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D'haquille aka Duke Williams, Bills' newest WR better than any draft prospect


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1 hour ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Easily Beane's biggest weakness so far has been moves at WR.

 

First he showed a lack of awareness of a shift in the league by trying to load up on big, lumbering WR's who couldn't get open.     And even if you set aside that other teams were aware that getting WR's who create separation was becoming critical and Beane did not...........why would you give a QB like Tyrod Taylor, who would only throw the ball to open receivers, a bunch of guys that he would have to make contested throws to?    UTTER STUPIDITY that first season.

 

Then last year he got wise to the obvious trend toward WR who get open.........but still didn't land a decent one in UFA or draft one.    If he hadn't gotten incredibly lucky with Robert Foster in UDFA it would have been hands down the worst WR corps in the NFL.     This year he adds a couple back-of-career patches in UFA in Brown and Beasley but still leaves the team with one of the weaker WR corps in the league.   

 

If Bob Foster doesn't continue his trajectory.........which has to be considered a strong possibility considering his track record.............this could be a pretty awful WR corps.  

 

 

 

...swear to God you're on a mission to make the Sun go into PERMANENT hiding from you......

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2 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Easily Beane's biggest weakness so far has been moves at WR.

 

First he showed a lack of awareness of a shift in the league by trying to load up on big, lumbering WR's who couldn't get open.     And even if you set aside that other teams were aware that getting WR's who create separation was becoming critical and Beane did not...........why would you give a QB like Tyrod Taylor, who would only throw the ball to open receivers, a bunch of guys that he would have to make contested throws to?    UTTER STUPIDITY that first season.

 

Then last year he got wise to the obvious trend toward WR who get open.........but still didn't land a decent one in UFA or draft one.    If he hadn't gotten incredibly lucky with Robert Foster in UDFA it would have been hands down the worst WR corps in the NFL.     This year he adds a couple back-of-career patches in UFA in Brown and Beasley but still leaves the team with one of the weaker WR corps in the league.   

 

If Bob Foster doesn't continue his trajectory.........which has to be considered a strong possibility considering his track record.............this could be a pretty awful WR corps.  

 

 

 

I come to the same conclusion (that the WR moves have been the biggest weakness of this regime) through a different path.

 

I don't think Beane loaded up on "big lumbering WR who couldn't get open".  Jordan Matthews ran a 4.46 40 and a 4.16 shuttle and was the all-time SEC leader in receptions when he came out.  Zay Jones ran a 4.45 40 and a 4.01 shuttle and was the all-time FBS receptions leader when he came out.  I think Beane thought they were getting good route runners with the fundamental athletic abilities and the college football success to build on, to be coached up into good all-purpose NFL receivers.  Benjamin fits the description of a "big lumbering WR who can't get open" but who else?  I mean in hindsight, Jones and Matthews struggled but the point is that wasn't their profile or expectation when acquired.

 

I don't think Beane had a thought for Tyrod Taylor when he made any roster moves in 2017.  In my opinion, when the Bills snagged Benjamin, Beane already knew they were targeting Allen next draft and was looking for pieces he thought would help there, like a guy with a zip-code catch radius who was always open 2 feet over his tall head.

 

The whole WR acquisition history under McBeane seems to me like too much paper scouting, and not enough attention to actual eyes on the field.  Even WITH Foster getting the "clue bird" 2nd half of last season, I think you could make an argument we in fact had the worst WR corps in the NFL.  Who was worse?

 

I think in Brown and Beasley, Beane is trying to bring in experienced guys who will run precise, consistent routes and put out consistent effort, as an example to Zay, Foster, and the younger guys.  I think we're stronger going in than we were last year, but that's a low bar.

 

14 hours ago, Scorp83 said:

When you live in a world where our GM doesn't value any of the WR's in this draft class... then this is how low we have to stoop. Until he proves it... I just can't get my Hope's up

 

Yep.  Just as there's "college open", there's "CFL open" - different game with the WR allowed a running start and the wider and longer field.  Will it translate to the NFL, assuming he's learnt his lessons about work ethic and avoiding trouble for well-and-good?  Hope so but we can't tell until we see him on gameday.

 

1 hour ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

...swear to God you're on a mission to make the Sun go into PERMANENT hiding from you......

 

I had to pull the shades down in my study.  The sun glare off my car hood was blinding me.  BadOl does have a point here.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/5/2019 at 12:19 PM, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I come to the same conclusion (that the WR moves have been the biggest weakness of this regime) through a different path.

 

I had the same initial thoughts (say around last November), but have since become more accepting of the Bills' WR strategy. Here's why it might still be too early to come up with a definitive conclusion that it is a weakness.

 

Yes Zay has not been as great as advertised - but Beane was not here when he was drafted. After Matthews was hurt (but we had serious playoff hopes) - Beane had to find a replacement on the fly - and that is why he got KB - was anyone else available? Last season was all about finding a QB - so we used up a ton of draft capital there(not helped by the 2017 playoff appearance) - not enough left for a decent WR, Our deadcap also prevented us from getting anyone halfway decent (even in FA 2018 WR market was thin with only Landry, Watkins and Robinson being halfway decent). And he does deserve credit for finding Robert Foster! So cannot really say that WR moves have been a weakness, can we? 

 

This year's draft class for WR was underwhelming - there is a reason only no WR went in the first 24 picks. So, in FA, he tried to get AB and wound up with experienced guys in Brown and Beasley. They may not have set Lake Ontario on fire - but they have a track record of being good and are nothing to sneeze at. Now Next year's WR class promises to be better - Jeudy, Johnson, Shenault, Rogers, Ruggs and Callaway all appear to be better than this year's crop. We can disagree on how good Duke can be - but the fact remains that 8-10 teams wanted Duke and Beane signed him - that is not bad, eh?

 

Bottomline - you cant make chicken wings outa chicken sh*t. Beane appears to have done well given the hand he has been dealt (limited draft capital - need for a QB, weak 2018 FA for WR and weak 2019 Draft for WR). One can quibble about not taking up Sammy's 5th year option (the EJG trade was fine mind you - it helped get Allen and EJG helped take us to the playoffs) - but it is not clear at all that WR moves have been a big weakness for Beane. I believe moving from a top 5 of Kelvin Benjamin, Zay Jones, Andre Holmes, Jeremy Kerley &  Ray-Ray McCloud to a top 5 of John Brown, Robert Foster, Zay Jones, Cole Beasley & Duke WIlliams / Roberts represents significant progress.

 

 

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On 5/4/2019 at 10:57 PM, Scorp83 said:

When you live in a world where our GM doesn't value any of the WR's in this draft class... then this is how low we have to stoop. Until he proves it... I just can't get my Hope's up

News flash... we live in a world where no team really valued this years WR class, as evidenced by where they were drafted.

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On 5/5/2019 at 11:08 AM, Doc said:

 

Why should he have?  It was a bad draft class for WR's.  That's why he went out and got Brown and Beasley, to go with Foster, who should only continue to get better.  And while there's a long thread about Zay not being here, I think he'll make a fine WR4.  If they get anything out of Duke, Sills, Easley or any other undrafted player, it will be gravy.

 

And getting WR's who can get separation is a recent trend?  Really?

 

This flies in the face of what was reported by every single draft analyst and GM out there. This was a solid WR class, not elite, but solid.

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18 minutes ago, ndirish1978 said:

This flies in the face of what was reported by every single draft analyst and GM out there. This was a solid WR class, not elite, but solid.

 

Next year's class is supposed to be elite.  We'll see.

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On 5/4/2019 at 10:57 PM, Scorp83 said:

When you live in a world where our GM doesn't value any of the WR's in this draft class... then this is how low we have to stoop. Until he proves it... I just can't get my Hope's up

Absolutely lazy ass take. The league is shifting towards guys who can create seperation. This draft class lacked guys who could separate and separate consistently. Hence the way the draft played out, and where these players were in fact drafted.

 

Williams is a low risk, potential high reward if his game can translate to the NFL.

 

Moreover, it not like the Bills only snagged Williams and are trying to trot him out as their starter. They made a multitude if moves at the skill position to open up the offense.

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51 minutes ago, ndirish1978 said:

 

This flies in the face of what was reported by every single draft analyst and GM out there. This was a solid WR class, not elite, but solid.

There were only 2 WR that went in the first round and they went pretty late as well. I think that still lines up with a solid class with plenty of guys going in the middle rounds a real elite class I think will have more guys go in the first and higher up which works real well with getting a WR since even if you aren't picking high enough to get one of those elite guys you can still get some of the better solid ones as they get pushed down the draft.

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22 minutes ago, BillsFan17 said:

Absolutely lazy ass take. The league is shifting towards guys who can create seperation. This draft class lacked guys who could separate and separate consistently. Hence the way the draft played out, and where these players were in fact drafted.

 

Williams is a low risk, potential high reward if his game can translate to the NFL.

 

Moreover, it not like the Bills only snagged Williams and are trying to trot him out as their starter. They made a multitude if moves at the skill position to open up the offense.

I think you have to take what the draft gives you.  This year they got an elite 3 tech and top RT.  Next year seems loaded with better wr talent.

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On 5/5/2019 at 11:48 AM, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

 

...swear to God you're on a mission to make the Sun go into PERMANENT hiding from you......

 

 

For me the sun doesn't rise and set with the Bills the way it does for you.

 

Just a pro sports product.   It's an interest.

 

And I'd advise you not to tell God you think the sun rises and sets on them for you........you know what the Bible says about false idols and resting on the Sabbath and such.  

 

Exodus: "Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death."............which is why Beane and McDermott must be executed if they fail!:devil:
 

 

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4 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

For me the sun doesn't rise and set with the Bills the way it does for you.

 

Just a pro sports product.   It's an interest.

 

And I'd advise you not to tell God you think the sun rises and sets on them for you........you know what the Bible says about false idols and resting on the Sabbath and such.  

 

Exodus: "Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death."............which is why Beane and McDermott must be executed if they fail!:devil:
 

 

 

...exactly DEAD WRONG about me bud...I have followed the Bills since 1962 with them 70 miles west of Rochester......a diehard fan of them solely?.....not a diehard fan of ANY nor of any SOLELY...would I like to have them be successful as my first choice?..guilty as charged....if not, do I head for the Peace Bridge?....ain't happenin'....do I own a Bills jersey or other Bills memorabilia?...nope.....have a "Bills Man Cave"?.......nope...ever had season tix?...well nope AGAIN......Bills decals or license plates on my vehicles?...well, well nope AGAIN.....thus your perceived factual statements about me are baseless falsehoods...but then again, you think you know everything.....SMH....

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1 minute ago, Limeaid said:

 

Yes even with injury he was a better blocker than 90% of Bills WRs.

 

....and look at how much the financial part has changed with Robert's $8 mil/yr deal being exorbitant.....think he wanted to move on anyway being a Cali guy......

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1 hour ago, Boca BIlls said:

Robert Woods was a beast at blocking.

That is absolutely true. 

But, watch DW utterly lay out this BC Lions CB-- a completely legal hit, in the CFL. It's what he has vowed to bring. 

https://www.12up.com/posts/6265633-bills-sign-cfl-wide-receiver-who-absolutely-destroyed-defender-in-viral-video

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3 hours ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

 

...exactly DEAD WRONG about me bud...I have followed the Bills since 1962 with them 70 miles west of Rochester......a diehard fan of them solely?.....not a diehard fan of ANY nor of any SOLELY...would I like to have them be successful as my first choice?..guilty as charged....if not, do I head for the Peace Bridge?....ain't happenin'....do I own a Bills jersey or other Bills memorabilia?...nope.....have a "Bills Man Cave"?.......nope...ever had season tix?...well nope AGAIN......Bills decals or license plates on my vehicles?...well, well nope AGAIN.....thus your perceived factual statements about me are baseless falsehoods...but then again, you think you know everything.....SMH....

 

 

Um........cool story.

 

My response was a play on your "God and Sun" nonsense you chucklehead.:lol:

 

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2 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

That is absolutely true. 

But, watch DW utterly lay out this BC Lions CB-- a completely legal hit, in the CFL. It's what he has vowed to bring. 

https://www.12up.com/posts/6265633-bills-sign-cfl-wide-receiver-who-absolutely-destroyed-defender-in-viral-video

 

A bit different in the CFL where the WR get a running start before the snap

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