Ladd McConkey

[GunnerBill]

29 minutes ago, Billl said:

I agree with your point about being able to influence matchups more easily out of the slot, but that can’t be dispositive in terms of whether or not you draft a blue chip player.  I’ve seen this used to explain away why they didn’t draft McConkey or Xavier Worthy, but if you’re passing on guys who played a combined 36 games and put up 2400 yards and 20 TDs as rookies because they “don’t fit”, then something is fundamentally broken.  This is especially true given that they drafted Coleman instead who is arguably a better fit in the slot but they’re trying to convert to an outside receiver anyway.

 

I was higher on both McConkey and Worthy than I was on Coleman. Of the three I thought then, and think now, that Worthy is the best of the three as an outside receiver. So it isn't a defence of the Bills point at all for me. But you need outside receivers in the NFL and the Bills went into the draft with only Mack Hollins, I think they came out of the draft with only Mack Hollins basically too. And they ended up trading away a 3rd in mid season because of it. McConkey would not have fixed that and that is a major problem for Buffalo. If they were taking a receiver it should have been a guy who plays outside. I was in on the idea of a small trade up for BTJ. If it cost us a day 2 pick, so be it. 

[3rdand12]

Should we expect McBeanes to take care of this problem this year ? and how ? I think we all agree its in the top 3 priorities

Some one mentioned Higgins wouldn't come here to play in Brady's offense...
 Well that leaves out Adams etc.

Whats the solution when Bills need an impact player outside the Ravens will respect ?

[reddogblitz]

I watched a couple of Chargers game this year and saw MCConkey and figured him to be a wily veteran at first. Then I found out he was a rookie.  Holy cow, why didn't we draft him?  Gets open and catches the football.  Just the kind of guy we need.  Oh well.

Edited February 14 by reddogblitz

[Magox]

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.

 

 

[RoscoeParrish]

6 minutes ago, 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.

 

 

Ladd had the 6th highest slot snaps in the league. 
 

he played in the slot 64.6% of the time.

 

our own slot guy, Shakir, played in the slot 70% of the time.

 

He is a slot.

[Augie]

5 minutes ago, RoscoeParrish said:

Ladd had the 6th highest slot snaps in the league. 
 

he played in the slot 64.6% of the time.

 

our own slot guy, Shakir, played in the slot 70% of the time.

 

He is a slot.

 

I watched a lot of him at UGA and always thought of him as a smart, gritty football player. I really liked him coming out, but I see his best usage as being mostly in the slot, and that was a bit redundant for us. I do love him and I expect a fine career for him, but it wasn’t a fit here at the time, imo. That’s how things roll, sometimes. 

[RoscoeParrish]

8 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I watched a lot of him at UGA and always thought of him as a smart, gritty football player. I really liked him coming out, but I see his best usage as being mostly in the slot, and that was a bit redundant for us. I do love him and I expect a fine career for him, but it wasn’t a fit here at the time, imo. That’s how things roll, sometimes. 

Yeah, he's a great player.

 

If someone wants to make the argument we could have made it work with McConkey, I get it.

 

you can’t argue he’s not a slot guy though. 

[nuklz2594]

Ladd and shakir would've been sweet. I hope Coleman works out. Reminds me of Hardy.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

I've called it out elsewhere, but McConkey's hand size is an issue in buffalo.  It might not be an issue in a dome, but 8 1/2 inch hands in buffalo where its wet and snowy - is a concern.  

[Captain Hindsight]

3 minutes ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

I've called it out elsewhere, but McConkey's hand size is an issue in buffalo.  It might not be an issue in a dome, but 8 1/2 inch hands in buffalo where its wet and snowy - is a concern.  

[JerseyBills]

Very optimistic Keon will be more valuable to US 

We have Shakir already,  an elite slot, even if Keon doesn't become elite but at least very good, it'll mean more to this roster 

 

We have someone that can do what Ladd does, we don't have a Keon 

Edited Wednesday at 08:02 PM by JerseyBills

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, 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.

 

 

Lol now do Napoleon’s tweet about how all is going well on the Russian front.

[gobills404]

6 minutes ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

I've called it out elsewhere, but McConkey's hand size is an issue in buffalo.  It might not be an issue in a dome, but 8 1/2 inch hands in buffalo where its wet and snowy - is a concern.  

He caught 8 of 10 passes for for 94 yards and 2 TDs on a cold and rainy day in New England last year.

[SoonerBillsFan]

Just the name makes me want to puke. He was my #2 WR I wanted (#1 realistically) 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

8 minutes ago, gobills404 said:

He caught 8 of 10 passes for for 94 yards and 2 TDs on a cold and rainy day in New England last year.

 

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.  

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, 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.

 

 

 

When has he proven that?

1 hour ago, RoscoeParrish said:

Ladd had the 6th highest slot snaps in the league. 
 

he played in the slot 64.6% of the time.

 

our own slot guy, Shakir, played in the slot 70% of the time.

 

He is a slot.

 

He also got over 64% of his production in the slot. His production split was more like 70/30. It is beyond any level of reasonable doubt that he is a slot. If people want to argue that he is a big upgrade on Shakir and therefore worth the investment, fine. I'll listen to that. I do think his is a tier of slot above Shakir. But my feeling at the time and still now was the Bills dhould strive for an upgrade out wide. 

[gobills404]

1 hour 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.  

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.

Edited Wednesday at 09:35 PM by gobills404

[Brandon]

14 minutes 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.

 

The thing is,  three of his first five games were at 50%.  After that,  he was under 70% just three times including playoffs,  and those three times were in the 60s.

 

I suspect that difference is an aberration...just a guy adjusting to the NFL in his first few games in the league.

Edited Wednesday at 09:47 PM by Brandon

[Wallymo]

On 2/13/2025 at 3:35 PM, Don Otreply said:

Does Ladd have a sister, and is her name Lass? 
 

that’s what’s is the question no one has asked…, 

 

Cheryl. (70's callback)

[3rdand12]

On 2/12/2025 at 8:06 PM, SoonerBillsFan said:

I did. I pounded the table repeatedly and I was told, right here, he wouldn't be a good outside WR.

I read he was a pure inside guy repeatedly, not just here.

 Seemed redundant for what we had and what we needed.

 Still not sure they got it right , even with FA

 I wanted two DTs and two WRs lol