Pick up Watkin's option?

[YardRat]

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/234508/sammy-watkins-option-is-no-brainer-but-bills-bigger-decision-looms

Because Watkins was chosen within the first 10 picks of the 2014 draft, his fifth-year option will be equal to the 2017 transition tag amount for a wide receiver, or about $13 million. Assuming the Bills exercise the option by May 2, that 2018 salary will be guaranteed only for injury; it will not become fully guaranteed until the beginning of the 2018 league year next March. That gives Buffalo protection to withdraw the option if Watkins' play declines this season and they decide he is no longer worth the money.

The second decision is trickier: Do they give Watkins a second contract? If so, how early are they willing to offer an extension? Now that Watkins has completed his third season in the NFL, the collective bargaining agreement allows the Bills to renegotiate his contract and extend it. But as long as the Bills exercise Watkins' fifth-year option and keep him under their control until March 2019, when he would become a free agent, there is little urgency for a new deal to get done this year.

[Forward_Lateral]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

He hasn't shown anything to prove an early extension necessary. Let him play his contract out.

[Guest]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

He hasn't shown anything to prove an early extension necessary. Let him play his contract out.

I agree,

[DraftBoy]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

He hasn't shown anything to prove an early extension necessary. Let him play his contract out.

He hasn't shown anything? Prior to last year the guy had 2,029 yards receiving and 15 TD's over his first two years. He's showed a bit, but he needs to proves he's fully recovered from his injury and ready to pick up where he left off in 2015. If by mid-season he's looking at another 1,000+ yards, 7+ TD season then you open negotiations immediately imo.

[Skooby]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

I'm friends with Sammy on FB and think he's a great player / person. I hope he can stay healthy & earn a new long-term contract, I'm hopeful. They will end up picking up the option year almost assuredly barring injury, we have 2 first round picks into him and no other WR's currently on the roster are near his caliber.

[Cali512]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

I like Sammy a lot, but his health has got to get under control. The NFL widely looks at him as a top 10-15 WR when healthy, so I can't say he's a total waste, but he needs to finally put out a full season.

[Mace]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

I'm not real confident he'll stay healthy, but we're locked into his "maybe" and pretty much have to find out by exercising his option with the outlet to later decline.

He's going to want big money with an extension and I don't think he's worth the commitment personally. That's not because he doesn't show flashes of awesome, but his durability is questionable, and he doesn't dominate games like elite receivers do. You don't hear "Watkins for that critical third down!!!, "Watkins again !!!"....."Look for them to go to Watkins on this play with the game on the line.....WATKINS AGAIN !"

If he suddenly becomes that guy this year, I'm skeptical because it's extension effort that wasn't there before.

Granted he's handicapped by Taylor as a passer, but that to me just means he might be expensive hubcaps on a 1999 Escort.

Same time we're stuck hoping for his maybe to shine.

Crap situation, imho.

[Cali512]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

Our coaching staff has more to blame for his targets in my opinion. We ran the most conservative passing routes I have seen in a long time with the Ryans.

[Joe Fo Sho]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

How much money should we be spending on receivers that need to catch 60 passes a year? Over Tyrod's tenure in Buffalo, no receiver has had more than 60 catches in a season. Do we really need to spend $13 million for a receiver to do that?

[Cali512]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

How much money should we be spending on receivers that need to catch 60 passes a year? Over Tyrod's tenure in Buffalo, no receiver has had more than 60 catches in a season. Do we really need to spend $13 million for a receiver to do that?

This is the same tenure that Rex has coaches where he has stated that he wants a run offense while his D wins the games. Tyrod has been coached by this staff to be conservative with the ball

[Scumbag College]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

I think the Bills are, to use a poker term, "pot committed" to a long term deal with Sammy. Unless he is injured to the point of never being able to fully recover, to use two first round picks on him and just let him walk after his first contract expires would be a terrible organizational decision.

[Joe Fo Sho]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

This is the same tenure that Rex has coaches where he has stated that he wants a run offense while his D wins the games. Tyrod has been coached by this staff to be conservative with the ball

We get it, everything was Rex's fault. No player needs to be held accountable for anything they did. Unless it was good, right? Then they were good in spite of Rex.

[Wally The Barber]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

Its a guessing game with no real answer. I would wait till mid season

[Guest]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

Its a guessing game with no real answer. I would wait till mid season

At least.

If he has a HUGE season, he can be franchised if necessary.

[Buddo]

Re: Pick up Watkin's option?

It would be nice to see what he can do, when he's actually fully healthy.

I can't remember what the timescale is from his last surgery on his foot, but I'd like to see him get to TC, ready to go.

Apart from the 'foot', problems, I think he played quite a bit with other issues, in his first couple of years. We tend to forget stuff like that, and the numbers he still put up, are somewhat more impressive when you put them into a wider context.

Assuming he stays healthy, I don't think this will be an issue, either picking up the option, or looking to extend him. It'll just be about when is the best time to do whichever.