Every NFL team has contracts they wish they could ditch or players they hoped would live up to the big money handed them in free agency. Most of the time, that's not how it worked. Several Buffalo Bills provided a low return on their investment during the 2016 season.
The numbers we use have been calculated and assembled by Spotrac.com, and is the player's total salary cap figure for 2016. That includes prorated portions of signing bonuses, salary, and any other bonuses paid to give the most complete picture of total payments.
Number 10 - Sammy Watkins, WR ($5.4 million cap hit)
Let’s be clear; Sammy Watkins is not on this list on the sole basis of his injury. Watkins played in only eight games in 2016 and he was just okay in those games. Statistically speaking, he had 28 catches for 430 yards and two touchdowns. If you double those numbers to a 16-game season, they are pretty pedestrian for a top wideout; 56 catches, 860 yards, and four touchdowns. Those doubled numbers would be 49th, 36th, and 35th among all wide receivers, respectively.
That’s obviously not all his fault. With an offense passing at the lowest level in the league, he didn’t get many chances but Watkins only had a 53.8 catch percentage (catches/targets).
This final spot in the top 10 came down to Charles Clay vs. Watkins. Clay’s $6 million cap hit was slightly more than Watkins ($5.4 million) but he was an excellent blocker, led the team in receptions and touchdown catches, and placed respectably in statistical rankings of tight ends around the NFL. In the end, it was that final comparison around the league that made Clay a better value than Watkins.