Gabe Davis signing with the Bills (going to practice squad)

[Royale with Cheese]

32 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yes and in his third year had a thousand yards, just shy of 400 of them in 3 games with 5 games under 40. That is the point. #2 and #3 options in the NFL often have their production spread unevenly and are more gameplan dependent. That is just the NFL and is true even of really, really good #2 options like Jameson Williams. 

 

You are not wrong about Gabe's production being unevenly spread. It just isn't really proof of anything. That is kind of how the league is.

 

EDIT: want some other examples?

 

Jaylen Waddle in 2024: 744 yards, 47% of them in three games;

Jaylen Waddle in 2023: 1014 yards, 38% of them in three games;

Tee Higgins in 2023: 656 yards, 51% of them in three games;

Tee Higgins in 2024: 911 yards, 40% of them in three games;

 

To be absolutely crystal clear I am NOT comparing Gabe to them in terms of talent, there is no comparison. They are among the best three or four #2s in football. What I am demonstrating is that production as a #2 and #3 receiver is often inconsistent week to week and it more "mountains and valleys" than you typically find with a #1 option. That's because of gameplan. You always try and feature your best guy, whatever the matchup, but with your complimentary pieces you maximise their opportunities some weeks (let's say against a team whose plan is just to double your #1 all day long) and other weeks you might want to use them to dictate coverage or run decoy routes or block for your run game or whatever the situation requires. 

 

Fair point on the others.

 

However, Im not going to look at Jameson’s and Tee’s game logs but I don’t think its anywhere near as inconsistent as Gabe.

In the last 3 seasons, Gabe has 20 games with 2 catches or less.  7 of those he had zero.  
He is unproductive way too many times.

[Chandler#81]

🤦‍♂️

[NoSaint]

17 minutes ago, boyst said:

surprised to hear you say this. you're generally a realizstic optomistic.

 

you don't think he could come in and be a factor for a game or two as a #4? 

 

in the days of Beasley, Diggs, and more McKenzie was the perfect off the bench player, Sanders was the ideal veteran #3, and Davis should have been the ideal #4.

 

Davis is now where he has always belonged - on the bench as a #4 WR or pressed into rotational play as a #3 depth player.

I didn’t super deep dive his film or anything but I got to the point where I don’t think he’s particularly qb friendly. 
 

oft injured, not agile, doesn’t find soft spots particularly well in scramble drills, doesn’t win 50-50 balls…. What situation can you reliably call his number and look to him? Run blocking? 
 

I think he’s a low tier wr that Josh made look better (and who made Josh look worse)and we could find that in plenty of places without bringing in the baggage of big game Gabe. Maybe even with more upside.

[Royale with Cheese]

1 hour ago, RoscoeParrish said:

A lot of this stuff describes our WR2 last year, FWIW.

 

less than 35 receptions, check.

50% of yardage in 4 games, check.

more games under 20 than over 100, check.

7 games under 40 yards receiving, check.

That is something we would look to improve right?

Davis is a 6 year vet on a practice squad signed a week before the start of the season….he isn’t as high valued in the league that some members on this board think he is.

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, uticaclub said:

People forget how many injuries KC & how poor that defense was. People love to bring up Benford getting hurt in a game but never Honey Badger.

 

I don't care who was hurt. Nobody put up 200+ yards and 4 TDs against the Bills when they were missing half the starting defense.

[HerdMenatlity1]

18 hours ago, Homey D. Clown said:

I have an idea, let's bring back all the players we haven't beaten the chiefs or bengals with in the playoffs, that'll get it done.  brilliant.

Seems like an odd statement. Josh hasn’t beaten the Chiefs or Bengals in the playoffs either. Dawkins, Benford, Milano., Cook. I could go on. Let’s let them all walk, dammit!

[T master]

19 hours ago, BananaB said:

Team is a joke. Can’t move on. 

The fans that buck every move that this coaching staff makes , the front office has made, those saying the HC & GM needs firing are the joke, they all need to be excommunicated to the Browns fan base and see how they like it there and then report back . But maybe that's just me ...

[GunnerBill]

55 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

Fair point on the others.

 

However, Im not going to look at Jameson’s and Tee’s game logs but I don’t think its anywhere near as inconsistent as Gabe.

In the last 3 seasons, Gabe has 20 games with 2 catches or less.  7 of those he had zero.  
He is unproductive way too many times.

 

Too unproductive to be an unquestioned starter outside, sure. I said that when the Bills made him an unquestioned starter outside and #2 option - when there were people here coming off 13 seconds saying Diggs and Davis was one of the best 1-2 duos in football. They should have had competition for Gabe then and they never did.  

 

I'm the one who has been consistent on Gabe. I was a "hater" three years ago, now I'm a "fanboy" whereas what has changed is wider perceptions not my view of who he is. 

[Royale with Cheese]

3 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Too unproductive to be an unquestioned starter outside, sure. I said that when the Bills made him an unquestioned starter outside and #2 option - when there were people here coming off 13 seconds saying Diggs and Davis was one of the best 1-2 duos in football. They should have had competition for Gabe then and they never did.  

 

I'm the one who has been consistent on Gabe. I was a "hater" three years ago, now I'm a "fanboy" whereas what has changed is wider perceptions not my view of who he is. 

 

I think we actually agree.  I think Davis has value as a #4 or #5 WR.  

 

I thought the 2022 Divisional game was his breakout too.  But he was basically phased out of the offense in his last season and my belief is the coaching staff didn't trust him on a regular basis anymore....which is why I don't believe they made an attempt to sign him.

[boyst]

1 hour ago, NoSaint said:

I didn’t super deep dive his film or anything but I got to the point where I don’t think he’s particularly qb friendly. 
 

oft injured, not agile, doesn’t find soft spots particularly well in scramble drills, doesn’t win 50-50 balls…. What situation can you reliably call his number and look to him? Run blocking? 
 

I think he’s a low tier wr that Josh made look better (and who made Josh look worse)and we could find that in plenty of places without bringing in the baggage of big game Gabe. Maybe even with more upside.

he replaces Mack Hollins.

hopefully.

at best.

 

 

i don't think that is too high of a bar to expect much of him. especialyl considering Mack wasn't supposed to get the playing time he got. he was to be a ST'er who got pressed into time because Samuel and Coleman being injured.

[RoscoeParrish]

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

That is something we would look to improve right?

Davis is a 6 year vet on a practice squad signed a week before the start of the season….he isn’t as high valued in the league that some members on this board think he is.

He’s probably valued by Beane imo. 
 

I’m just saying, if the criticism of Gabe Davis is that he’s basically the same level as rookie Keon Coleman, who was good enough to start for us last year, there’s probably some value to him on the team in a limited capacity.

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I think we actually agree.  I think Davis has value as a #4 or #5 WR.  

 

I thought the 2022 Divisional game was his breakout too.  But he was basically phased out of the offense in his last season and my belief is the coaching staff didn't trust him on a regular basis anymore....which is why I don't believe they made an attempt to sign him.

 

I think he can be a starter outside. Not a star, but a starter. What he can't be is your #2 option. If Gabe is starting outside for you opposite a #1 type then your #2 receiving option better be your slot receiver or your tight end. 

[Royale with Cheese]

27 minutes ago, RoscoeParrish said:

He’s probably valued by Beane imo. 
 

I’m just saying, if the criticism of Gabe Davis is that he’s basically the same level as rookie Keon Coleman, who was good enough to start for us last year, there’s probably some value to him on the team in a limited capacity.

 

Yeah but you can expect that type of production from a rookie and missed multiple games with a wrist fracture.  

If Coleman doesn't increase production, then he's not at the production you want from a 2nd year WR.  

[NoSaint]

1 hour ago, boyst said:

he replaces Mack Hollins.

hopefully.

at best.

 

 

i don't think that is too high of a bar to expect much of him. especialyl considering Mack wasn't supposed to get the playing time he got. he was to be a ST'er who got pressed into time because Samuel and Coleman being injured.

but in that token - I think Mack also added special teams ability, was a bigger plus in the locker room, had a better catch rate…. 
 

in a WR4 role, for instance, I very well may take Mack over Gabe. Mack has not just a goofy personality but a true on the field identity too.
 

gabe will be fine but I’m not super excited to see him back in any capacity. 

[DrDawkinstein]

36 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I think he can be a starter outside. Not a star, but a starter. What he can't be is your #2 option. If Gabe is starting outside for you opposite a #1 type then your #2 receiving option better be your slot receiver or your tight end. 

 

I was just going to make this point. He can be "WR2" because he's the other guy lining up outside, but not the 2nd option. Slot, TEs, screens, etc

[uticaclub]

2 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

I don't care who was hurt. Nobody put up 200+ yards and 4 TDs against the Bills when they were missing half the starting defense.

No, that production is usually distributed among multiple receivers we leave open; KC just refused to cover Gabe or fell down when they did. It was an all-time great game, but that’s it; it’s a one-hit wonder.

[JAMIEBUF12]

when we had Emmanuel  Sanders Gabe was a real good #3 receiver for the Bills.

[Big Turk]

12 minutes ago, uticaclub said:

No, that production is usually distributed among multiple receivers we leave open; KC just refused to cover Gabe or fell down when they did. It was an all-time great game, but that’s it; it’s a one-hit wonder.

 

Guess you forgot about the Colts game where he made multiple long toe tap catches on the sidelines in critical situations?

 

We really have short memories here I guess.

[uticaclub]

11 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Guess you forgot about the Colts game where he made multiple long toe tap catches on the sidelines in critical situations?

 

We really have short memories here I guess.

If a player only has one good game every 40, it’s understandable that people are not excited and might roll their eyes. If the league thought highly of him, he would have signed a one-year "prove-it" deal and spent the entire offseason rehabilitating at a team’s facility. His performance in Jacksonville was really poor, truly terrible.

[26TrapDraw]

22 hours ago, Steve Billieve said:

Never seen a practice squad like this, are other teams using it like this, for older and injured players?

Just a testament to how awesome it is in Buffalo for these guys Po Jordan Phillips Tre , Gave Davis. Think they sense that this is it and they want to be along for the ride at any cost.