State Of The Buffalo Bills Roster: Wide Receiver
by Brian Galliford on Jan 10, 2012 1:30 PM EST
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PrintBuffalo Rumblings is in the process of breaking down the Buffalo Bills' roster position by position. Installments you may have missed: QB, RB, OT.
It's tougher to pinpoint a position at which the Buffalo Bills have more pending off-season intrigue than at wide receiver. Their top target, Stevie Johnson, is scheduled for unrestricted free agency and a fairly controversial figure. Behind Johnson on the depth chart are a slew of occasionally productive players and a few good stories.
Yet this is a position that could see a fairly massive amount of change, even if Johnson is successfully re-signed. The team needs better athletes with speed and leaping ability to diversify what is a fairly uniform group of players in terms of skill set. Put more succinctly, they need more play-makers - and if that play-maker is explosive athletically, all the better.
We take a look at the Bills' receivers, as well as what may happen at the position in the off-season, after the jump.
STEVIE JOHNSON
Age: 25 (26 in July 2012)
Contract: UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Stevie Johnson is a very good wide receiver capable of beating the league's best corners on a consistent basis. He is entering the prime of his burgeoning career. He is also, however, often times a distraction with his post-touchdown celebratory antics and penalties. That does not change the fact that Johnson is exactly the type of home-grown talent that GM Buddy Nix promised he'd retain when he took over the team's football operation. Johnson wants to be back. The Bills want Johnson back. His impending free agent status is the biggest story line to follow as the Bills prepare for a busy off-season.
DAVID NELSON
Age: 25 (26 in November 2012)
Contract: RFA in 2013. Will make $490K in base salary in 2012.
In two years as a former undrafted free agent out of Florida, Nelson has developed into a productive (92 receptions, eight scores) and reliable safety valve target for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. He has not, however, been able to capitalize on opportunities - afforded by injuries to teammates - to become a more prominent member of the team's passing attack. The coaching staff has preferred to keep Nelson in the slot almost exclusively. Add in Nelson's limited athletic upside and run-after-the-catch ability, and he's shoehorned in as a third or fourth slot receiver, at maximum. It's time to accept Nelson for what he is: a player limited to a very specific role, but one who can really cause problems for defenses in that capacity.
DONALD JONES
Age: 24 (25 in December 2012)
Contract: RFA in 2013. Will make $490K in base salary in 2012.
Given an opportunity to start alongside Johnson after the trade of Lee Evans, Jones struggled mightily as the team's No. 2 receiver. He could not consistently separate from defensive backs, showed inconsistent hands when he did get open (which was often enough), and was not very productive (23 receptions in eight games) before landing on IR with an ankle injury. The team was very high on Jones over the summer, and even after a down year, they still seem pretty high on him. Jones is also an excellent special teams player, meaning that he's a lock to be back competing for playing time near the top of the depth chart.
ROSCOE PARRISH
Age: 29 (30 in July 2012)
Contract: UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
If Chan Gailey had big plans for Parrish - and indications are that he did - those plans were wasted by two straight season-ending injuries that caused Parrish to miss 22 games. He hasn't played a full season for four years running. With changes coming, it's hard to imagine that the team believes Parrish can be a reliable part of the team's future plans.
BRAD SMITH
Age: 28 (29 in December 2012)
Contract: UFA in 2015. Signed a four-year, $15M deal in July of 2011.
It's important to remember that Smith was signed as a "third quarterback," and spent most of the beginning portions of the 2011 season as a player with a very limited role as a receiver and, more prominently, a Wildcat runner. Injuries forced him into playing receiver full-time, and he recorded 23 receptions and a score. He'll return to his niche role in 2012, but we're listing him as a receiver because it doesn't make sense to list him as a quarterback.
MARCUS EASLEY
Age: 24 (25 in November 2012)
Contract: UFA in 2014. Owed $1.065M in base salary over final two years of his rookie deal.
A purportedly serious heart condition ended Easley's season after some promising exhibition performances. It was the second straight season that the 2010 fourth-round pick missed; he has yet to play in a regular season game. The team says that Easley's condition has been cured and won't recur, so the super-athletic unknown commodity will very likely be back competing again next July. Hopefully the third time's the charm for Marcus.
RUVELL MARTIN
Age: 29 (30 in August 2012)
Contract: UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
A late pre-season roster addition, Martin made the opening day roster as a special teams player, and stuck in that capacity throughout the season. He was never given an opportunity to play much receiver, however - even after a bunch of injuries - which says all you need to know about his place in the team's plans moving forward.
DEREK HAGAN
Age: 27 (28 in September 2012)
Contract: UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
A late-season street signing due to injury, Hagan showed well over the final four games, hauling in 13 passes in that time frame - including seven in the regular season finale in New England. Gailey said that Hagan performed well enough to merit consideration next summer, so it wouldn't be surprising if he was signed to a short-term deal and given an opportunity to earn playing time in training camp.
NAAMAN ROOSEVELT
Age: 24 (25 in December 2012)
Contract: Contract details undisclosed. Re-signed in September after season-ending injury to Parrish.
The local product has been a nice story for two years, but he was a roster casualty coming out of the 2011 pre-season, and by the end of the regular season was an afterthought to just-acquired veteran players. It's tough to imagine Roosevelt being in the team's plans, though he is still apparently under contract for 2012.
KAMAR AIKEN
Age: 22 (23 in May 2012)
Contract: Contract details undisclosed. Signed off of the team's practice squad in November.
Something of a fan favorite after a solid pre-season, Aiken spent most of the season on Buffalo's practice squad, and struggled to make the game-day roster when he was on the team late in the year.
DAVID CLOWNEY
Age: 26 (27 in July 2012)
Contract: Signed a reserve/future contract in January 2012.
Clowney has gotten plenty of looks in five-plus years since becoming a pro thanks in large part to his blazing speed. He's never caught more than 14 passes in a season and was signed as a street free agent. His signing is interesting in that it could indicate the team is looking for more speed, but it's difficult to envision Clowney making the team next year.
POSITIONAL OUTLOOK: The Bills want Johnson back, and if they're able to accomplish that, they also want to give him help in the form of a true counterpart that can make plays when covered and keep defenses from rolling coverage Stevie's way. From there, they have prospects that they'll continue to try to develop (Jones and Easley), a reliable role player (Nelson), a guy potentially worth bringing back to compete (Hagan), and the need for more explosive athletes as competition for the remaining incumbents.
FREE AGENCY: Again, the plan is to get Johnson under contract. Parrish, Martin and Hagan are also free agents, and from the sound of things, Hagan probably has the best chance of getting a new deal and another look next summer - and that's no slam dunk. It's tough to imagine Nix breaking the bank for a big-name receiver in free agency (and there are plenty of them), but one exception could be San Diego star Vincent Jackson. Nix was in San Diego when Jackson was drafted, and the team already has a prime recruiter on the roster in Shawne Merriman, a former teammate of Jackson's. If Nix is willing to spend big bucks for a free agent receiver, Jackson seems like the logical leader in the proverbial clubhouse. Skepticism about the team's willingness to spend here, despite the obvious ties, is very warranted.
2012 NFL DRAFT: A far more likely scenario to the team pursuing Jackson in free agency is looking hard at this year's incoming crop of rookie wide receivers. That list starts with Oklahoma State product Justin Blackmon, who very well could be long gone by the time the Bills pick at No. 10, and also includes juniors Alshon Jeffery and Mohamed Sanu, senior Michael Floyd, and many others we'll likely name at a later date. Nix wants size, speed and play-making ability, and he'll likely have an easier time trying to find that in the draft.
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I think I'd rather have Dwayne Bowe if given a choice from the UFA's potentially available
Has more “fight” for the ball in one-on-one situations and produced more with non-accurate, non-productive QB’s throwing to him…
I'd take Dwayne Bowe every single time over Jackson
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
The difference is Bowe won’t make it to FA whereas Jackson will.
Rebuilding a team properly takes time and patience
Yeah.. that is what I am afraid of...
Bowe will probably be franchised. It was rumored that Cliff Avril will be franchised too. Watch the Bill franchise Lindell!
I think Clowney is their guy to look at with regards to replacing Parrish.
"Go check on the ribs!"
by TheAfghanTwilight on Jan 10, 2012 1:43 PM EST reply actions
their skill set is really not that similar, IMO.
ABAYARDE IS NOSTRADAMUS JUST WATCH WE WILL NOT YIEALD TO NOBODY YOUR SOUL WE WILL TAKE
by ThaRealTruth on Jan 10, 2012 9:50 PM EST up reply actions
Wideout
Honestly, I think it is pretty foolish to just assume that Vincent Jackson would never sign here. For one, SD, competitively speaking, is not nearly as attractive as they have been in the past. Also, the likelihood of him getting a long term contract is pretty low, and with some of the contracts that have been signed for receivers, paying him according to the franchise tag for a second straight year will be really expensive. They have ties to him with Nix and Merriman, so I wouldn’t rule it out. Our potential explosiveness on offense makes the case for Buffalo a little more appealing, too.
If we don’t end up with him, dwayne bowe is another possibility. Ignoring free agency, though, I think there is a very good chance we take a receiver in the first. Blackmon is the pick if he is there at ten, but if he is not and both Upshaw and Coples are gone, I could see them moving back and taking either Floyd or Alshon. If not, Wright or Sanu in the second are a very good bet. In any event, bringing Stevie back is a must—I think he may be the best pure route runner in the league, and for an offense based on timing, you cannot replace that.
Nix does not believe in trading back. He has been adamant in that regard. I think this regime is bug on character concerns so floyd is out of the question.
"This is a chance to shine some light on the city, They say it’s too cold. I’m going to bring some warmth to it." Marcell Dareus
by matthew62 on Jan 10, 2012 2:08 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
@JDSym
Agree, Stevie must be brought back otherwise anything else the Bills does is a lateral move. I don’t think the Bills would go after a tier 1 WR. They can get a speed guy with talent and youth in Meachem from New Orleans or Manningham from the Giants. They are guys who won’t break the bank who will be looking for an opportunity to start and get that type of playing time.
Blackmon will be long gone by pick 10. Upshaw would be good. Coples I’m not sold on. Based on Nix desiring players who have produced over time that would rule out Coples. Floyd or Jeffery would be nice. Wright won’t be around in the second. He’s a first round guy. Too fast. Hands too good. And runs all the routes, including over the middle.
I am inclined to disagree that they won’t go after a Tier 1 receiver. I certainly hear what you’re saying, and I agree those two guys would be nice pieces, but Nix specifically said he wanted a guy who was “uncovered even when he’s covered”. Speaking from past experience, nothing in our history makes me think we would target that player through free agency, but Nix has been a man of word. He said he was going to build through the draft in past years, and he has. Now he says we will try to get that guy for Fitz, so I have to trust him.
I would agree one hundred percent on Coples—the reason I brought him into it is bc of the measurables Nix mentioned at his p.c.—6’5" 260. That’s Coples, not Upshaw. As per where Wright goes, I don’t disagree that he is a first round talent, but I look at almost all of the teams picking late, and I don’t see him as their biggest need.
Surprised to see Coach Hixon leave the pros to take position at Penn State. He seemed to do a great job with a young receiving corp. Is he making more money with the new job? Will his departure be a set back for the Bills?
Not surprised Hixon is leaving
Chan is on the clock starting next season. The Bills have to have significant improvement or he could be out. College has better job security if an assistant can link up to the right coach in the right place.
can link up to the right coach in the right place
Cue any number of ugly Penn St. jokes
by PineWoodsBillsFan on Jan 10, 2012 4:30 PM EST up reply actions
here is my take
he wants to be a head coach and his best bet is at the college level.
a few good yrs at penn state and he will get his chance somewhere else.
Stevie Johnson – We need him back. Hopefully, the benching made an impact on him, and he will stop the celebrations. Losing him to another team would be a disaster.
David Nelson – Solid, but not spectacular. Reasonable production and seems to be the most sure-handed receiver we have.
Donald Jones – The Bills might have been excited about him, but I sure wasn’t. He’s fast, but that’s it. Passes always seem to slide right through his Teflon-coated hands.
Ruvell Martin – Showed no ability to catch during the preseason. It’s no wonder that he wasn’t asked to play receiver during the season despite all the injuries.
Marcus Easley – After two years, we still know nothing about him. It seemed like he was ready to explode on the scene this year, but implode instead. His ability to finally take the field could be the difference in whether or not we draft a receiver this year.
Aiken, Roosevelt, Hagan – Obviously, these guys were on the practice squad for a reason. Seemed like all three had decent hands but average speed.
Roscoe Parrish – Too small and brittle to hold up for an entire season. I’d be shocked if he returns.
Outlook – After trading away Lee Evans because of supposed depth, we found we didn’t have as much depth as we thought. I can definitely see Nix bringing in another receiver via FA or the draft. If Stevie walks, then we’ll need two receivers.
by SiriusRed on Jan 10, 2012 2:21 PM EST via mobile reply actions
After trading away Lee Evans because of supposed depth
could we as a fan base get over the lee evans trade? he didnt fit what gailey and nix wanted in a receiver and was well past his prime. they wouldve moved on anyway so they got a fourth rounder for him while they could.
baltimore fans collectively think that the ravens got hosed in that trade
Its fun to think quarterback, but i think the odds of nix taking one in the first are close to 0%.
by boomsauce on Jan 10, 2012 4:59 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I don’t see a real problem here assuming Stevie is back. Nelson, while not an outside threat, earned his spot as a regular target. Chandler isn’t great, but he’s a red zone contributor. Spiller and Jackson can catch 100 passes combined if used properly. I think they should keep Jones and Easley and add either a cheap FA flier or a 4th rounder or later into the mix. Gailey can get production out of offensive guys with lesser pedigrees, so lets give the FO the green light to add defense, defense, and more defense. The best help for Fitzpatrick will be removing the need for him to put up 30+ to win games.
Blackmon would be a cool addition opposite of Stevie. They need pass rushing help so badly but I wouldn’t fault the Bills for a second if they picked Blackmon at 10.
If Blackmon was somehow available at 10
I would fault the Bills if they didn’t take him.
Draft Prospect Wish List:
Da'Jon McKnight - WR (Minnesota) - 6'3'' 211Lbs. (4th Round)
Marvin McNutt - WR (Iowa) - 6'4 215Lbs. (2nd Round)
Nick Toon - WR (Wisconsin) - 6'3 220LBs. (2nd round)
Dan Persa - QB (Northwestern) 6'1 210Lbs. (4th round)
Russell Wilson - QB (Wisconsin) 5'11 201Lbs. (4th round)
Whitney Mercilus - DE (Illinois) 6'4 265Lbs. (1-2nd round)
Melvin Ingram - DE/OLB(South Carolina) 6'2 276Lbs. (1-2nd Round)
Jared Crick - 3/4 or 4/3 DE (Nebraska) 6'6 285Lbs. (late 1st - early 2nd)
Alshon Jeffery - WR (South Carolina) 6'4 229Lbs. (1st Round)
Michael Floyd - WR (Notre Dame) 6'3 224Lbs. (1st Round)
Ryan Tannehill - QB (Texas A&M) 6'4 222Lbs. (1st Round)
by NordicBillsfan on Jan 10, 2012 4:02 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
after nix stating flat out that the bills need a “big time receiver” yesterday, i think him targeting a wide out in the first round is looking ever more likely.
he said he needs pass rushers, but i never heard him say “big time pass rusher”, while he went out of his way to declare they needed such a player at WR. maybe im overthinking it
Its fun to think quarterback, but i think the odds of nix taking one in the first are close to 0%.
Nix said something about getting a top receiver. One who can be open when he isn’t or something along those lines. I’d rather focus on getting a top receiver to complement and/or replace Stevie. The other receivers are ones with limited upside and won’t be good for more than 30-35 receptions, ones that are always injured or ones who are supposedly good and unproven. I understand the need for Marcell Dareus, and I liked the pick, but you need a top 5 or maybe top 3 pick to get an elite receiver.
At the very least, I’d like them to find a Free Agent WR who can be a good complement to Stevie.
That does not change the fact that Johnson is exactly the type of home-grown talent that GM Buddy Nix promised he’d retain when he took over the team’s football operation. Johnson wants to be back.
I read this in my head with a slight tone in the squeaky Galliford voice of hinting at what our esteemed editor believes to be a significant philosophical moment of our off-season :). And I could not agree more!! The Johnson contract scenario is fascinating for precisely the reason Brian highlights in the sentence above – it is going to be one of those moments that could define Nix’s philosophy as a GM between whether he does what he says or not. Believing in retaining draft talent you grow in your organization is a significant philosophical pillar for building a team and he will be tested in his commitment to it, at least in the public eye. It really is the big moment of the off-season and maybe of the last 3 off-seasons from the standpoint of team building philosophy. And from the perspective that fans have been patient seeing it work for the Steelers and Ravens, it could be a huge blow for him to fail to retain Stevie – even more so because he wants to stay.
Regarding adding another talent opposite Stevie, I’d love Blackmon but in the event he doesn’t fall to us, a likely one, I see the most likely course for Nix being an aggressive push for a top-notch no.2 receiver, who could be paid as such, as opposed to a big time no.1 One such big name no.2 is Mario Manningham. I think he is a very logical choice for a running mate with Stevie. Hes a known commodity, he has top flight talent but comes at a better rate by virtue of injury history and being third on his current teams depth chart. Hes also still young.
Finally, I like the assessment on the receivers completely. The only change I might have made was pointing out even more how much more productive Brad Smith was in the no.2 role than anyone else. If there’s anyone on the roster right now who has shown real no.2 ability in game time, and thats a big “if”, Id say its Brad.
This even grates my passive cheese - LeClaire Bill
by poz on Jan 10, 2012 3:06 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Manningham would be cool
and is probably more to our speed in FA.
V. Jackson and Bowe sound awsome, but not the type of guys we get.
"The Buffalo Bills have just exploded all over the Cincinnati Bangles"
-Steve Tasker-
Manningham doesn’t really have the same kind of size they covet at WR, though.
Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.
Citi Field loves the mets so much it smothers them. -the caveman
No,
but he will fit the cost
"The Buffalo Bills have just exploded all over the Cincinnati Bangles"
-Steve Tasker-
right
and the “playmaker” label as well.
Plus you’d have to think of Stevie when signing a guy. Bringing in Vincent Jackson is sending him a negative message
This even grates my passive cheese - LeClaire Bill
you think he would care
if he had got payed?
Jackson would open up so many oppertunities for Steve.
"The Buffalo Bills have just exploded all over the Cincinnati Bangles"
-Steve Tasker-
Yep...
Finally, I like the assessment on the receivers completely. The only change I might have made was pointing out even more how much more productive Brad Smith was in the no.2 role than anyone else. If there’s anyone on the roster right now who has shown real no.2 ability in game time, and thats a big "if", Id say its Brad.
Brad made more big plays as our #2 guy than whoever we would say was our #2 guy. I don’t want to count him him next year in that role. We need a #2 guy who FIGHTS for the ball and wins the battle. I thought Brad would give us a few new pass looks out of the wildcat. That didn’t happen but the guy is big, can catch and make a play when he needs to. Brad should have had at least two end around plays this year where he throws the ball… We would have been even worse w/out him as an emergency WR.
by AlwaysaBillinPhilly on Jan 10, 2012 4:39 PM EST up reply actions
Buddy said 2 things that make me belive it's Vincent Jackson
These are in my words from what i took away from his press conference…
1) He said that we need a tall athletic playmaker that can be open even when he’s not open, like a Calvin Johnson type of guy.
2) He said that he might need to use his connections to get a top flight FA
There’s only one guy that truly fits that description.
Rebuilding a team properly takes time and patience
Manningham's hands make Stevie's look like Jerry Rice's
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
We need Stevie back.
No doubt about that.
But like Nix and others have said, we also need a real option on the other side of the field too. I would looooove Blackmonm, but unless we trade up, theres no way we get him.
Jeffries and Floyd are two that I wouldnt mind us going after at 10. Both have good hands, size and speed… everything Nix wants.
If we dont get them at 10, I would like to see them go after McNutt in the 3rd. Hes more of a Stevie type of receiver, but someone that would contribute to this teams passing game.
I hate that I love Buffalo.
I think Roscoe Parrish has seen his last day as a Buffalo Bill
Otherwise there is no real reason to bring in David Clowney at the end of the year, we’ve already got an overstuffed stable of wide receivers. The 26-year old Clowney’s talents effective mimic that of the 29-year old Parrish. I could be wrong, but that subtle move really smacks of the writing on the wall. Obviously Chan would love to have Parrish healthy and productive, as he’s stated previously, but the situation has changed now after two years. Roscoe’s been injured for the better part of those two years, and the reason that’s extremely relevant is that Chan is now entering year 3. He’s under real pressure to make our offense not just buoyant, but downright explosive. With a shorter leash than ever here, he may not be willing to risk Parrish getting hurt again.
Go Buffalo Bills, Utah Jazz, and Arkansas Razorbacks
OUR KING DOME IS HOLLY GROUND YOU CAN ENTER BUT YOU WILL LEAVE WITH OUT A SOUL - Abayarde, Buffalo Rumblings
thats an interesting point
and seems like a good observation Dyl. I am a bit sad though because Roscoe proved he was a wasted talent for many years and right as he was producing couldnt stay healthy.
This even grates my passive cheese - LeClaire Bill
roscoe has no bargaining power anywhere
someone will give him a look, i doubt it will be
the bills
He will probably be on the Lions, Bears, or Saints roster next year.
"My new cat just farted on my lap. Smells like Bills football." BG.
by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Jan 10, 2012 9:15 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe the Eagles
if they lose Jackson
flayed ones stealth mode
"Fleshling! Do not shoot! For I am one of you fleshy things. It is I. Your Uncle Stan. Can't you tell by the long strips of fleshy substances covered in bodily fluids? Trust me! I have fleeeeeeeeesh."
I'll take your Clowney and raise you a Spiller
I am surprised that Spiller was not mentioned in this post or the comments so far. I know he is not a WR, but we are all wondering how Chan is going to get Spiller and Fredie on the field at the same time. Chan has made it clear that he wants to run a 4-wide spread offense. The plan has been to run Nelson and Parrish in the slots. IMO Spiller can be that guy that replaces Parrish. He brings the speed and is just as shifty in the open field. He is also not as injury prone, can break tackles, and this would free up a roster spot at WR that seems to always be needed by the end of the year.
Please base your arguments in provable facts instead of pulling stuff out of your rear. -CanadianBillsFan- This is why talk is cheap because the supply always exceeds the demand.
I have the feeling that Donald Jones is like Sam Aiken
Good, tough wide receiver with good size, along with great special teams skills and the ability to make a good catch now and then. I wouldn’t be opposed to keeping him, but he’s definitely a developmental prospect and should go back to 4th WR. Right now it’s Brad Smith at the 2, unless Marcus Easley can finally show us what he’s capable of. Easley’s flashed the same kind of potential that Stevie Johnson did for his years in obscurity. Johnson was worth the wait . . . will Easley be? Let’s hope so.
Go Buffalo Bills, Utah Jazz, and Arkansas Razorbacks
OUR KING DOME IS HOLLY GROUND YOU CAN ENTER BUT YOU WILL LEAVE WITH OUT A SOUL - Abayarde, Buffalo Rumblings
Tall
The San Diego model was tall receivers who could jump. Hopefully they don’t let a really good shorter wider receiver get by them while looking for a tall one. We dont need another James Hardy.
Drafting a WR in any round before 4 is stupid....
WRs come a dime a dozen and the ones drafted in rounds 1-3 are usually the divas. Not that I agree with the article but SI has an article about the Falcons idiotic decision to move up and draft Julio Jones. Altanta would have been much better off securing there OLine and Defense beofre they added another “#1 WR” when they already had White Turner and Ryan.
that article is hysterical
because the Falcon received near universal praise for that decision to trade up for Julio right up until they lost that playoff game to the best d-line in football.
Early draft choices like Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish, James Hardy, Sylvester Morris, Malcolm Kelly, Devin Thomas, David Terrell, Koren Robinson, Donte Stallworth, Ashley Lelie, Charles Rogers, Bryant “Panda” Johnson, Roy Williams, Tory Williamson, Ted Ginn Jr, and Dennis Northcutt demonstrate that receivers are absolutely not a dime a dozen.
Meanwhile early draft choices like AJ Green, Plaxico Burress, Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Hakeem Nicks, and Randy Moss demonstrate that if a team can identify a great receiver they are usually rewarded with multiple playoff appearances with that receiver and in a large part because of that receivers uncoverability offensively.
If the Bills believe Blackmon or any other early round receiver is that kind of a guy they better not pass on him under the impression that its easy to find receivers. Its not. We know this. Stevie is the first Bill to post back to back 1,000 yard seasons. We know this very well.
This even grates my passive cheese - LeClaire Bill
by poz on Jan 10, 2012 4:57 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
You actually proved my point. You identified 16 busts and only 6 receivers that have had any impact and one one rookie who has not proven anything. I said wr are a dime a dozen not just the first round. It is a wasted pick and it has been proven. As for anyone who could say that a draft was successful before the season is just dumb.
by mquintieri on Jan 10, 2012 9:11 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
You could say that about any position, there are far more busts then superstars coming out of the college ranks.
How come I always get blamed for everything I do ?
Dennis the Menace
precisely
and the correlation between getting the elite receiver in a draft and going to the playoffs is there.
In fact the numbers for QBs are far worse, under mquintieri’s logic its a wasted pick and shouldnt be drafted in the first four rounds.
This even grates my passive cheese - LeClaire Bill
STEVIE JOHNSON: resign him. And if you can’t resign him, slap that Franchise Tag on him
DAVID NELSON: a keeper. Notice how the media keeps referring to him as a TE? It just occurred to me: they’re right. He may be listed as a WR, but he’s got receiving-TE size, is a good blocker, and goes over the middle a lot — all the things you want from a TE. In short, he’s doing the things Shawn Nelson would’ve done, had he stayed healthy . . . or ever learned to block . . . or stopped smoking the Mary Warner
DONALD JONES: a keeper, but only in the sense that he’ll be needed as a ST/returner, especially with Parish/Martin gone
ROSCOE PARRISH: hasta la vista, baby . . . people kept telling me how wrong i was for saying Parrish would be history after this year, about all the “big plans” Chan had for him; those big plans were contingent on Parrish 1) staying healthy thru camp, and 2) holding onto the football when targeted, neither of which happened. The exodus of Donahoe’s collection of midget receivers, which began with the release of Josh Reed and continued with the trade of Lee Evans, will at last be complete
BRAD SMITH: yeah, he’s getting overpaid for a “niche” role, but he turned out to be a pretty handy receiver — and it NEVER hurts to have a third arm that knows the playbook
MARCUS EASLEY: as it stands, you are the Torrell Troup of the receiving corps — drafted fairly highly, frequently injured, and dangling enough potential to entice, but thus far that’s all you’ve done . . . and, like Troup, you’ll be given one {final} opportunity to prove your worth
RUVELL MARTIN: hm, let’s see — almost 30, only a special teamer, can’t hold onto the ball even when given {limited} chances. In short, an economy-sized version of Roscoe Parrish. Hasta la vista, baby
DEREK HAGAN: shows size and ability, and as the OP says should be in the mix at camp — how high depends upon whether or not Stevie and/or Easley are back
NAAMAN ROOSEVELT: got good hands, and I admire the way you bulked up from 187 to 201 to stay on the radar {I just hope the extra weight was chicken wings, not HGH. :) } It’s always good for a local kid to be on the roster – ticket sales and all – but you’re gonna have to fight for reps/playing time with Aiken, Hagan, and Jones just for the 3/4/5 WR spot.
Hope you’re up for it
KAMAR AIKEN: in the same boat as Roosevelt, Hagan, and Clowney; want reps, fight for them. I’m hoping this time you’ll be as good during the year as you are/were in camp, or else you risk looking like another Felton Huggins
DAVID CLOWNEY: the fact that you’ve had several looks in five years and haven’t had more than 14 catches in any of them screams “camp fodder.” Blazing speed will always get you a look, but only ability – like that demonstrated by speedsters Bob Hayes, Cliff Branch, and Willie Gault – will keep you around
The way I see it, this is how the WR corps will look . . .
WR#1 – Stevie
WR#2 – Easley
WR#3 – Nelson
WR#4 – Hagan
WR#5 – Jones
WR#6/7 – Roosevelt/Aiken
If Stevie isn’t resigned, move Nelson to 1.
If Easley isn’t healthy – and Stevie isn’t resigned – move Hagan up.
If Clowney makes the team, he goes to 6/7 {return/ST duties.}
The Bills will only draft a WR high {in the first 3 rounds} if BOTH SJ and Easley are gone.
This list does not include Brad Smith.
.
"If You Ain't a Bill I Don't Give a Fxck Bout Ya!! Most Disrespected Team in NFL! I Always feel Disrespected! I'm All In!" -- Steve Johnson
D Nelson is tall
That is the only thing he has in common with a TE. The dude is a stick
I agree
too many other needs to go drafting a WR in the top 3 rounds. Besides both Blackmon and Jeffrey have character concerns while Floyd is not the prototype the Bills require right now, especially if that resign SJ.
Check out http://mocknfldrafts.blogspot.com/
by Billsdownunder on Jan 11, 2012 11:43 AM EST up reply actions
Curious
Last year the majority on this site were dead set against taking a WR high. There were mocks with AJ Green that were brutilized to the point of = wasted pick. So trading Evans negates that? I just don’t get it…
I wrote early in the year that Bill Walsh believed that WR in the first round was only after everything else was set. I don’t think the Bills are “set” at numerous positions. IMHO that Jeffrey etc. are not on that higher plain to negate Walsh’s theory. Green was a tougher decision.
by GPSjr on Jan 10, 2012 5:43 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Any body know off the top of their head who was taken directly after Troup
in the second round in 2010? it really hurts.
"The Buffalo Bills have just exploded all over the Cincinnati Bangles"
-Steve Tasker-
What are the chances?
Desean Jackson ? I’M not quite sure how I really feel about this guy. He is the absolute best play making WR available this off season and he could be huge for us. He could be our “new” Roscoe. Move him around, wreak havoc on opposing Defenses. Is he that much of a problem? Were the situations just overblown? Would combining him & Stevie cause a problem too large to handle for Chan?
I’m not sure myself how I feel about it but I am however convinced that he’s the best pure weapon available
Rebuilding a team properly takes time and patience
I think the Eagles resign him
DeSean is a DIVA, make no mistake. I’ve lived in Philly for 15 years and while I’m no Iggles fan, I do watch them as they are usually fun to watch. DeSean is one of the most exciting, electric, take it to the house on ANY play guy there is. This year his head was completely wrapped up on how underpaid he was playing out his rookie contract and he dropped several easy catches and looked uninterested on too many plays. He also gets hurt a lot and the Eagles will factor that in to their negotiations. I think he wants to keep playing with Vick and the Eagles will ultimately resign him at a fair value. if they get into a bidding war, they will let him walk. That said, there is NO way a Cali diva like him will come to WNY and the Bills will not offer more than market $$ to entice him. He’s not a strong locker room guy and will pout when things don’t go his way.
by AlwaysaBillinPhilly on Jan 10, 2012 9:15 PM EST up reply actions
I think there's zero chance that Philly re-signs him
Guy was a MAJOR reason Philly crapped the bed this year and is supposedly a locker room cancer, or divider.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
he was equally a main reason for their success last year with Vick/Kolb
people are quick to forget that he was being thrown footballs from two different guys, lining up on different sides of the formation for each guy… and was still very successful. give credit where credit is due… he is a pretty darn good WR, who isn’t getting paid even close to what he was producing, and he wasn’t alone in under performaning this year, especially with Maclin being injured.
ABAYARDE IS NOSTRADAMUS JUST WATCH WE WILL NOT YIEALD TO NOBODY YOUR SOUL WE WILL TAKE
by ThaRealTruth on Jan 11, 2012 12:59 AM EST up reply actions
dwight jones
maybe while we were watching NC (searcy/J white) there was enough attention paid to him to see whether he could be a WR with some value (2nd round?). Heck, we may have been looking at him, when we took the other two. Or maybe Robert Quinn…. hard to say.
ABAYARDE IS NOSTRADAMUS JUST WATCH WE WILL NOT YIEALD TO NOBODY YOUR SOUL WE WILL TAKE
I really like jones as well
Although I’d try to wait until the 3rd round, or at least try and trade down in the 2nd round for him
by flutieflakes007 on Jan 12, 2012 10:18 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
agreed
this class is fairly deep, and i wouldn’t be surprised to see Buddy spend any pick at all on a WR, if he sees one he likes. I do know, he will select BPA… because even though we have “more limited” needs… we still need depth everywhere.
ABAYARDE IS NOSTRADAMUS JUST WATCH WE WILL NOT YIEALD TO NOBODY YOUR SOUL WE WILL TAKE
by ThaRealTruth on Jan 12, 2012 3:49 PM EST up reply actions
Really good and deep group!!
This is a position that has gotten better each year. The Evans trade hurt more than I thought it would. It was still the right choice IMO as Evans was not willing or could not expand his game to be more than just the deep threat. The team has wasted two years waiting on Parrish and Easley. Parrlsh will pay the price this year and Easley will follow next year if he cant stay on the field. Stevie has proven that he is the man as he has put up good numbers while injured and with no solid #2 WR. A proven #2 WR would make the whole offense look better by taking some preasure off of Stevie, Nelson, and the rest of the recievers. It would also be a boost to Fitz’s game as well which would in turn help both Freddie and CJ. Call me a homer if you want but IMO this position will be getting national attention at this time next year.
STEVIE- Sign him up!
- WR- Unknown FA or draft pick up that we can only hope will be considerably better than last years #2.
NELSON- Proven role player out of the slot with just a little more upside that creates mismatches with his size.
Solid #3 reciever with good hands and a big body in the red zone.
CJ SPILLER- I know he is not a WR, but I think he will play a major role this year as a slot reciever taking the place of
Parrish as the fast shifty slot man (being motioned out of the backfield from a pro formation)
EASLEY- Lets hope this is his year to shine. If he does stay healthy he could chanlenge for the #2 spot. First guy in if
someone goes down due to injury.
SMITH- Again not officialy a WR, but we all know he will get some play there, and is a solid reserve.
JONES- Not great anywhere but a good back up that can still improve, and there is still that special teams thing.
HAGAN- Shows enough promise to make the team as a #6 WR.
ROOSEVELT- last reciever cut from the team, but IMO the Bills will keep this home town boy around for several years
unless someone else picks him up he will be back by mid season and could make the team if the
injury bug hits early.
AIKEN- Still shows promise but in a deep field he will have to go to the PS again.
PARRISH- Not signed do to injury concerns (if this team needs anything in this crutial third year of the rebuild it is
consistency, and Parrish cant offer that.
MARTIN- Gone.
CLOWNEY- wont make it again.
By my count that makes six WR’s that I think will make the roster next year not including Smith and Spiller who will both get some plays. Roosevelt, and Aiken are waiting in the wings as really good depth.
Please base your arguments in provable facts instead of pulling stuff out of your rear. -CanadianBillsFan- This is why talk is cheap because the supply always exceeds the demand.
I dont know what happened but " 1. WR" should read #2 WR
Please base your arguments in provable facts instead of pulling stuff out of your rear. -CanadianBillsFan- This is why talk is cheap because the supply always exceeds the demand.
- is a special character. Check out the blog’s markup language resources.
"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.
Haha, see? I fell for it too.
"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.
Ha, thanks
Please base your arguments in provable facts instead of pulling stuff out of your rear. -CanadianBillsFan- This is why talk is cheap because the supply always exceeds the demand.
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