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Who was the last TRUE #1 WR for the Bills?


BigDingus

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As Bills fans, we tend to call any WR who is pretty good (or just not as bad as the other random assortment of filler WR's we have at the time) a "number 1 WR." 

But over time we realize they may be decent guys, but that they're certainly not true #1 WR type talent. I started thinking back at the last time we had one of those caliber players, someone who'd stack up well on any roster, not just the Bills. 


Right now we have Kelvin Benjamin, someone who we've called our #1 WR, but honestly wouldn't compare well to true #1's throughout the league. And even compared to our past so-called #1 WR's, Benjamin falls short. Even though our past #1's didn't really feel like #1's outside of Buffalo, many performed admirably given the circumstances. I'd still argue our last real #1 was Eric Moulds, with Stevie Johnson or Evans being runners up. Our leaders in receptions & yards each year (Note: not necessarily WR's) were:

*2017 - LeSean McCoy (59 receptions for 448 yards) & Charles Clay (49 receptions for 558 yards), with Deonte Thompson being the top WR with 27 receptions for 430 yards (ouch Tyrod)

*2016 - Charles Clay (57 receptions for 552 yards) & Robert Woods (51 receptions for 613 yards)

*2015 - Sammy Watkins (60 receptions for 1047 yards) 

*2014 - Sammy Watkins (65 receptions for 985 yards) & Fred Jackson (66 receptions for 501 yards)

*2013 - Scott Chandler (53 receptions for 655 yards) & Stevie Johnson (52 receptions for 597 yards)

*2012 - Stevie Johnson (79 receptions for 1046 yards)

*2011 - Stevie Johnson (76 receptions for 1004 yards)

*2010 - Stevie Johnson (82 receptions for 1073 yards)

*2009 - Terrell Owens (55 receptions for 829 yards)

*2008 - Lee Evans (63 receptions for 1017 yards)

*2007 - Lee Evans (55 receptions for 849 yards)

*2006 - Lee Evans (82 receptions for 1292 yards)

*2005 - Eric Moulds (81 receptions for 816 yards)

*2004 - Eric Moulds (88 receptions for 1043 yards)
*2003 - Eric Moulds (64 receptions for 780 yards)

*2002 - Eric Moulds (100 receptions for 1292 yards)

*2001 - Larry Centers (80 receptions for 620 yards) & Eric Moulds (67 receptions for 904 yards)

*2000 - Eric Moulds (94 receptions for 1326 yards)

 

Look at how much we took for granted. We've consistently had pretty bad QB's, but look how many times our leader in reception lined up with leading in yards (which a true #1 SHOULD have in the bag). On top of that, look how many times our leader was an actual WR!

 

From 2000-2012, we only had one season where the reception & yardage leaders were different players. Then from 2013-2017, we've only had that 1 out of 5 seasons. Also in that time, we've had 2 TE's & 1 RB as our reception leaders compared to only twice for WR's, and 2 TE's as our yardage leaders compared to 3 for WR's. 

 

We had more consistency at the WR position with guys like JP Losman, Trent Edwards, Drew Bledsoe, Kelly Holcomb, EJ Manuel, Alex Van Pelt, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jeff Tuel, Brian Brohm, and Rob Johnson than we have in the last several years... Those previous WR's were considered not good enough to be "real" #1's most of the time, yet we've just given the label to Benjamin outright since he got here.

We joke about guys like TO coming here, yet he managed to have more receptions & receiving yards than any of our WR's the past 2 years, and he had 3 different QB's start throughout that season throwing to him (Edwards, Fitzpatrick, Brohm)! And Eric Moulds? He had some garbage QB play, yet was fantastic with what he was given. Hell, he managed 1,326 yards & 94 receptions with friggin Rob "Headband" Johnson throwing to him half the year! 

 

Honestly, this thread could double as a "why Tyrod is as bad as he looks" thread if this were last year, but I digress... It just baffles me that people still want to label Benjamin a #1 WR, even if only an isolated-to-the-Bills #1 WR, when he doesn't show up. If he truly is our #1 WR, we're in more trouble than I thought at the position. We already had one of the weakest groups in the league, but if someone doesn't step up fast, it has the potential to be much worse. Anyway, do any of those above WR's qualify as #1's, or were they just more of "best thing we got right now" options?

 

 

Edited by BigDingus
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2 minutes ago, downunderbill said:

I don't think anyone is mistaking Benjamin for a #1 WR. 

 

I think people are now realizing it, but were in denial up until recently. But besides that, I'm asking who was the last TRUE #1 WR the Bills have had, if any, in the last decade plus?

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Watkins

Stevie

Evans

Owens

Moulds

those guys where all borderline #1 wrs.

honestly when did the Bills ever have a wideout going for like 1400 yards consecutive seasons?  I think we get caught up watching guys throw up some crazy stats like Julio, Odell, and Brown etc...and forget that’s just a handful of guys. There is 25 other teams withou an ‘elite’ wideout. 

I would take a Moulds in his prime to develop with Allen. 

Think about what Allen could do with Reed and Lofton. 

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55 minutes ago, bills11 said:

Eric moulds ..Sammy Watkins had the talent to be but was always injured ...Lee Evans wasnt a true number 1 he was a deep threat a very good 1 in his prime but not a bonafide top wr 

 

You know what's funny, I got to thinking when writing this post... 

If we had a prime Lee Evans right now, I believe Benjamin would standout like a "true" #1. What Lee was able to consistently do in spite of the guys throwing to him, and in spite of the opposing defenses knowing exactly what we were going to do with him, it's truly impressive. And with that kind of threat opposite of Benjamin, perhaps KB could find that space & get those targets. 

Because as of right now, he's not better than most teams' #1 cover corners, and he's not been good enough to fight off double coverage. And without the speed, he's simply there to catch jump balls, and he's not even doing that.... But with a burner like Evans who can run routes & has pretty good hands on the other side, KB's tenure here could look a lot different.

Edited by BigDingus
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