Ladd McConkey

[MJS]

We have plenty of slot players. We needed an outside threat. And ironically, I think Keon Coleman is best as a big slot. So... I guess we'll see how everything goes this year. Coleman needs to be an outside answer.

[Magox]

Bingo

 

 

[Rousseauisnoschmo]

We need a defense that can stop KC in the playoffs.

[YoloinOhio]

“Ladd”

[Billl]

4 hours ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

His catch percentage went from 79.3 in a dome and 73.7 in a retroof - to 62.9% outdoors.  Pretty much every stat trended down.  

 

It's a small sample size, and as a slot type he's always going to get targets that prop up the numbers like catch percentage.  His hands are smaller than ray davis FWIW.  

Quarterbacks have lower production outdoors than indoors.  He had 3 games where he caught less than 67% of his targets:

 

September 15th, Carolina:  78 degrees and sunny with 13 mph wind

September 22nd, Pittsburgh:  72 degrees and sunny with 2 mph wind

October 13th, Denver: 65 degrees and sunny with 7 mph wind

 

Somehow I don’t think the elements or his hand size or his zodiac sign or whatever had any sort of correlation to his catch percentage.  He’s a stud in Los Angeles, and he’d have been a stud in Dallas or Buffalo or anywhere else.

[NewEra]

I was hoping to hear us call Ladd or Dejean, but neither were really ideal for what we needed (a slot WR and slot corner).  When I hear Keons name, I shrugged and jumped on board because I thought he made sense.  I still think he makes more sense than both of those guys.  

[finn]

On 2/14/2025 at 6:05 PM, 3rdand12 said:

Some one mentioned Higgins wouldn't come here to play in Brady's offense...

First I head anything like this. Is Brady's offense somehow unappealing to some receivers? If so, how? 

[RoscoeParrish]

1 hour ago, Magox said:

Bingo

 

 

Chris Hogan routinely played under 50% of his snaps in the slot.

 

do you know why?

 

its not because of his skin color 

[BillsFanForever19]

On 8/13/2025 at 2:43 PM, Magox said:

It’s painfully obvious that Those who claimed that Ladd is just a slot guy were typecasting him as such.  Dude can ball out no matter where he lines up.

 

 

 

On 8/13/2025 at 7:57 PM, Magox said:

Bingo

 

 

 

First off, are you okay? You're reviving dead threads to rehash and argue a dead issue based on quotes from the player and randos, that is just time and again factually proven incorrect.

 

But to move on to Ladd's point, of course he doesn't want to be thought of as a Slot. When the time comes for a new contract, they get paid less. But the answer to his statement is really simple - the "slot stereotype" comes from his usage. The stats definitively show, he's a Slot.

 

Khalil Shakir is our Slot. No one questions that, right? Well his snap percentage from the Slot was 70% last season. No one takes 100% of their snaps on the Outside or the Inside as a WR. So our unquestioned Slot was at 70% and what was Ladd McConkey's Slot snap percentage? 65% 

 

There's a difference between a guy who "can play outside" and an Outside WR. He took 35% of his snaps on the Outside or out of the backfield (as Shakir took 30% of his snaps on the Outside or out of the backfield). That doesn't mean he can live there. He's a Slot like Shakir is a Slot.

 

If the Chargers felt McConkey was an Outside WR, he'd be taking 65% of his snaps on the Outside and 35% on the Inside instead of the other way around. And likely more than that, as Keon Coleman took 89% of snaps from the Outside. If the Chargers felt he was an Outside WR, they wouldn't have spent another 2nd Round Pick on a True Outside WR this year to replace Joshua Palmer. They'd have just slid McConkey over and then Drafted a Slot instead.

 

We didn't need a WR you "can play Outside" in certain packages. We needed a guy who could live there. We needed someone who could take 89% of snaps on the Outside, not 35%. Because we had 3 guys who were Inside or Inside/Outside guys, but no one to replace Diggs or Davis, save for Mack Hollins. And in both College, his evaluation coming into the League, and how he was used in his Rookie season, Ladd McConkey has not been that or done that.

Edited August 15 by BillsFanForever19

[T.E.]

3 hours ago, MJS said:

We have plenty of slot players. We needed an outside threat. And ironically, I think Keon Coleman is best as a big slot. So... I guess we'll see how everything goes this year. Coleman needs to be an outside answer.

I like his potential for the reasons you stated. It's nice to have a big-body receiver, especially one with a basketball pedigree that can leap. We need to be throwing him a couple of long jump balls every game. Worst-case scenario we have a few picks that are effectively arm-punts.

[Thrivefourfive]

Let’s get Beane for this! Can’t let him rest of his Jimbo laurels. Not only was he targeting a position (should always be BPA! Right?), but he didn’t even go Best WR Available. He was in the weeds with body type. Ladd streaking across a deep safety on a skinny post is miles better than some jump balls that are half out of bounds. Take that Beane! (:bows down and begs for forgiveness:)

[BillsFanForever19]

3 hours ago, NewEra said:

I was hoping to hear us call Ladd or Dejean, but neither were really ideal for what we needed (a slot WR and slot corner).  When I hear Keons name, I shrugged and jumped on board because I thought he made sense.  I still think he makes more sense than both of those guys.  

 

I wanted to hear Adonai Mitchell. As he continued to slide, word came out why he slid and I thought "okay, Keon makes sense then". Bc as far as what we needed, Keon and Mitchell were the only two worth taking there and then I felt there was a drop off after them. I was shocked to see Ja'Lynn Polk go 4 picks later but it just went to show how slim the pickens were if you wanted an Outside guy at that point.

[NewEra]

5 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

I wanted to hear Adonai Mitchell. As he continued to slide, word came out why he slid and I thought "okay, Keon makes sense then". Bc as far as what we needed, Keon and Mitchell were the only two worth taking there and then I felt there was a drop off after them. I was shocked to see Ja'Lynn Polk go 4 picks later but it just went to show how slim the pickens were if you wanted an Outside guy at that point.

Something about Mitchell’s personality that I didn’t like.  Once he ran the 40, I figured he would be the guy for us if he was still there.  Sounds like he’s having a great camp so far.  It’ll be interesting to see how the targets shake out in Indy.  Pittman, downs, pierce, Mitchell and Tyler Warren.  Impressive talent.  Depressive QB play

[4merper4mer]

9 hours ago, RoscoeParrish said:

Chris Hogan routinely played under 50% of his snaps in the slot.

 

do you know why?

 

its not because of his skin color 

I don’t know much about lacrosse but is it something to do with that?

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

11 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

“Ladd”

Sounds like a made up name from Seinfeld.  Like 'Joe Mayo'. 🤔🤨

[DCofNC]

10 hours ago, finn said:

First I head anything like this. Is Brady's offense somehow unappealing to some receivers? If so, how? 

Unappealing to all WRs so far, it’s 50% run plays and no one alpha gets all the targets.  Why would any WR want to come here and lose Money for themselves?

[YattaOkasan]

23 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

Unappealing to all WRs so far, it’s 50% run plays and no one alpha gets all the targets.  Why would any WR want to come here and lose Money for themselves?

Catching passes from Allen is the answer.  Mack Hollins is pretty happy after a year of catching passes from Josh.  So I would say your point (if true) applies more to higher echelon WR than mid to lower level WR who probably feel they have a better chance to get targets with Brady.  Considering our best route for getting WR1 type talent is through the draft (cause we really dont have cap to get a WR1 through FA), I dont think this matters.  

Edited August 14 by YattaOkasan

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

15 hours ago, gobills404 said:

Fair point but I’d imagine the vast majority of players receiving stats also trend downwards, although maybe not as drastically as Ladd. Also where’d you get those numbers from? Not saying I don’t believe I’d just like to see that breakdown for other players as well.

I usually use pro football reference.  If you select an individual player you can look at individual splits like indoor/outdoor, home and road, etc.  

11 hours ago, NewEra said:

I was hoping to hear us call Ladd or Dejean, but neither were really ideal for what we needed (a slot WR and slot corner).  When I hear Keons name, I shrugged and jumped on board because I thought he made sense.  I still think he makes more sense than both of those guys.  

 

I liked Dejean too.  Just seemed to pop in the plays that i watched and didn't seem limited to inside or outside corner.  

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

10 hours ago, T.E. said:

I like his potential for the reasons you stated. It's nice to have a big-body receiver, especially one with a basketball pedigree that can leap. We need to be throwing him a couple of long jump balls every game. Worst-case scenario we have a few picks that are effectively arm-punts.

 

It's a skillset we haven't really had - and another counter to handsy defensive players.  Nothing more deflating than getting mossed.  If they can master the back-shoulder too, these types of players are a nightmare in 1x1.  

Edited August 14 by Bleeding Bills Blue

[finn]

1 hour ago, DCofNC said:

Unappealing to all WRs so far, it’s 50% run plays and no one alpha gets all the targets.  Why would any WR want to come here and lose Money for themselves?

I get it, thanks. I guess the answer is to win a Super Bowl, but I get that many receivers are more interested in their stats and paycheck. Thanks.