Do the Bills Under Appreciate Gabe Davis?

[Sharky7337]

No

[BuffaloBillyG]

3 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Missed 2 games in 3 years.  got nearly 1000 yards total last season despite high ankle sprain in September...

Reportedly played injured most of the season. Beane chalks many of his struggles up to that. Has had seemingly chronic ankle issues most of his career. Missing games isn't the only indication of health. 

 

And notice I didn't say one of his issues was his yardage. I mentioned consistency as almost 20% of that 836 yardage season came in 1 game on 3 catches. Just under 1/8th of his output for the year came on one play. 

 

He's a big play waiting to happen. He's also a ghost town from time to time. 

 

I happen to like Gabe Davis. I have defended him here many times. However I also think it's fair to point out there are some things that hold him back. He's a good WR2. If he can play injury free and be more consistent he could be a great one. 

 

Outside of Allen, Davis has the most potential to benefit from the improvement on the IOL this year IMO. The routes they ask him to run take time. Without the immediate pressure in Allen's face hopefully Davis has time to set up his routes. He could break out this year. 

[oldmanfan]

Davis was hurt a lot of the season.  I anticipate a much better year.

[Mr. WEO]

2 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Reportedly played injured most of the season. Beane chalks many of his struggles up to that. Has had seemingly chronic ankle issues most of his career. Missing games isn't the only indication of health. 

 

And notice I didn't say one of his issues was his yardage. I mentioned consistency as almost 20% of that 836 yardage season came in 1 game on 3 catches. Just under 1/8th of his output for the year came on one play. 

 

He's a big play waiting to happen. He's also a ghost town from time to time. 

 

I happen to like Gabe Davis. I have defended him here many times. However I also think it's fair to point out there are some things that hold him back. He's a good WR2. If he can play injury free and be more consistent he could be a great one. 

 

Outside of Allen, Davis has the most potential to benefit from the improvement on the IOL this year IMO. The routes they ask him to run take time. Without the immediate pressure in Allen's face hopefully Davis has time to set up his routes. He could break out this year. 

 

Agreed.  My point is he plays injured and had a huge increase in his production over the previous season.  Every #2 receiver gets a chunk in one big game here and there.

 

Look at Diggs: huge first half of the season...after week 9 he went to sleep. 

[PBF81]

If there's someone better on the roster, I'm sure they'll replace Davis with that WR.  Until that time ... 

[BuffaloBillyG]

8 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Agreed.  My point is he plays injured and had a huge increase in his production over the previous season.  Every #2 receiver gets a chunk in one big game here and there.

 

Look at Diggs: huge first half of the season...after week 9 he went to sleep. 

Oh, absolutely. His production increased, however fair to point out that his opportunity also increased with more playtime. 

 

He does play injured and I believe that is something that he was held back by. Could it have actually helped him to miss a couple extra games and come back better healed? Who knows.

 

I was always taught (and can still 20 years later hear my coach's voice say) "Catching the ball starts with your feet". Thought he was a moron at the time...but it's true.

[Mr. WEO]

1 minute ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Oh, absolutely. His production increased, however fair to point out that his opportunity also increased with more playtime. 

 

He does play injured and I believe that is something that he was held back by. Could it have actually helped him to miss a couple extra games and come back better healed? Who knows.

 

I was always taught (and can still 20 years later hear my coach's voice say) "Catching the ball starts with your feet". Thought he was a moron at the time...but it's true.

 

Yup more reps, more touches did the trick. I'd take the  occasional drops, given the 17+ per catch and production: 88% of his receptions were for 1st downs or TDs.

[DJB]

 

[BADOLBILZ]

10 hours ago, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

 

I agree. But he's still likely the starting #2 outside receiver. But he should be behind Knox or Kincaid in targets and maybe tied with our slot receiver. Gabe can possibly be a long-term solution for the #2 receiver spot. He just shouldn't be the second most targeted pass catcher. Gabe was at his best as the #2 outside receiver when Diggs and Beasley were 1 and 2 in targets. 

 

 

I think this will be Gabe's best season of his career, one way or another because walk years generally create a "me against the world" motivational scenario.  

 

But I don't think he can be the Bills long term solution as WR2.   I think as a boundary-exclusive WR2....4 targets per game kinda' guy, yes........but as clearly the 3rd or 4th option.    

 

In that scenario I think the slot guy or TE needs to be amazing to draw 80-120 targets or that guy needs to be a true all-around WR who can play the slot or move outside and threaten CB's on almost every route.    Like Emmanuel Sanders was when he was younger.

 

Gabe's comp is Marquez Valdes-Scantling.......their games(and stats) are remarkably similar.   Nobody would look at MVS from an outside fan perspective and say that guy is a long term solution at WR2 in KC.   He has a clearly defined role and that's the same role Gabe should have, IMO.

 

Our expectations for Gabe got way too high.  He's long legged and stiff without natural hands and often exhibits inexplicably poor technique for an NFL WR.  His always-injured ankle doesn't help matters but he's not breaking opposing DB's off on short routes either way, that's not his game.  

 

He's a long strider and with great size who can eat up nickel and dime DB's who aren't built to mirror him on his longer routes.   JA17 brings out the best in Gabe because his huge arm creates tons of extra real estate for Gabe to use.   He's basically playing on a bigger field than most WR because of it.  And also because the time that Allen buys allows Davis to get open in ways he'd never have time to with a quick release pocket statue QB.   

 

It's reasons like this that I've also compared Gabe to a modern day Alvin Harper.   Harper just got to do the things he did well in Dallas because the running game and their other receiving options made it so.   His stats said he was a WR1 and he got paid like that by Tampa and then asked to play against better corners and with much less room to work and he became one of the all-time worst free agent signings of the 1990's.

[John from Riverside]

I think the bills love him
 

Way more than the fans do

 

The drops are troubling. Hopefully he can clear that up this year

But if they don’t sign them to an extension before the season, he’s gone it doesn’t matter if he is a superb number three some team will pay him to be a number two

[Maine-iac]

Looking at the big picture the passing game in general dipped the second half of the season (2022) and we employed more of the running game and finished the season strong ................... and then all but abandoned it in January.  The Miami game we came out stomping on them and then up two scores we are throwing and let them back in the game.  Ultimately what I'm saying is run the ball more and the passing stats will become more efficient.  I'm not sure there would be a ton more yardage and touchdowns but the efficiency of the passing game would be a lot better if we tried to run the ball and hit a few check downs instead of throwing 70 something times at Davis at an average of almost 16 yards down the field.

[GETTOTHE50]

Davis is not the reason why we’re winning or losing the majority of the games.

in other words, he's slightly above JAG status. 
 

 

[Dr.Sack]

I’m willing to see how he does in his age 24 season. Look up Diggs stats 2015-2017. Sub 1,000 every year. Didn’t get 1,000 until age 25 season.

[BarleyNY]

3 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

I think the bills love him
 

Way more than the fans do

 

The drops are troubling. Hopefully he can clear that up this year

But if they don’t sign them to an extension before the season, he’s gone it doesn’t matter if he is a superb number three some team will pay him to be a number two

 

I think it’s easy to love a 4th round pick that has produced at the level Davis has - while he’s on his rookie contract. But the Bills haven’t extended him yet. I think next offseason he’ll find a team willing to pay him $10M AAV but I doubt it’ll be the Bills. And that’s okay if it plays out like that. We tip our hat to him for what he’s done here and he gets paid. 

[BuffaloBillyG]

3 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

I think the bills love him
 

Way more than the fans do

 

The drops are troubling. Hopefully he can clear that up this year

But if they don’t sign them to an extension before the season, he’s gone it doesn’t matter if he is a superb number three some team will pay him to be a number two

From an organization standpoint it's easy to see why the Bills would love him. Beane has said MANY MANY times that when it comes to Davis no one outworks him. I believe that. He's also a willing and very solid run blocker. He seems to have a good attitude and doesn't seem to create any kind of drama. He's got upside. Honestly there are times when he remind me of a young Robert Woods. Most of all he's solid value on a rookie contract for what he can provide.

 

And I will agree. Someone would overpay based on all of that thinking "we can get him to the next level". In my mind his baseline would be somewhere around Allen Lazard's contract on the open market. 4/44M sounds in the neighborhood. I've seen that the Packers are projected to see a 5th round comp pick off that. 

 

[WyoAZBillfan]

4 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

I think this will be Gabe's best season of his career, one way or another because walk years generally create a "me against the world" motivational scenario.  

 

But I don't think he can be the Bills long term solution as WR2.   I think as a boundary-exclusive WR2....4 targets per game kinda' guy, yes........but as clearly the 3rd or 4th option.    

 

In that scenario I think the slot guy or TE needs to be amazing to draw 80-120 targets or that guy needs to be a true all-around WR who can play the slot or move outside and threaten CB's on almost every route.    Like Emmanuel Sanders was when he was younger.

 

Gabe's comp is Marquez Valdes-Scantling.......their games(and stats) are remarkably similar.   Nobody would look at MVS from an outside fan perspective and say that guy is a long term solution at WR2 in KC.   He has a clearly defined role and that's the same role Gabe should have, IMO.

 

Our expectations for Gabe got way too high.  He's long legged and stiff without natural hands and often exhibits inexplicably poor technique for an NFL WR.  His always-injured ankle doesn't help matters but he's not breaking opposing DB's off on short routes either way, that's not his game.  

 

He's a long strider and with great size who can eat up nickel and dime DB's who aren't built to mirror him on his longer routes.   JA17 brings out the best in Gabe because his huge arm creates tons of extra real estate for Gabe to use.   He's basically playing on a bigger field than most WR because of it.  And also because the time that Allen buys allows Davis to get open in ways he'd never have time to with a quick release pocket statue QB.   

 

It's reasons like this that I've also compared Gabe to a modern day Alvin Harper.   Harper just got to do the things he did well in Dallas because the running game and their other receiving options made it so.   His stats said he was a WR1 and he got paid like that by Tampa and then asked to play against better corners and with much less room to work and he became one of the all-time worst free agent signings of the 1990's.

Just a disagreement of opinion is all from me. The comparison with Harper is wrong on so many levels, except he was a horrible signing (much like many of the Cowboys who walked). 
Gabe has shown he can play, like manny other players around the league a good QB makes anyone look better. Brady, Farve, Rodgers, Elway all done it at some point with WRs. 
To my eyes KD has to do better and from what people said the deep throws due to 17s injury didn’t help end of year. Gabe will be fine if the team opens up the field and vice-versa, he will pull coverage from others. 

[Solomon Grundy]

4 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

I think the bills love him
 

Way more than the fans do

 

The drops are troubling. Hopefully he can clear that up this year

But if they don’t sign them to an extension before the season, he’s gone it doesn’t matter if he is a superb number three some team will pay him to be a number two

They LOVE ALL their draft picks more than the fans do!! 

[Dopey]

1 hour ago, Solomon Grundy said:

They LOVE ALL their draft picks more than the fans do!! 

And that’s a good thing. They’re better at this than the fans. 

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

Gave Davis was overrated based on his performance in the KC game. Not sure if they were blown coverages, but Gabe was alone in the end zone uncontested on at least two of his touchdowns. His skill set, while valuable, is too limited for him to be considered a top WR2

[John from Riverside]

9 hours ago, GETTOTHE50 said:

Davis is not the reason why we’re winning or losing the majority of the games.

in other words, he's slightly above JAG status. 
 

 

I think he’s a little better than that
The problem is, if he gets to free agency, somebody will pay him way more than that