Punching Bag Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 https://www.forbes.com/sites/curtisrush/2019/10/07/duke-williams-may-be-the-answer-to-buffalo-bills-stagnant-passing-attack/#6163bbed47b7 Lots of history there and he seems to know the Buffalo fandom with comments that the WRs are called Smurfs. Duke Williams May Be The Answer To Buffalo Bills’ Stagnant Passing Attack This year, Williams will earn a base salary of $378,534 in the first year of a two-year deal. By the end of the season, if he keeps going in the right direction, Williams will no doubt give the Buffalo Bills the best value for their money. And perhaps ignite the passing offense at the same time. Duke "The Answer" Williams? Pretty good and I think not used before. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peace Frog Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKE!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedy Beebe Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 “With his strong arm, Allen has a tendency overthrow his receivers when he sends them long. With Williams’ height, leaping ability and 4.3 speed, that will be harder to do. He could be the prototypical No. 1 receiver that fans have been asking for.” I had no idea that he ran a 4.3. Hmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted October 8, 2019 Author Share Posted October 8, 2019 In one way he reminds me of Incognito - he stumbled & fell and the Bills took a chance on him, supported him and he did well until Richie now admits he slid back to his old bad habits. I really hope Duke does not slide but I think he has embraced Coach McD's philosophy of sell improvement. Just now, Speedy Beebe said: “With his strong arm, Allen has a tendency overthrow his receivers when he sends them long. With Williams’ height, leaping ability and 4.3 speed, that will be harder to do. He could be the prototypical No. 1 receiver that fans have been asking for.” I had no idea that he ran a 4.3. Hmm I do not think he was invited to combine so I think that is his college reported speed. Now we all know CFL fields are bigger so it may be he has gotten even faster with all the practice running around on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky Landing Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 5 minutes ago, Speedy Beebe said: “With his strong arm, Allen has a tendency overthrow his receivers when he sends them long. With Williams’ height, leaping ability and 4.3 speed, that will be harder to do. He could be the prototypical No. 1 receiver that fans have been asking for.” I had no idea that he ran a 4.3. Hmm I literally had just copied that, and was about to paste it! There is a constant knock on Williams that he is slow. It's not true. Just now, Limeaid said: In one way he reminds me of Incognito - he stumbled & fell and the Bills took a chance on him, supported him and he did well until Richie now admits he slid back to his old bad habits. I really hope Duke does not slide but I think he has embraced Coach McD's philosophy of sell improvement. I do not think he was invited to combine so I think that is his college reported speed. Now we all know CFL fields are bigger so it may be he has gotten even faster with all the practice running around on it. He was invited to the combine, and posted a 4.66 40 time. He had also been thrown out of Auburn four months prior for getting into a bar brawl. He had not worked out, or played a snap of football in that four months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Joe Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 31 minutes ago, Speedy Beebe said: I had no idea that he ran a 4.3. Hmm That was his 30 time I think.. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 40 minutes ago, Speedy Beebe said: “With his strong arm, Allen has a tendency overthrow his receivers when he sends them long. With Williams’ height, leaping ability and 4.3 speed, that will be harder to do. He could be the prototypical No. 1 receiver that fans have been asking for.” I had no idea that he ran a 4.3. Hmm He doesn't and that's obviously false 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purple haze Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 47 minutes ago, Rocky Landing said: I literally had just copied that, and was about to paste it! There is a constant knock on Williams that he is slow. It's not true. He was invited to the combine, and posted a 4.66 40 time. He had also been thrown out of Auburn four months prior for getting into a bar brawl. He had not worked out, or played a snap of football in that four months. He is not as slow as people think, but he's not the quickest, which is why he has to make a lot of contested catches. One on one, DBs can stay with his routes. Beasley, for instance, is not the fastest, but quick. It's harder for DBs to stay on his routes, especially in tight spaces. Not a knock on Duke, he just had to understand how to win with his skill set consistently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthomas Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 (edited) I wish i had some video editing skills, i'd place an image of Duke Williams in this. The Duke has ARRIVED! Edited October 8, 2019 by brianthomas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSHMEAB Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Buffalo716 said: He doesn't and that's obviously false Yeah. Had he run a 4.3 either at a pro day or the combine, he would have likely been a first round pick. He went UNDRAFTED. Something lost in the story is that he was/is not some physical specimen shunned for character issues. NFL team's just didn't think he was particularly talented. I'm not sure how long he'll last, but that energy goes a long way. He's the antithesis of Zay WRT confidence and "swag." Not sure what happened with Zay, but it was nice to get SOMETHING back for what turned out to be a poor pick. I'm just going to sit back and see what he does going forward. Didn't expect anything in game one, so I'd love to see him continue to bring the energy and continue to make plays. He LOOKS like a TE playing receiver, but he PRODUCED. Even saw him create separation a few times besides the blown coverage TD. At the end of the day, production is all that matters. Great story. Edited October 8, 2019 by LSHMEAB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 3 hours ago, Speedy Beebe said: “With his strong arm, Allen has a tendency overthrow his receivers when he sends them long. With Williams’ height, leaping ability and 4.3 speed, that will be harder to do. He could be the prototypical No. 1 receiver that fans have been asking for.” I had no idea that he ran a 4.3. Hmm That’s 4.3 in metric time (Canada)...in the US he runs a 4.55 4 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlbillsfan1975 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 He’s a little slow. If he can make the contested catch, that’s important. Let’s hope it’s the beginning of a great career for him in Buffalo. Duke has the right attitude and is a spark for his team mates. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIZ Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Did the writer mean 5.3? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Duke is a big boy for a WR. He might run a 4.3 30 yard dash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JESSEFEFFER Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 4.3 may seem wrong to our eyes, that contract they reported is definitely wrong as it is below the NFL minimum. Maybe that's what they guaranteed to him for the practice squad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundancer Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 6 hours ago, Limeaid said: https://www.forbes.com/sites/curtisrush/2019/10/07/duke-williams-may-be-the-answer-to-buffalo-bills-stagnant-passing-attack/#6163bbed47b7 Lots of history there and he seems to know the Buffalo fandom with comments that the WRs are called Smurfs. Duke Williams May Be The Answer To Buffalo Bills’ Stagnant Passing Attack Duke "The Answer" Williams? Pretty good and I think not used before. Forbes articles are not credible. You could write for Forbes--they sold that brand out to anyone who wants to put paragraphs together. No offense to that guy but just commenting on the website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dopey Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 45 minutes ago, JESSEFEFFER said: 4.3 may seem wrong to our eyes, that contract they reported is definitely wrong as it is below the NFL minimum. Maybe that's what they guaranteed to him for the practice squad? Spotrac says 378 k this year. Maybe not the Vet minimum? Next year is over 500k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 5 hours ago, Speedy Beebe said: “With his strong arm, Allen has a tendency overthrow his receivers when he sends them long. With Williams’ height, leaping ability and 4.3 speed, that will be harder to do. He could be the prototypical No. 1 receiver that fans have been asking for.” I had no idea that he ran a 4.3. Hmm I thought this when I read it and I believe the stat is wrong. 21 minutes ago, Sundancer said: Forbes articles are not credible. You could write for Forbes--they sold that brand out to anyone who wants to put paragraphs together. No offense to that guy but just commenting on the website. Yeah they have this whole thing where you can pay them to publish what you write. They supposedly qualify you as having some sort of “expertise” and then suggest that you get entry to a “limited” and “distinguished” group of authors. The only thing they are after is your credit card number and the opportunity to publish clickbait content that they can post ads on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring it Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 When you really consider it, how much different is a 4.3 from a 4.66? Obviously, .4 seconds in 40 yards. Not much really. How many times does a Qb get 3 and a half seconds to throw considering flight time of the ball? It’s much more important to have good route running techniques and great hands!! Duke’s size and physicality are a help too! He looks like a baller to me!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 (edited) The author - Curtis Rush - used to cover the Bills for the Toronto Star. Is it possible he knows something about Duke's 40 time that we don't know? At his pro day (not combine), Duke ran between 4.66 and 4.69. Maybe I'm wrong but he doesn't seem that slow. Then again he doesn't seem to be 4.3 fast either. Incidentally, I found this in a 2016 draft report: SOURCES TELL US "I can tell you that he burned all of his bridges over there (Auburn). He's a selfish, me-first guy and I don't think he's trustworthy in the locker room at all. He didn't compete at all this year. I wouldn't draft him in any round." -- NFC Director of Personnel http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/dhaquille-williams?id=2555210 Edited October 8, 2019 by hondo in seattle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elroy16 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Strong route by Duke for the TD with good hand usage. If he can continue to get open like this in the red zone and use his body to give Allen a nice target, he might be a nice weapon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky Landing Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 20 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said: The author - Curtis Rush - used to cover the Bills for the Toronto Star. Is it possible he knows something about Duke's 40 time that we don't know? At his pro day, Duke ran between 4.66 and 4.69. Maybe I'm wrong but he doesn't seem that slow. Then again he doesn't seem to be 4.3 fast either. Incidentally, I found this in a 2016 draft report: SOURCES TELL US "I can tell you that he burned all of his bridges over there (Auburn). He's a selfish, me-first guy and I don't think he's trustworthy in the locker room at all. He didn't compete at all this year. I wouldn't draft him in any round." -- NFC Director of Personnel http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/dhaquille-williams?id=2555210 Clearly, this is a guy who turned his life around. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 7 minutes ago, elroy16 said: Strong route by Duke for the TD with good hand usage. If he can continue to get open like this in the red zone and use his body to give Allen a nice target, he might be a nice weapon. Good post. When I watched this live, I thought it was a good play call by Daboll and a good throw by Josh. I didn't give Duke much credit - but it actually was a nice route. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 4 hours ago, BringBackFergy said: That’s 4.3 in metric time (Canada)...in the US he runs a 4.55 At the current exchange rate, he ran a 3.23 US. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 7 minutes ago, Rocky Landing said: Clearly, this is a guy who turned his life around. Curiously, despite all their concerns about his character, effort and speed, NFL.com rated Duke (5.25) only slightly lower than Zay (5.71) out of college. Listening to Duke talk - and his teammates talk about him - it does indeed seem like he's turned his life around. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 30 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said: The author - Curtis Rush - used to cover the Bills for the Toronto Star. Is it possible he knows something about Duke's 40 time that we don't know? At his pro day (not combine), Duke ran between 4.66 and 4.69. Maybe I'm wrong but he doesn't seem that slow. Then again he doesn't seem to be 4.3 fast either. Incidentally, I found this in a 2016 draft report: SOURCES TELL US "I can tell you that he burned all of his bridges over there (Auburn). He's a selfish, me-first guy and I don't think he's trustworthy in the locker room at all. He didn't compete at all this year. I wouldn't draft him in any round." -- NFC Director of Personnel http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/dhaquille-williams?id=2555210 Yep- sounds like a total redemption case. Let’s hope. WR is the weakest position group imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuddyDark Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 8 hours ago, Limeaid said: In one way he reminds me of Incognito - he stumbled & fell and the Bills took a chance on him, supported him and he did well until Richie now admits he slid back to his old bad habits. I really hope Duke does not slide but I think he has embraced Coach McD's philosophy of sell improvement. I do not think he was invited to combine so I think that is his college reported speed. Now we all know CFL fields are bigger so it may be he has gotten even faster with all the practice running around on it. http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/dhaquille-williams?id=2555210 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJS Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 8 hours ago, Speedy Beebe said: “With his strong arm, Allen has a tendency overthrow his receivers when he sends them long. With Williams’ height, leaping ability and 4.3 speed, that will be harder to do. He could be the prototypical No. 1 receiver that fans have been asking for.” I had no idea that he ran a 4.3. Hmm He doesn't. 8 hours ago, Rocky Landing said: I literally had just copied that, and was about to paste it! There is a constant knock on Williams that he is slow. It's not true. He was invited to the combine, and posted a 4.66 40 time. He had also been thrown out of Auburn four months prior for getting into a bar brawl. He had not worked out, or played a snap of football in that four months. It IS true. He ran a slow 40 time. He makes up for it in other aspects of his game. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJS Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 2 hours ago, Bring it said: When you really consider it, how much different is a 4.3 from a 4.66? Obviously, .4 seconds in 40 yards. Not much really. How many times does a Qb get 3 and a half seconds to throw considering flight time of the ball? It’s much more important to have good route running techniques and great hands!! Duke’s size and physicality are a help too! He looks like a baller to me!!! It's actually a noticeable difference when you watch them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badassgixxer05 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Rocky Landing said: Clearly, this is a guy who turned his life around. More like he just grew up. These are kids in college walking onto campus as stars. Some just think I'm the man, and don't put in the work needed to succeed. When that's all taken from you can be rather humbling experience I would guess. Heard he was crying when walked out on the field this past game knowing that he finally made it back. Crazy that he was able to pull in a TD to and contribute too. Sky is the limit for this kid. I'm rooting for him! Mcdermott process guy for sure! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomon Grundy Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 9 hours ago, Limeaid said: https://www.forbes.com/sites/curtisrush/2019/10/07/duke-williams-may-be-the-answer-to-buffalo-bills-stagnant-passing-attack/#6163bbed47b7 Lots of history there and he seems to know the Buffalo fandom with comments that the WRs are called Smurfs. Duke Williams May Be The Answer To Buffalo Bills’ Stagnant Passing Attack Duke "The Answer" Williams? Pretty good and I think not used before. Stay hungry Duke!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedy Beebe Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 16 minutes ago, MJS said: He doesn't. It IS true. He ran a slow 40 time. He makes up for it in other aspects of his game. Yeah I definitely was skeptical about the authors listed 40 time. I figured if he was really a 4.3 guy he would have been a high draft pick. I’m curious where he got his info from or if he just made it up. Either way I’m super happy for Duke. He’s earned his shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 9 hours ago, Limeaid said: https://www.forbes.com/sites/curtisrush/2019/10/07/duke-williams-may-be-the-answer-to-buffalo-bills-stagnant-passing-attack/#6163bbed47b7 Lots of history there and he seems to know the Buffalo fandom with comments that the WRs are called Smurfs. Duke Williams May Be The Answer To Buffalo Bills’ Stagnant Passing Attack Duke "The Answer" Williams? Pretty good and I think not used before. Good article and you're right, author does seem to know the team. Only thing I wonder about is the part where he says " With Williams’ height, leaping ability and 4.3 speed, that will be harder to do " When did Duke Williams show that kind of speed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan1959 Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 (edited) 7 hours ago, LSHMEAB said: Yeah. Had he run a 4.3 either at a pro day or the combine, he would have likely been a first round pick. He went UNDRAFTED. Something lost in the story is that he was/is not some physical specimen shunned for character issues. NFL team's just didn't think he was particularly talented. I'm not sure how long he'll last, but that energy goes a long way. He's the antithesis of Zay WRT confidence and "swag." Not sure what happened with Zay, but it was nice to get SOMETHING back for what turned out to be a poor pick. I'm just going to sit back and see what he does going forward. Didn't expect anything in game one, so I'd love to see him continue to bring the energy and continue to make plays. He LOOKS like a TE playing receiver, but he PRODUCED. Even saw him create separation a few times besides the blown coverage TD. At the end of the day, production is all that matters. Great story. That is not exactly true. There were plenty of draft prognosticators that stated he had the talent to be a first or second day pick; however, character issues would probably drop his stock. ESPN: 1. D'haquille Williams, Auburn Tigers Not nearly as raw a route runner as you might expect in his first SEC season coming out of junior college, Williams was moved around and was able to win with strong hands and a big frame he uses to keep defenders away from the ball. If he cleans up the drops, there's first-round potential. WalterFootball: 4/26/16: Prior to the season, we reported that sources had said that they had significant character and off-the-field concerns with Williams, but likened him as a player to Anquan Boldin. Those issues came to a head when Williams was kicked off Auburn's football team after Week 5 of the season... Williams has the talent to be a second-day draft pick, but going undrafted because of character concerns is a real possibility. There were other evaluations that were similar to those above and there were some evaluations that were more harsh regarding his talent; however, to say he wasn't perceived to be particularly talented and wasn't shunned for character issues is simply not true. 2 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said: Good article and you're right, author does seem to know the team. Only thing I wonder about is the part where he says " With Williams’ height, leaping ability and 4.3 speed, that will be harder to do " When did Duke Williams show that kind of speed? I don't believe he ever did. I believe one of knocks on him coming out of college was his slow 40 time. Edited October 8, 2019 by billsfan1959 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 8 hours ago, Limeaid said: In one way he reminds me of Incognito - he stumbled & fell and the Bills took a chance on him, supported him and he did well until Richie now admits he slid back to his old bad habits. I really hope Duke does not slide but I think he has embraced Coach McD's philosophy of sell improvement. I do not think he was invited to combine so I think that is his college reported speed. Now we all know CFL fields are bigger so it may be he has gotten even faster with all the practice running around on it. He was invited to a pro day at Auburn by his coach. Clocked a 4.66 and 4.69 40-time. He has said that he had spiralled down after he was kicked off the team and wasn't in shape for it. It's possible he clocked a faster 40 time somewhere in the CFL? But he doesn't look fast. Now Josh Allen clocked a 4.75s 40 time but he looks waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy faster than that in pads. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberTheRockpile Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Just now, Hapless Bills Fan said: He was invited to a pro day at Auburn by his coach. He has said that he had spiralled down after he was kicked off the team and wasn't in shape for it. It's possible he clocked a faster 40 time somewhere in the CFL? But he doesn't look fast. No he doesn't look fast but the combine times are a bit dubious when the margin of error is in the tenths of second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Speedy Beebe said: “With his strong arm, Allen has a tendency overthrow his receivers when he sends them long. With Williams’ height, leaping ability and 4.3 speed, that will be harder to do. He could be the prototypical No. 1 receiver that fans have been asking for.” I had no idea that he ran a 4.3. Hmm Fake news. He's more like a 4.7... http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/dhaquille-williams?id=2555210 Edited October 8, 2019 by Lurker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoBills Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 4 hours ago, Dopey said: Spotrac says 378 k this year. Maybe not the Vet minimum? Next year is over 500k Vet minimums are for "vets". Duke is under a UDFA minimum contract (I believe its 495k). His 378k reflect the remaining games left in the season plus some PS $'s. fwiw 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17islongenough Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 This is a video from 2016 about Duke's struggles. Check it out its a great 10 minute video https://www.facebook.com/bleacherreport/videos/10153992144091006/UzpfSTU2NjM1MTYyMjoxMDE1NjY4NTU4NjM3NjYyMw/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedy Beebe Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 47 minutes ago, Lurker said: Fake news. He's more like a 4.7... http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/dhaquille-williams?id=2555210 I figured that was the case. I noticed that from the link you supplied he’s 6’2”. The Bills website lists him as 6’3”. So either he’s grown since college or it’s more fake news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts