Is Sammy Watkins becoming Lee Evans 2.0?

[Mike]

I first noticed it last season... Watkins seems like he's always getting hurt and rarely at 100%
However a few great games and a very good rookie campaign earned him the benefit of the doubt.

A year later, and on a far more dynamic offense, Watkins is still struggling to get to 100% and have a major impact. Further, the injuries seem like a contact occurrence oppose to rare anomalies.

On the field, his production has dipped and he is on pace for a little more than 600 yards & 4 TDs. These are WR 3 numbers. I'm starting to think that Watkins is limited as a receiving, like a Lee Evans 2.0, he has a few good tricks but lacks the ability to considerably dominate and take over games like a Bonafide #1 receiver.

[trapezeus]

7 catches 99 yards, most yards per catch. in line with woods at 9 catches.

to me, its week 3. the production aspect isn't 1 catch for 20 yards.

yes, the inability to stay healthy is more a concern than the fact the bills are still scoring a lot of points and i'd rather have sammy in than goodwin....which is what we'd be asking for.

we still need some help and depth on the line. to jettison a 2nd year player still on the rookie contract means we'll have to replace him and if we replace him, we aren't building up the line to have more depth.

it's not ideal, but it's not killing us.

if we are still like this at .500 where he's middling, you ride out the rookie contract and adjust after the fact. he hasn't done anything off the field, he hasn't been a locker room cancer. and he has shown flashes of being very good.

It seems like the bills have some depth at WR to be able to withstand sammy being out. just like karlos is giving mccoy some depth to let him rest.

[FlyingDutchman]

I don't think he lacks any type of ability whatsoever. For whatever reason our offense just seems to be underutilizing him

[OpIv37]

I don't think he lacks any type of ability whatsoever. For whatever reason our offense just seems to be underutilizing him

Tyrod was working with second and third stringers during camp and Watkins has been hurt a lot since Tyrod became the starter. I think Tyrod just isn't comfortable with him yet.

I will say this though: the offense is putting up numbers with Watkins either out or playing hurt. So, did we really need to use two first round picks on him?

[Joe Fo Sho]

I will say this though: the offense is putting up numbers with Watkins either out or playing hurt. So, did we really need to use two first round picks on him?

Nope.

I think Whaley was just trying to take a gamble trying to find the next AJ Green. He was probably worried that he was going to lose his job if we didn't have a good season, so he took a calculated risk and used 2 1st round picks on a one of the top talents in the draft. The 2015 1st round pick may not have been his to use anyway, and I doubt he was concerned that the next GM wouldn't have it. The Bills having a winning season and a top defense last year really changed everything.

[FlyingDutchman]

Tyrod was working with second and third stringers during camp and Watkins has been hurt a lot since Tyrod became the starter. I think Tyrod just isn't comfortable with him yet.

I will say this though: the offense is putting up numbers with Watkins either out or playing hurt. So, did we really need to use two first round picks on him?

Tyrod was working with the 1st stringers quite a bit in the preseason. I don't think that's the problem. I think Tyrod is a very safe thrower. There are some receivers in the league who quarterbacks will throw to, even though they are not technically really open (Like Brandon Marshall, Antonio Brown Etc..). They'll let their receiver make the play. So, you may have a point that is isn't comfortable with him, but I think that's the case with all of the receivers on the Bills. If you watched Aaron Rodgers Monday night, he'll throw at a guy who is one and one and have that trust that he'll make the play, even if he is not really open. If Sammy has one on one coverage, they need to start throwing down field and let him make a play, or get a PI call. They finally did it against Miami and he came down with it.

[BuffaloRedleg]

I think they are being cautious with him and giving him time to rest against a soft out of conference opponent, just like Shady. Hope it doesn't come back to haunt us.

[BuffaloRedleg]

Tyrod was working with second and third stringers during camp and Watkins has been hurt a lot since Tyrod became the starter. I think Tyrod just isn't comfortable with him yet.

I will say this though: the offense is putting up numbers with Watkins either out or playing hurt. So, did we really need to use two first round picks on him?

He's an aggressive guy. While that has caused some head scratchers like the Watkins trade, it has also allowed him to put together a very formidable team at the moment. That's what aggressive GMs do, they take chances.

It's better than the GM's we've had in the past who just sit on Ralph's pile of cash and swim in it in a vault like Scrooge McDuck.

You have to look at the team as a whole, and he has done a good job of assembling a great amount of talent. For once it is time to sit back and see how things end up.

[Buffalogic]

These same repetitive threads are getting annoying.

[starrymessenger]

The nagging injuries are a concern but once the chemistry with Tyrod starts to build I expect Watkins to be very much a gamebreaking threat at all times. We do have to remember tho that Sammy with the Bills is not the same thing as OBJ and the G-Men without Cruz. The Bills have many playmakers who need their touches if the offence is to reach its full potential, which is I'm sure Romans principal objective.
Having said that, the Sammy deal was not Whaley's best moment as GM. But that's not on Sammy.

[THATHURMANATOR]

Why even worry about this.

Team is playing well.

[The last buffalo fan]

Why even worry about this.

Team is playing well.

We are Buffalo Bills fans, that's why!

[justasportsfan]

Tyrod was working with second and third stringers during camp and Watkins has been hurt a lot since Tyrod became the starter. I think Tyrod just isn't comfortable with him yet.

I will say this though: the offense is putting up numbers with Watkins either out or playing hurt. So, did we really need to use two first round picks on him?

nope. Whaley drafted Watkins with EJ in mind and not Taylor. He thought that if he brought in more weapons for his boy EJ, it would make EJ better.

Whatever Whaley's screw up in drafting Watkins and EJ, it's starting to look like he made up for those mistakes with Tyrod and Harvin....... so far. Let's see what he does in the future .

[feldspar]

Watkins was only 20-years-old when the Bills drafted him...just got out of his teens, for crying out loud. He's going to be a good one.