Who makes the big jump in year 2?

[GreggTX]

They say that the improvement from year 1 to year 2 is often the biggest leap a player makes in his career. My take:

 

White: He's already elite or borderline elite. It's scary to think he could get even better, but a small jump wouldn't be out of the question.

 

Jones: By far the biggest disappointment. His hands aren't as bad as many think. He just seems a bit lost at times and doesn't get separation. The game needs to slow down for him and his route running needs to improve by orders of magnitude. If he can just make a big improvement in his route running, he'd be an above average WR. He has the physical tools.

 

Dawkins: He was praised by PFF for his run blocking, but not so much his pass blocking. He needs to be moved to the right side. If his pass protection can improve, he could be a real asset. His footwork is fine, but his hands need to improve.

 

Milano: He's not great, but he did make some big plays for us. One thing I like about him is that he has made steady progress. I would expect him to be an average or maybe even above average LB in year 2.

 

Vallejo: Not much to say about him. He still has a long way to go.

 

Peterman: Unlike some Bills fans, I'm willing to forget that horrible 1st start in the NFL. He could still be a solid backup if he can learn not to panic when the heat is on.

 

Your thoughts on these guys?

Edited March 6, 2018 by GreggTX

[Patrick Duffy]

Nathaniel Peterman!

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

7 minutes ago, GreggTX said:

They say that the improvement from year 1 to year 2 is often the biggest leap a player makes in his career. My take:

 

White: He's already elite of borderline elite. It's scary to think he could get even better, but a small jump wouldn't be out of the question.

 

Jones: By far the biggest disappointment. His hands aren't as bad as many think. He just seems a bit lost at times and doesn't get separation. The game needs to slow down for him and his route running needs to improve by orders of magnitude. If he can just make a big improvement in his route running, he'd be an above average WR. He has the physical tools.

 

Dawkins: He was praised by PFF for his run blocking, but not so much his pass blocking. He needs to be moved to the right side. If his pass protection can improve, he could be a real asset. His footwork is fine, but his hands need to improve.

 

Milano: He's not great, but he did make some big plays for us. One thing I like about him is that he has made steady progress. I would expect him to be an average or maybe even above average LB in year 2.

 

Vallejo: Not much to say about him. He still has a long way to go.

 

Your thoughts on these guys?

 

...Zay for sure.......hard to discount to effect of playing with a torn labrum for the season......but then again, the TBD medical staff of "Dr. Ruth's" said it's "the hands stupid".....so let's see....Milano was a surprise in year 1 and I'd bet he continues to surprise in year 2 as a gritty football instinctive kid......despite NO year 1, bring on the O'Reilly kid in year 2 dammit.........

[GreggTX]

4 minutes ago, Patrick_Duffy said:

Nathaniel Peterman!

Corrected! Thanks for the catch.

[oldmanfan]

Agree with old time about Jones. The kid caught a record number of passes in college.  You don't all of a sudden forget how to catch a football.  Let him heal up, and with Benjamin taking some of the pressure off I think he'll show significant improvement.

[Alphadawg7]

10 minutes ago, GreggTX said:

They say that the improvement from year 1 to year 2 is often the biggest leap a player makes in his career. My take:

 

White: He's already elite of borderline elite. It's scary to think he could get even better, but a small jump wouldn't be out of the question.

 

Jones: By far the biggest disappointment. His hands aren't as bad as many think. He just seems a bit lost at times and doesn't get separation. The game needs to slow down for him and his route running needs to improve by orders of magnitude. If he can just make a big improvement in his route running, he'd be an above average WR. He has the physical tools.

 

Dawkins: He was praised by PFF for his run blocking, but not so much his pass blocking. He needs to be moved to the right side. If his pass protection can improve, he could be a real asset. His footwork is fine, but his hands need to improve.

 

Milano: He's not great, but he did make some big plays for us. One thing I like about him is that he has made steady progress. I would expect him to be an average or maybe even above average LB in year 2.

 

Vallejo: Not much to say about him. He still has a long way to go.

 

Your thoughts on these guys?

 

Pretty much share your thoughts across the board.  I think Tre will be a special player personally.  

 

I still like Zays potential, but man he was bad in the two areas he was supposed to be strong in...hands and route running.  He also was forced to be the man too early due to surprise Watkins trade in preseason and also injuries to Jordan and the other WR's.  So I am hoping coming to camp with experience under his belt, healed from his injury, and having a pro like KB with him will help him find his game again.  

[The Jokeman]

I'd go with Milano as if he's a full time starter he could be a very good Weakside LB depending who we surround him (see bring in at DT). 

[Buffalo716]

6 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Agree with old time about Jones. The kid caught a record number of passes in college.  You don't all of a sudden forget how to catch a football.  Let him heal up, and with Benjamin taking some of the pressure off I think he'll show significant improvement.

 

The whole top 10 of the record books for most receptions in a collegiate career is full of non NFL talent

 

pretty much nobody in the top 10 made a dent in the NFL... Corey Davis and Jones have a chance still

[JoeF]

Great thread.....

 

Zay is the obvious choice.  He has the extra motivation that his mom will kick his ass if he doesn't improve...

 

I think Tanner Vallejo was still partially rehabbing elbow/arm injuries last year from his last year in college....I expect to see contributions at or above Milano

 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/profiles/tanner-vallejo?id=2558289

 

Also--interesting was that he was suspended for the team's bowl game his senior year...maybe McD is willing to look past some behavior issues if the explanation is good.

[The Jokeman]

1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said:

 

The whole top 10 of the record books for most receptions in a collegiate career is full of non NFL talent

 

pretty much nobody in the top 10 made a dent in the NFL... Corey Davis and Jones have a chance still

what about Mike Williams?

[BADOLBILZ]

11 minutes ago, GreggTX said:

They say that the improvement from year 1 to year 2 is often the biggest leap a player makes in his career. My take:

 

White: He's already elite of borderline elite. It's scary to think he could get even better, but a small jump wouldn't be out of the question.

 

Jones: By far the biggest disappointment. His hands aren't as bad as many think. He just seems a bit lost at times and doesn't get separation. The game needs to slow down for him and his route running needs to improve by orders of magnitude. If he can just make a big improvement in his route running, he'd be an above average WR. He has the physical tools.

 

Dawkins: He was praised by PFF for his run blocking, but not so much his pass blocking. He needs to be moved to the right side. If his pass protection can improve, he could be a real asset. His footwork is fine, but his hands need to improve.

 

Milano: He's not great, but he did make some big plays for us. One thing I like about him is that he has made steady progress. I would expect him to be an average or maybe even above average LB in year 2.

 

Vallejo: Not much to say about him. He still has a long way to go.

 

Your thoughts on these guys?

 

 

Jones is the obvious candidate to have a big jump.   In my view he's a reserve until proven otherwise though.   Wasn't just one thing, he did a lot wrong that I can't just chalk up to being a rookie when a guy has his background.

 

I will be quite concerned if the Bills trade Cordy Glenn this offseason and just re-award Dawkins the LT job..........Dawkins got a lot high marks this past season.....some weeks very deserved, some others perhaps graded on too much of a rookie curve....... and I am concened he might take a step back without the competition carrot being dangled.  

 

Milano I am penciling in to start but considering that he was unavailable in the playoff game I'm not putting him down for 16 starts and 90% of the defensive snaps or anything just yet.   He's still at that level where he's an ankle turn away from being a never-was and one of the areas of strength in this draft is LB's of his size/skill type.   

 

3D is the only one I feel will for sure come back at the same or a higher level.  

[Blokestradamus]

I nominate myself. I might start trusting the process a little more in Year 2.

 

Might.

[TigerJ]

I think the odds favor Zay Jones making the biggest leap forward.  First, the bar is set pretty low.  Second, he was dealing with a shoulder injury .  I think some of his struggles may have been due to that.  Third, he gets an upgrade at his position coach, even though his coach last season was his college head coach.  The only question is who is going to get him the ball.

[Teddy KGB]

Zay once he’s free from Tentative T. 

[Buffalo716]

15 minutes ago, The Jokeman said:

what about Mike Williams?

 

Mike Williams isn't top 10 in career collegiate receptions 

[The Jokeman]

2 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

 

Mike Williams isn't top 10 in career collegiate receptions 

Ahh sorry I didn't realize Davis was in that category. 

[Kirby Jackson]

I was a big fan of the Zay pick. Zay graded out as one of the worst (if not the worst) WRs  of the last decade. He was abysmal by any metric (his catch percentage was like 30%). The Bills can’t possibly be counting on him this year after what he showed last year though. Hopefully he earns some time, learns how to run routes, starts catching the ball again and makes some plays from the slot. I’d like to see him catch 50 balls and 5-6 TDs. 

 

In hindsight, they should have taken Ju-Ju. Let’s hope Zay grows into a decent slot receiver. There is nowhere to go but up.

[Buffalo716]

1 minute ago, The Jokeman said:

Ahh sorry I didn't realize Davis was in that category. 

 

Yea tied for third iirc

 

edit: he's fourth

Edited March 6, 2018 by Buffalo716

[Kirby Jackson]

4 minutes ago, Teddy KGB said:

Zay once he’s free from Tentative T. 

People say that all of the time but it just isn’t true. He was WAY worse than any of the other Bills receivers. He had more drops, lower catch percentage, etc... Zay doesn’t need excuses. He was awful on his own.

[White Linen]

McDermott