns. Watkins - 153 Receptions, 2459 Yards, 17 Touchdowns. Watkins played with Tyrod Taylor and Kyle Orton. Matthews with Carson Wentz, Mark Sanchez, and Sam Bradford. Seems fairly comparable to me. TEAM CONFIRMED EXPLODED. "I love Buffalo," Watkins told the team's official site. "They drafted me first round, fourth pick. My job is to stay here for a while. That's the goal. You don't want to change teams. My job is to stay around here forever. That's the goal."Cue the "he's lieing!" Retorts. ScottLaw, Do you truly believe that when Sammy Watkins hit free agency after this season that he would have chosen to sign with Buffalo over any of the other 31 NFL franchises? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 King is far too kind. Regime change is just an excuse. You don't trade Jason Peters or Marshawn Lynch or Sammy Watkins in their early 20's just because you change coaches/GM's. These are talents that fit any scheme. The best coaches adapt themselves to the talent. Nobodies hired from bad organizations(Carolina is no more fertile a hiring ground than Buffalo) feel like they gotta' tank and hope the football Gods provide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Boy Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Depends. If the team had a solid year, he had a good year and they offered him a good contract, no question I think he would've resigned. Why wouldn't he? Did you say the same thing about Dareus/Hughes when they were entering their last years? Those guys had great years and the defense was very good. They WANTED to come back. I don't see why the same wouldn't happen with Sammy. Possibly signing with a team with a better QB and legitimate shot a contention for a ring are a few thoughts that come to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianFan Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 Here's what Peter King wrote also in the same column: So the Bills may not look bad. But at some point they’ve got to start keeping their top picks. That’s a big reason why Buffalo hasn’t been in the playoffs in 17 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Its all good Canadian Fan. Many in this forum cant handle the truth. I got buried when I suggested Watkins was injury prone. When he got traded almost every article I read outside of Buffalo brought up his injury history. Some just want to hear nice things about a team that hasnt made the playoffs in almost two decades. Assuming Watkins will continue to be injured is a specious argument. Remember when Eric Wood was injury prone and everyone wanted him gone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABILLBACKER Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Watkins' 2016 season was close to a complete washout. If he rebounded this year, he was as good as gone. And if he struggles and/or gets hurt in 2017, he would have continued being a drag on the roster. I agree that it's going to suck if he suddenly has a breakout year with the Rams, but I'm not sure how losing him constitutes blowing up the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outsidethebox Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 I'm ok with blowing the team up. Wait, is that literally or figuratively? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jahnyc Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Change was clearly needed, but I am not sure I have seen a team jettison (or allow to leave) primarily young, talented players in an effort to rebuild a team (Darby, Sammy, Gilmore, Gillislee and CK). Other than CK, these are all good to very good young players. Not sure how I feel about stripping a team of current talent in this manner. I understand that it is a new regime and that we were hamstrung in terms of cap space from the prior regime, but I worry that this rebuilding effort will take longer now than maybe was necessary. The Sabres got rid of all of their assets with very little talent in the pipeline, and they are continuing to struggle even with a number of top draft picks. This is what worries me, even with a bunch of high draft picks in 2018. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABILLBACKER Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Its not just Sammy. For some strange reason the Bills organization has the ability to find quality players in the draft, but they just can't retain them. Watkins, Woods, Gilly, Gilmore etc etc...there must be a lot of pissed off scouts in this organization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianFan Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 It's ok that you have to put your negative spin on things...and pick and chose what you take from the article. My take when I actually read the whole article is something a bit different. Previous regimes sucked, the Bills are rebuilding and this is what you have to do, and stay the course....but go ahead with your trolling, you won't last here long. Here's the links for people to read: https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/08/14/tampa-bay-buccaneers-roberto-aguayo-jason-licht-draft-bust-nfl http://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/index.ssf/2017/08/ronald_darby_didnt_buy_into_buffalo_bills_new_administration_says_peter_king.html If you are a true fan you'd care that your team got worse. Read what the man said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountDorkula Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Watkins' 2016 season was close to a complete washout. If he rebounded this year, he was as good as gone. And if he struggles and/or gets hurt in 2017, he would have continued being a drag on the roster. I agree that it's going to suck if he suddenly has a breakout year with the Rams, but I'm not sure how losing him constitutes blowing up the team. The Bills have noe one to blame but themselves for that. Had the choice to pick up the 5th year option, didn't. They then could have used the franchise tag on him the year after. Minimum Watkins could have been here 3 more years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akm0404 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Depends. If the team had a solid year, he had a good year and they offered him a good contract, no question I think he would've resigned. Why wouldn't he? Well, to me, the most cited reasons why a free agent receiver chooses a particular franchise to sign with include: Largest $ offered Best/most established QB Play for a perennial playoff/Super Bowl contender Offensive scheme (run vs. pass ratio) Size of advertising market for endorsement offers Climate/amenities Proximity to home town State income tax rate How do you project Buffalo would have stacked up against the other 31 franchises? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87168 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Its not just Sammy. For some strange reason the Bills organization has the ability to find quality players in the draft, but they just can't retain them. Watkins, Woods, Gilly, Gilmore etc etc...there must be a lot of pissed off scouts in this organization. that implies that they Bills tried to retain them. every player you listed was essentially shipped off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountDorkula Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Well, to me, the most cited reasons why a free agent receiver chooses a particular franchise to sign with include: Largest $ offered Best/most established QB Play for a perennial playoff/Super Bowl contender Offensive scheme (run vs. pass ratio) Size of advertising market for endorsement offers Climate/amenities Proximity to home town State income tax rate How do you project Buffalo would have stacked up against the other 31 franchises? here is the thing. You pick up teh 5th year option and guess what, all of the above does not come into play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockpile233 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 The Bills have noe one to blame but themselves for that. Had the choice to pick up the 5th year option, didn't. They then could have used the franchise tag on him the year after. Minimum Watkins could have been here 3 more years. Exactly. Three years is an eternity in the NFL. If you didn't want him, whatever, but don't reference signability as an issue. You're just going on my leg and telling me it's raining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akm0404 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 here is the thing. You pick up teh 5th year option and guess what, all of the above does not come into play. Until next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 So if we're 4-12 next 4 years you're ok with a 5th year? we have the jets and dolphins in our division. an intramural team could go 5-11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 (edited) It's ego and horrible evaluation of talent. Yeah and who here really wants Beane and McDermott in charge of a franchise QB if they somehow manage to draft one(and not have his agent force a trade elsewhere)? These two guys are JAGs.......just like the Gaileys/Jaurons/Mularkeys/Greggos before them. As Belichick says.......it's hard to stay bad in the NFL......it's set up to even give a blind squirrel a nut every few years but these were not bright prospects.........they should be lunch pailin' it with the top talent they have until they make it.....not trading away star talent like they are management game changers like Belichick, Shula, Jimmy Johnson etc.. Edited August 14, 2017 by #BADOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 FYI: https://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/195338-peter-king-darby-hadnt-bought-into-new-bills-regime/ [This is an automated response] This subject matter is being currently being discussed or has already been discussed in a previous thread. Please consider using the "search" function before starting new topics. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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