Love that they doubled down on WR in this draft

[John from Riverside]

Feeling very good about this draft over all

 

But one of the things I was worried about going into this draft is that one of two things was going to happen

 

- The bills were not going to take a WR after the first 3 to 4 were off the board......especially given that we had basically made our 1st and a later pick pick into Diggs...then we took a DE (even though AJ is a promising one) I was REALLY nervous we were going to call it a day on WR

 

or

 

- I thought Beane....in his past history of trading up....was going to use late draft capital to move up and get guys he likes....no Beane has been a pretty darn good drafter even when he did this.......but this was a epic WR class where I was hearing like 40 WR's could be draftable guys.....our WR core did not have good size in its starting group.......and sometimes it takes a year for a WR to develop anyway.

 

but....much to my happiness......we DOUBLED DOWN on wide receiver.......and not only did we double down....we doubled down on BIG receivers.

 

[Rc2catch]

It’s nice to have some young fresh blood on the offense this season. I’m looking forward to more explosiveness given all these new toys. Big year for josh to make this crew click 

[Mark Vader]

I said many times prior to the draft that I wanted the Bills to select 2 WR's.

 

Several people on this board chided me, stating that "What good does drafting a #4 & 5 WR help the Bills."

 

It was always about the big picture. Brown & Beasley getting into their 30's and also only signed for just 2 more seasons. Not to mention the fact that this WR group was loaded with talent.

 

Honestly, did anyone else here feel confident going into the season with Foster, WIlliams, McKenzie & Roberts being our reserve group?

 

Our WR unit just got a lot better overall. Thank you, Mr. Beane. GO BILLS!!! 

[John from Riverside]

11 minutes ago, Mark Vader said:

I said many times prior to the draft that I wanted the Bills to select 2 WR's.

 

Several people on this board chided me, stating that "What good does drafting a #4 & 5 WR help the Bills."

 

It was always about the big picture. Brown & Beasley getting into their 30's and also only signed for just 2 more seasons. Not to mention the fact that this WR group was loaded with talent.

 

Honestly, did anyone else here feel confident going into the season with Foster, WIlliams, McKenzie & Roberts being our reserve group?

 

Our WR unit just got a lot better overall. Thank you, Mr. Beane. GO BILLS!!! 

PPl need to understand that often times it takes a year for WR's to develop which is why drafting them this year was so important......

 

To me its like our TE situaiton....we drafted TWO tight ends last year in Knox and Sweeney

 

Also liike our LB situation......we addressed it with a vet....IR'd Joseph (which is like getting a extra pick) and I imagine they are high on Dawson

 

You have to give those guys a chance to develop while there are veterans in front of them to play.....then as the season progresses and they start earning theri reps

 

The guys I expect to see the most time this year

 

Esparza (in a rotation)

Moss (in a rotation)

Possibly Bass

[DJB]

Beane spoke about adding talent and increased competition. 

 

I love that we added two guys. Neither really jump off the page for me but both could hopefully develop into a WR3 at some point. 

[Bob in STL]

^ Yes.  The new guys would likely  beat out Foster, Duke and McKenzie in a “normal” training camp and pre-season. But this one will be different and WR is not easy to learn.  
 

We get 2 more roster spots going as it goes up to 55.  I think we know that QB3 is Fromm, do we add a CB/WR/ O/L. ? 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Pump the brakes there fellas.  Last year they carried six WR. The first four are set - the trio of Diggs, Brown, and Beasley with Roberts set as a great return guy.  McKenzie is the gadget player that Daboll loves that is not in the skill set of the rookies.

 

That leaves one roster spot that presumably will go to Davis.  He will fill the Duke Williams role.  Foster will be gone.  And Hodgins may make the PS or tweak his hamstring in training camp so they can put him on IR for a year.  

[Bob in STL]

1 minute ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Pump the brakes there fellas.  Last year they carried six WR. The first four are set - the trio of Diggs, Brown, and Beasley with Roberts set as a great return guy.  McKenzie is the gadget player that Daboll loves that is not in the skill set of the rookies.

 

That leaves one roster spot that presumably will go to Davis.  He will fill the Duke Williams role.  Foster will be gone.  And Hodgins may make the PS or tweak his hamstring in training camp so they can put him on IR for a year.  

Or be roster player #55.  

[Turbo44]

17 minutes ago, DJB said:

Beane spoke about adding talent and increased competition. 

 

I love that we added two guys. Neither really jump off the page for me but both could hopefully develop into a WR3 at some point. 

 
gabriel was out running routes 30 minutes after he was done with draft interviews (about an hour after being drafted)

 

hodgins led all wrs in 20 sprint time and drop %. Not deep speed but at 6’4” with great hands he’ll be a red zone threat

[Malazan]

37 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

That leaves one roster spot that presumably will go to Davis.  He will fill the Duke Williams role.  Foster will be gone.  And Hodgins may make the PS or tweak his hamstring in training camp so they can put him on IR for a year.  

 

Neither rookie may make it onto the roster this year. Why does that "pump the brakes"? There's an old adage that it takes 3 years for a WR to develop. Beane's moves tend to have a defining characteristic of making sure he isn't locked into doing something he doesn't want to do. In 2-3 years those 'top 3' are likely to be moving on and/or due big pay raises. Drafting WRs before that means he won't be forced to hand out a contract he doesn't want to..

[Turbo44]

17 minutes ago, jeremy2020 said:

 

Neither rookie may make it onto the roster this year. Why does that "pump the brakes"? There's an old adage that it takes 3 years for a WR to develop. Beane's moves tend to have a defining characteristic of making sure he isn't locked into doing something he doesn't want to do. In 2-3 years those 'top 3' are likely to be moving on and/or due big pay raises. Drafting WRs before that means he won't be forced to hand out a contract he doesn't want to..

I think they both make the roster this year. Rosters are expanded, 4th rounders (Gabe) don’t get cut to PS and I think Hoskins would be grabbed but another team if moved to PS. Limited training camp will hurt them though

[BillsVet]

11 minutes ago, jeremy2020 said:

 

Neither rookie may make it onto the roster this year. Why does that "pump the brakes"? There's an old adage that it takes 3 years for a WR to develop. Beane's moves tend to have a defining characteristic of making sure he isn't locked into doing something he doesn't want to do. In 2-3 years those 'top 3' are likely to be moving on and/or due big pay raises. Drafting WRs before that means he won't be forced to hand out a contract he doesn't want to..

 

In fairness, Beane hasn't had any team draftees up for an extension yet.  Tre White figures to cash in, but he'll be the first.  

 

I disagree about receivers needing 2-3 years in the NFL to develop.  Plenty of rookies, even those in the 2nd, 3rd and even later rounds have produced out of the gate.  7 receivers after the 50th pick last year recorded more than 500 yards receiving and that was considered a weak class.  This year's class likely has to develop without a full off-season, but features a LOT more talent.  

 

I've read through coverage of Buffalo's two WR picks, Davis (4th) and Hodgins (6th).  Ultimately, they are the bigger framed types McD seems to have clamored for last season.  They're looking for a possession type and don't really have anyone on the roster resembling that aside from Duke Williams.  

[Punching Bag]

1 hour ago, Bob in STL said:

Or be roster player #55.  

 

There is no roster player #55 - there are 53 and they can elevate 2 from PS for a day (expecting they will be paid game day salary) before putting back on PS without being exposed to waivers.

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, Bob in STL said:

^ Yes.  The new guys would likely  beat out Foster, Duke and McKenzie in a “normal” training camp and pre-season. But this one will be different and WR is not easy to learn.  
 

We get 2 more roster spots going as it goes up to 55.  I think we know that QB3 is Fromm, do we add a CB/WR/ O/L. ? 

I think one of these two rookies makes the main roster and the other the PS. Still like to see Duke make it but I don't see Easley, McCloud, McKenzie or Foster surviving. Roberts is safe as the FT returner. As far as the draft goes, Diggs was the DRAFT. He was the prize and everyone else just gravy.

[Turbo44]

J

2 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

I think one of these two rookies makes the main roster and the other the PS. Still like to see Duke make it but I don't see Easley, McCloud, McKenzie or Foster surviving. Roberts is safe as the FT returner. As far as the draft goes, Diggs was the DRAFT. He was the prize and everyone else just gravy.

I could see McKenzie making it but not Duke. The two draft picks give us the size Duke has, equal speed but with much better hands. I don’t think Roberts is 100% safe either. The other thing to consider is injuries can occur 

[HappyDays]

Reading between the lines I think they would have picked a receiver at 54 if there had still been one they liked. Beane said after the draft there were no receivers left at 54 that they had a 2nd round grade on, which he said was unexpected. He also said Hodgins was rated lower than someone else that was available at that spot but he took Hodgins anyways because he liked his upside. No doubt in my mind he came into this draft wanting to draft 2 receivers no matter what. He recognized it as a good draft to add some much needed talent to the offense.

[Malazan]

1 hour ago, Turbo44 said:

I think they both make the roster this year. Rosters are expanded, 4th rounders (Gabe) don’t get cut to PS and I think Hoskins would be grabbed but another team if moved to PS. Limited training camp will hurt them though

 

I think they have a good chance, but ultimately it doesn't matter. They were drafted to avoid what is happening with the raiders or the jets this season. They're counting on rookies to come in and be #1. It's pretty rare that succeeds. It's already 50/50 and even less to get success the 1st season. Given that either Josh pans out and needs a contract or he doesn't and a new QB is going to need solid weapons...drafting receivers in a deep draft (with the bonus of expanded rosters possibly making getting them on the roster easier) is a savvy move.

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, Turbo44 said:

J

I could see McKenzie making it but not Duke. The two draft picks give us the size Duke has, equal speed but with much better hands. I don’t think Roberts is 100% safe either. The other thing to consider is injuries can occur 

Good point about their size. If Duke makes that catch he's a legend?  But he may be gone. If Davis and Hodgins can at least catch the damn ball (better than Zay & Kelvin) then there in. By the way there are no reliable return guys other than Roberts. 

[Charles Romes]

We finally have a receiver room that can grow new receivers 

[Kirby Jackson]

I heard that the Bills tried to trade up for Devin Duvernay but couldn’t get a deal done. That likely is how we ended up with Davis (who I like too). Davis will be able to stretch the field and insulate them against an injury on the outside. 
 

Hodgins is a big body that was a decent shot at that point in the draft. He’s a jump ball guy. I’m on record as saying that his lack of separation would be an issue at the next level. He has a chance to make the roster but likely ends up on the PS IMO. If he makes the team he will be primarily used in the red zone. Hodgins is a good candidate to be one of the PS guys to see some game action (although I still don’t totally understand how guys 54 & 55 work). 
 

I think that the roster will look like this at WR:

- Diggs

- Brown 

- Beasley

- Davis
- McKenzie

- Duke

 

Roberts return specialist 

Hodgins PS