Raptor
05-12-2014, 05:41 AM
The 2014 NFL Draft has come to a close and now its time to look at the Buffalo Bills class of 2014. I’m going to hand out grades for each pick and the grade is a representation of a number of things. I base it on the overall talent of the prospect, the round he was selected, who else was on the board, and the need at the time. I do not factor in trades.
Round 1: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson- I don’t factor in trades but to I’m going to use this to examine the entire scope and significance of this selection. Reason being is it could have a dramatic affect on the fortunes of this franchise both good and bad.
The Trade: 2014 9th overall, 2015 1st rounder, 2015 4th rounder- The big part about this is obviously the 2015 first rounder. I have been clear on this for many years and the history of the league supports my stance, the trading away of future first round picks for non potential franchise QB’s does a team more harm than good. The examples are numerous. This trade is no different, I believe the Bills gave up too much to go up and get Watkins. For a team that isn’t exactly an elite free agent destination and year after year says that it will build through the draft, those 1st round picks are valuable assets.
The Risk: The risk is pretty significant for this trade. If the Bills get through the season and end up not making the playoffs with a losing record, chances are that the bottom fell out on EJ Manuel. If that happens then the Bills are in a real tough spot for 2015 and likely up to 4 years after that. They will have no way to select or move up for an elite QB prospect in 2015 and will have to settle to find one in the 2nd or wait till 2016. At this point the dismantling of the roster will likely have begun because guys like Kyle Williams and Mario will be heading out of their primes by the time 2016 rolls around. They will also burn through a good portion of Watkins rookie deal trying to find that QB again. EJ Manuel development is a big part of this working or not working
Then there is Watkins himself. There is a lot of pressure for him not just be good but be elite and not two years from now, he has to be a go to guy out of the gate. The front office made it clear they need to win right now. For that to happen Watkins needs to make an immediate impact. The risk is it usually takes WR’s a year or two to hit their full potential in the NFL. The Bills do not have that type of time right now
The risk is actually very minimal to non-existent for Whaley, Marrone, and Brandon. With new ownership on the way 9 times out of 10 the new owner is going to want to bring in his own guys. The only way to avoid that fate is to make the playoffs or come really close to doing so. If you are them, giving up that haul for Watkins is a no brainer because worst case you wont be around to have to deal with the fallout if it goes bad anyway
The Reward: Now as deep as the risk is the reward is just as high. If EJ takes the next step and starts looking the part and Watkins lives up to his pre draft hype the Bills could become an offensive juggernaut. Watkins skill set paired with Williams, Woods, and a great ground game that features Spiller, Jackson, and now Bryce Brown will be extremely tough to handle. The Bills will be set up from a financial standpoint and from a cohesive standpoint, as all the key players in the passing game are locked in for at least the next 3 years. That is a big deal in this league. How big a deal? The Bills could have just set themselves up for at possible 5 year long playoff run.
Summation of the trade: While I don’t agree with what the Bills gave up and the strategy employed, I can see why they did it. As the saying goes “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. This without a doubt breaks the Bills pattern of operation for the past 14 years.
Each Bills fan will differ on this trade and it will be a point of debate for a long time. Reality is if you are leaning towards believing EJ Manuel is a franchise QB then the compensation doesn’t bother you and it wont matter. If you are leaning towards the belief that EJ Manuel is not the guy at QB then you are likely not to be a fan of the compensation given up
Will it work? Only time will tell
The Player: The only player I had ranked ahead of S.Watkins was J.Clowney. Watkins is a really special talent and he showed that talent from the moment he stepped on the field at Clemson. He had three years of very good production and has beaten every type of CB and defense that opposing teams threw at him. Last year was no exception, teams knew he was getting the ball and could do nothing about it. He saved his best for when the lights were the brightest in the Orange Bowl. He put on a show in that game against Ohio State and displayed everything you would ever want in a number 1 WR. Watkins was the clear cut number 1 WR in what was a very deep WR class. Every Buffalo Bills fan should be excited about the talent that has been added. When he gets the ball in his hands he is a threat to score from anywhere on the field
Player Comparison: Sterling Sharpe-Some people reading this may not remember him but Sharpe in his prime was actually good enough to have a debate as to who was better between him and Jerry Rice. His career was cut short by a neck injury however. The reason I compare him to Sharpe is Watkins like Sharpe was the complete package at WR. One common skill between the two though is how they ran with the ball in there hand. Watkins much like Sharpe turned into a RB when he got the ball and was not afraid of contact. If Watkins can become a Sharpe type WR then the Bills hit a Home Run with this selection
Grade: A+
Round 2: Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama- Kouandjio for me had a first round grade, however given the medicals and some bad tape here and there he fell into the 2nd. I think the concern over is medical report is justified. I would not have, even though I graded him as such, spent a first rounder on him. 2nd round however I believe the risk becomes worth it. Kouandjio should fit right in on the right side. He plays with Power and has the length to handle the pass rushers he should see from that side. ...................
www.profootballwarroom.com (http://www.profootballwarroom.com)
Round 1: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson- I don’t factor in trades but to I’m going to use this to examine the entire scope and significance of this selection. Reason being is it could have a dramatic affect on the fortunes of this franchise both good and bad.
The Trade: 2014 9th overall, 2015 1st rounder, 2015 4th rounder- The big part about this is obviously the 2015 first rounder. I have been clear on this for many years and the history of the league supports my stance, the trading away of future first round picks for non potential franchise QB’s does a team more harm than good. The examples are numerous. This trade is no different, I believe the Bills gave up too much to go up and get Watkins. For a team that isn’t exactly an elite free agent destination and year after year says that it will build through the draft, those 1st round picks are valuable assets.
The Risk: The risk is pretty significant for this trade. If the Bills get through the season and end up not making the playoffs with a losing record, chances are that the bottom fell out on EJ Manuel. If that happens then the Bills are in a real tough spot for 2015 and likely up to 4 years after that. They will have no way to select or move up for an elite QB prospect in 2015 and will have to settle to find one in the 2nd or wait till 2016. At this point the dismantling of the roster will likely have begun because guys like Kyle Williams and Mario will be heading out of their primes by the time 2016 rolls around. They will also burn through a good portion of Watkins rookie deal trying to find that QB again. EJ Manuel development is a big part of this working or not working
Then there is Watkins himself. There is a lot of pressure for him not just be good but be elite and not two years from now, he has to be a go to guy out of the gate. The front office made it clear they need to win right now. For that to happen Watkins needs to make an immediate impact. The risk is it usually takes WR’s a year or two to hit their full potential in the NFL. The Bills do not have that type of time right now
The risk is actually very minimal to non-existent for Whaley, Marrone, and Brandon. With new ownership on the way 9 times out of 10 the new owner is going to want to bring in his own guys. The only way to avoid that fate is to make the playoffs or come really close to doing so. If you are them, giving up that haul for Watkins is a no brainer because worst case you wont be around to have to deal with the fallout if it goes bad anyway
The Reward: Now as deep as the risk is the reward is just as high. If EJ takes the next step and starts looking the part and Watkins lives up to his pre draft hype the Bills could become an offensive juggernaut. Watkins skill set paired with Williams, Woods, and a great ground game that features Spiller, Jackson, and now Bryce Brown will be extremely tough to handle. The Bills will be set up from a financial standpoint and from a cohesive standpoint, as all the key players in the passing game are locked in for at least the next 3 years. That is a big deal in this league. How big a deal? The Bills could have just set themselves up for at possible 5 year long playoff run.
Summation of the trade: While I don’t agree with what the Bills gave up and the strategy employed, I can see why they did it. As the saying goes “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. This without a doubt breaks the Bills pattern of operation for the past 14 years.
Each Bills fan will differ on this trade and it will be a point of debate for a long time. Reality is if you are leaning towards believing EJ Manuel is a franchise QB then the compensation doesn’t bother you and it wont matter. If you are leaning towards the belief that EJ Manuel is not the guy at QB then you are likely not to be a fan of the compensation given up
Will it work? Only time will tell
The Player: The only player I had ranked ahead of S.Watkins was J.Clowney. Watkins is a really special talent and he showed that talent from the moment he stepped on the field at Clemson. He had three years of very good production and has beaten every type of CB and defense that opposing teams threw at him. Last year was no exception, teams knew he was getting the ball and could do nothing about it. He saved his best for when the lights were the brightest in the Orange Bowl. He put on a show in that game against Ohio State and displayed everything you would ever want in a number 1 WR. Watkins was the clear cut number 1 WR in what was a very deep WR class. Every Buffalo Bills fan should be excited about the talent that has been added. When he gets the ball in his hands he is a threat to score from anywhere on the field
Player Comparison: Sterling Sharpe-Some people reading this may not remember him but Sharpe in his prime was actually good enough to have a debate as to who was better between him and Jerry Rice. His career was cut short by a neck injury however. The reason I compare him to Sharpe is Watkins like Sharpe was the complete package at WR. One common skill between the two though is how they ran with the ball in there hand. Watkins much like Sharpe turned into a RB when he got the ball and was not afraid of contact. If Watkins can become a Sharpe type WR then the Bills hit a Home Run with this selection
Grade: A+
Round 2: Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama- Kouandjio for me had a first round grade, however given the medicals and some bad tape here and there he fell into the 2nd. I think the concern over is medical report is justified. I would not have, even though I graded him as such, spent a first rounder on him. 2nd round however I believe the risk becomes worth it. Kouandjio should fit right in on the right side. He plays with Power and has the length to handle the pass rushers he should see from that side. ...................
www.profootballwarroom.com (http://www.profootballwarroom.com)