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You know their stories. But let's look deeper into what these guys may do for the Bills or where they may make a difference.
Sammy Watkins- Short game YAC
The thing I love most about this guy is what he does in the open field with the ball in his hands. He is all-world in yards after the catch. So what does that mean for the Bills? Well, EJ threw a ton in the short throws last year. He checked down a lot an favored the shorter throws. Young QB's often do this. They take the conservative shots to keep the chains moving. Guys like Graham and Goodwin are vertical threats who are not as strong in the short range. It's not their game. And you need time in the pocket and a deep accurate arm to hit vertical threats. Watkins, however, gives EJ an option in the short game to get you first downs. He averaged 9.7 yards after the catch. And he does this without just WR screens. Look for Watkins to get the quick throws and gain chunks of yards after the catch to keep the chains moving. He'll get a few mid to deep throws and eat secondaries alive. But mostly you'll see him making plays to keep the chains moving. That's where he makes his biggest impact for the Bills right away. But we got the complete package with Watkins and he will be a stud for years in my opinion.
Cyrus Kouandjio- Left Tackle athleticism at the Right Tackle spot
Whaley made some comments that speak to a shift in the NFL. The RT spot now requires OT's that are every bit as athletic as LT's. I think it's a combination of a few things. The DE's swap sides frequently to try to gain the mismatch with a speedy pass rusher on a slower OT. The other aspect is the overall athleticism of the big men on the DL continues to get better. Pears needs to be pushed. He's more of the traditional RT who is a bit slower than what the NFL is looking for now. I really think the discussion on Cujo starts and ends there. I think he's got the light feet and quickness. Guys like Chandler Jones and Cameron Wake may have fits with trying to get around Cyrus quickly. He's got a much higher ceiling than Pears for sure. If he develops polish he could special with his natural athletic gifts for a guy that big. But he needs to be pushed and polished.
Preston Brown- Big thumping linebacker for the run game that won't get washed out
Adding Schwartz meant improving the run defense. To do that we needed bigger run stuffing linebackers. Too often last year we watched our linebackers getting hung on blocks and washed out of plays as the running back blew up the middle for big yards. Blount pounded us in this way. What they want to do is add bigger guys that are better at shaking blocks and staying close to the LOS to make the tackle. Spikes certainly does this already. They want Brown to do the same. I liked Max Bullough better in this regard but Brown was the pick. What the Bills need to see is that against NFL caliber blockers, Brown can shed blocks and head north south to the ball to drop running backs at, or ideally behind the LOS.
Sammy Watkins- Short game YAC
The thing I love most about this guy is what he does in the open field with the ball in his hands. He is all-world in yards after the catch. So what does that mean for the Bills? Well, EJ threw a ton in the short throws last year. He checked down a lot an favored the shorter throws. Young QB's often do this. They take the conservative shots to keep the chains moving. Guys like Graham and Goodwin are vertical threats who are not as strong in the short range. It's not their game. And you need time in the pocket and a deep accurate arm to hit vertical threats. Watkins, however, gives EJ an option in the short game to get you first downs. He averaged 9.7 yards after the catch. And he does this without just WR screens. Look for Watkins to get the quick throws and gain chunks of yards after the catch to keep the chains moving. He'll get a few mid to deep throws and eat secondaries alive. But mostly you'll see him making plays to keep the chains moving. That's where he makes his biggest impact for the Bills right away. But we got the complete package with Watkins and he will be a stud for years in my opinion.
Cyrus Kouandjio- Left Tackle athleticism at the Right Tackle spot
Whaley made some comments that speak to a shift in the NFL. The RT spot now requires OT's that are every bit as athletic as LT's. I think it's a combination of a few things. The DE's swap sides frequently to try to gain the mismatch with a speedy pass rusher on a slower OT. The other aspect is the overall athleticism of the big men on the DL continues to get better. Pears needs to be pushed. He's more of the traditional RT who is a bit slower than what the NFL is looking for now. I really think the discussion on Cujo starts and ends there. I think he's got the light feet and quickness. Guys like Chandler Jones and Cameron Wake may have fits with trying to get around Cyrus quickly. He's got a much higher ceiling than Pears for sure. If he develops polish he could special with his natural athletic gifts for a guy that big. But he needs to be pushed and polished.
Preston Brown- Big thumping linebacker for the run game that won't get washed out
Adding Schwartz meant improving the run defense. To do that we needed bigger run stuffing linebackers. Too often last year we watched our linebackers getting hung on blocks and washed out of plays as the running back blew up the middle for big yards. Blount pounded us in this way. What they want to do is add bigger guys that are better at shaking blocks and staying close to the LOS to make the tackle. Spikes certainly does this already. They want Brown to do the same. I liked Max Bullough better in this regard but Brown was the pick. What the Bills need to see is that against NFL caliber blockers, Brown can shed blocks and head north south to the ball to drop running backs at, or ideally behind the LOS.