Gabe Davis Off-season?

[SydneyBillsFan]

On 5/9/2023 at 6:48 AM, Allen2Diggs said:

Bulking up isn't usually beneficial to a receiver as it can limit flexibility and hinder your ability to contort your body to catch passes.

 

Hopefully, he focuses on flexibility and route running this offseason instead of adding muscle.

 

What he needs is to head on down to Lowe's and get some Tarzan's Grip or whatever super strength adhesive they sell in the states.

[TBBills Fan]

I asked Terry about Gabe.  And he told me with that look in his eye, the man is gonna breakout this year.  Take it for what its worth

[newcam2012]

On 5/10/2023 at 8:16 PM, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

There are fluid, dynamic route runners like Stefon Diggs who can run about any route and win.    Davis is a very different type of receiver.   He's a big, relatively mechanical mover who wins with buildup speed and long strides.    Factor in having a (chronically?) injured ankle/foot for 3 straight years now and you have a guy who is going to have a much more limited route tree to win with.     

This is correct. What also limits his routes are his stiff hips which limits his ability to create separation quickly. This is the very reason why he rarely catches or is targeted with short passes. His limitations allow CBs more predictability. This is why he only an average at best WR2. The Bills clearly need an upgrade. 

Edited May 22, 2023 by newcam2012

[eball]

2 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

sniffer like hips

 

I’m gonna need further explanation on this one…

 

[Franco_92]

7 hours ago, BuffaloBaumer said:

Played right in front of Gabe yesterday at Harvest Hill and talked to him quite a bit in between holes. This guy could not be any nicer and he genuinely loves it here. He said it's all in Beane's hands so tough to say what happens. Mentioned that Allen is best golfer on the team but I guess we already knew that. I gave him a couple Bills Mafia golf balls and said I hope you are here for the long haul. Anyway, just a really nice guy.

I'm such a sucker for tidbits like this, that don't get laundered through social media teams/media in general. Even when it's as inconsequential as this. One of the reasons I love this place 

[finn]

2 hours ago, TBBills Fan said:

I asked Terry about Gabe.  And he told me with that look in his eye, the man is gonna breakout this year.  Take it for what its worth

Well, remember last year when he said he had been lifting all offseason and had put on five+ pounds of muscle? I was optimistic then. Less so now. 

[newcam2012]

1 hour ago, eball said:

 

I’m gonna need further explanation on this one…

 

Oops type STIFFER HIPS

[finn]

9 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Yea… I’ve lost hope on Davis as a potential legit number 2. It’s not just his horrible ankles, but his catching mechanics are also awful…. Just have to hope Shakir ascends and they can feed Kincaid to take pressure off Davis. 

Not to trash Davis completely. He did have that magnificent TD where he wrenched the ball away from Minkah Fitzpatrick. That was All-Pro stuff. But I'll never forgot how he dropped that 65-yard Allen bomb at the end of the Jets game that hit him in stride on the numbers. He's better than a #3 receiver but not reliable or talented enough to be a true #2. 

[John from Riverside]

3 minutes ago, finn said:

Not to trash Davis completely. He did have that magnificent TD where he wrenched the ball away from Minkah Fitzpatrick. That was All-Pro stuff. But I'll never forgot how he dropped that 65-yard Allen bomb at the end of the Jets game that hit him in stride on the numbers. He's better than a #3 receiver but not reliable or talented enough to be a true #2. 

That’s kind of where I sit with him
It’s not that he’s a bad player he’s just not a number two not a legitimate number two in the mold of what the Bengals have for instance

 

In past years, we always brought in a veteran guy that was good enough to take pressure off of Davis this last year we made Davis the focus and it didn’t work out. I am always wary of guys that are in their contract year because they are going to ball out to get that money whenever it comes to contract negotiations. 

[hondo in seattle]

I wonder if Gabe's route-running limitations mean we might see Sherfield on the field in his place in some situations/packages?

[hondo in seattle]

On 5/9/2023 at 8:01 PM, Beck Water said:

 

I dunno if Gabe has a "limited route tree" or not.  I believe that was something Patrick Peterson said about him after he picked a ball Josh intended for Gabe.

You can look at the routes he was asked to run here

https://nextgenstats.nfl.com/charts/player/gabriel-davis/DAV329675/season

 

I personally think the stuff an opponent says about the team should be taken with a gram or two of salt.

 

Here's what Peterson said:

 

"I was on Gabe Davis, and I could show you in my notes the routes that Gabe Davis runs: posts, digs, slants occasionally. ... Buffalo's concept in the red zone is laser, meaning they use the No. 2 receiver as a clear-out guy running to the opposite pylon and the No. 1 receiver is running a dig. They also love to run a double-post, that's quarters-beater, and that's what we were in. Going back to my film study, I knew he was an in-breaking receiver, he showed that all game. ..." 

 

When I read the entire Petersen interview after the game, fairly or unfairly, I thought two things: (1) Dorsey is too predictable, and (2) defending Davis is too easy because he can't - or isn't asked to - run the entire route tree.  

 

www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/vikings-patrick-peterson-called-his-game-winning-ot-interception-of-josh-allen-i-am-going-to-go-pick-this/

[Buffalo_Stampede]

17 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Here's what Peterson said:

 

"I was on Gabe Davis, and I could show you in my notes the routes that Gabe Davis runs: posts, digs, slants occasionally. ... Buffalo's concept in the red zone is laser, meaning they use the No. 2 receiver as a clear-out guy running to the opposite pylon and the No. 1 receiver is running a dig. They also love to run a double-post, that's quarters-beater, and that's what we were in. Going back to my film study, I knew he was an in-breaking receiver, he showed that all game. ..." 

 

When I read the entire Petersen interview after the game, fairly or unfairly, I thought two things: (1) Dorsey is too predictable, and (2) defending Davis is too easy because he can't - or isn't asked to - run the entire route tree.  

 

www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/vikings-patrick-peterson-called-his-game-winning-ot-interception-of-josh-allen-i-am-going-to-go-pick-this/

It was 2nd and 10 and Josh Allen played it like 4th and 10. 

Davis ran the route like he wasn’t getting the football.

 

 

 

[BuffaloBaumer]

I would extend Davis right now without any hesitation. He is going to have a monster year and will be gone next year if he hits FA. If they wait to give an offer, it's gonna cost them 17-20 million. If they get this done now, it's going to be closer to 13-15 mil. Being fully healthy and adding Kincaid is going to do wonders for this kid. He will be the #1 Wr in FA if he hits the market...

[Beck Water]

On 5/23/2023 at 7:43 AM, John from Riverside said:

That’s kind of where I sit with him
It’s not that he’s a bad player he’s just not a number two not a legitimate number two in the mold of what the Bengals have for instance

 

In past years, we always brought in a veteran guy that was good enough to take pressure off of Davis this last year we made Davis the focus and it didn’t work out. I am always wary of guys that are in their contract year because they are going to ball out to get that money whenever it comes to contract negotiations. 

 

I think it's notable that when folks here talk about #2 WR, they always bring up the Bengals.  Second in frequency, the Dolphins.

 

Yes, the Bengals have a far far better WR core and are better at #2 and #3 than the Bills.  They've put more resources into it.

The Dolphins have a better 1-2 punch at WR than the Bills

The Eagles do.

 

But there are 29 other teams in the league.  Not measuring up to arguably the two best WR corps in the league, really doesn't make Davis "not a legitimate #2" overall.  He's literally #34 in Y/G with only the #2 receivers of those 3 teams above him.

 

I think one really has to look at the Bills offense as a whole in evaluating Davis.  One point of view is that the real problems weren't that Davis didn't step up, it's that we had no consistent and legitimate threat to fill the role that Beasley had over the middle.  And, when we did have short options with good potential for YAC, Josh usually rejected them in favor of trying the lower percentage "kill shot" to a well-covered Davis.  Sometimes that worked spectacularly, other times it killed drives or resulted in turnovers.

I think the fact that the Bills invested in Kincaid (a potential over the middle option) and only went for a potential deep threat WR in the 5th round speaks that perhaps they see it the same way, as well.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Beck Water

[Beck Water]

On 5/23/2023 at 11:50 AM, Buffalo_Stampede said:

It was 2nd and 10 and Josh Allen played it like 4th and 10. 

Davis ran the route like he wasn’t getting the football.

 

I dunno about Davis running the route like he wasn't getting the football, but I agree that both Dorsey and Josh had become too predictable.  McKenzie at the R pylon would have been a better option on that play - he had his defender "boxed out" and Josh could have placed the ball where it was McKenzie's or no ones.

[Bockeye]

Hand transplant this off-season. 

[LabattBlue]

22 hours ago, BuffaloBaumer said:

I would extend Davis right now without any hesitation. He is going to have a monster year and will be gone next year if he hits FA. If they wait to give an offer, it's gonna cost them 17-20 million. If they get this done now, it's going to be closer to 13-15 mil. Being fully healthy and adding Kincaid is going to do wonders for this kid. He will be the #1 Wr in FA if he hits the market...

Sorry…not going to happen.  IMO…he is no longer a Bill come the 2024 season. 

[Royale with Cheese]

5 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

No thanks… let him show out in a contract year and let him walk if he finds consistency and his ankles don’t give out on him yet again… not interested in paying Davis on a discount to have him drop balls and roll his ankles as an unreliable #2 receiver.

 

Yeah I'm with you here.

 

He is going to put up good stat sheet numbers.  He will again be around 800 yards with 6-8 TD's and 40-45 catches.

 

He's a big play guy and that's it.  He's not going to be consistently open or consistently have solid to good games.  It's either awesome or nothing.

 

If we are going to get that sort of production, give me a blazing fast guy or big body that gets 3-4 targets a game.

 

Let Diggs and Kincaid get the vast majority of the targets and spread everything else out.  Get Knox more involved.