Bills WRs revisited.

[ChanOverChin]

Yes this topic has been discussed before, but maybe not from this point of view (I just love the liberal tendencies of this board's monitors who control everything that is said and done on this board - talk about taking the fun out of it).

 

Anyway, so many people have already pre-determined which WRs will make the final roster based upon only the first two preseason games. I say to you, "Hold your horses". There are still two more games to be played. Pay attention which of these WRs garners the most reps on ST. Those are usually the guys that the team is trying to find a way to find a fit on the roster.

 

SJ/Woods/Goodwin/Graham are all locks to make the final 53 IMHO. I believe that Goodwin has surpassed Graham because of his elite speed and great hands. Goodwin's game is simply more explosive. he has been a very pleasant surprise. After that, there are really some very tough decisions to be made. Whether the Bills decide to keep 6 or possibly 7 WRs will impact the no. of players taken at another position so this is an important discussion.

 

I believe that once you get past determining the top four WRs (i.e. the guys who are going to garner most of the reps on offense each Sunday) you then must look at which players can help you the most on ST and then also provide quality WR depth.

 

The remaining WRs to choose from include D. Rogers/Easley/Hogan/Kaufman/B. Smith/Sampson. My take on these guys from a "complete body of work" perspective (i.e. not just what they've done in the preseason games, but also what they've done in practice and the potential that they have exhibited overall) is as follows:

 

Hogan - consistent, possession receiver. But how much can he contribute on ST?? His upside is limited.

 

Easley - has been surprisingly good, has the most yards of this group in the preseason games, but it has mostly been against 3rd string guys, many of whom won't be playing on Sundays. His upside is pretty high. I love his prototypical size/strength/speed/youth.

 

Kaufman - very tall, rangy receiver who I think is destined for the PS. He has no reps on ST thus far, which is a tell tale sign that the Bills are not seriously considering him for the final 53. He has a decent upside and could be a very good complimentary reciever in another year or two because he's athletic and a solid pass catcher at 6'-5".

 

Sampson - has shown some things, but mostly in garbage time. My guess is that he will be waived on 8-27-13. You always need to show well, but if you're only showing well against 3rd/4th stringers it doesn't mean a whole lot. You've got to show well against 1st/2nd string guys because those are the guys that you're going to go up against on Sundays.

 

D. Rogers - easily the most talented of this group. He has everything that you're looking for in an NFL WR from a physical standpoint. SI's Peter King dubbed him a "Baby Randy Moss". Can he contribute on ST?? That remains to be seen. His upside is extremely high, even to the point that he could be a Pro Bowl WR. I don't think that I can realistically say that about anybody else in this bunch.

 

B. Smith - vet WR, can play QB, can return kicks/punts, can be a gunner on kicks/punts. He is extremely.......extremely valuable because he can do all of that and do it well. Even if he's not a starter at one of those positions, as the seasons moves forwards and various starters are injured he can step right in and get the job done. Did I mention that he can be a positive impact on ST?? I believe I did. And for that reason I believe he will make the final 53 man roster. The Bills would not have sought to reduce his salary if they didn't plan to keep him. They would have simply waived him. They don't need him to be a starting WR, but they do need his ability to contribute on ST.

 

When you go through the process of trying to figure out the depth of the Bills roster at each position you quickly figure out that it's somewhat diffcult to fill 53 roster spots (with high quality players). To me that means that the Bills will fill their roster with 7 WRs as long as WR #5/WR #6/WR#7 can all contribute on ST.

 

If the team is going to keep 7 WRs then I think those 7 have to be: SJ/Woods/Goodwin/Graham/B. Smith/Easley/D. Rogers.

 

I like Easley over Hogan because Easley has more upside. If you take Hogan he's not likely to play much on offense anyway this year so you take Easley because he may surpass Graham at some point.

 

I like D. Rogers to make the final roster because of his very high ceiling. As long as he can contribute on ST he can help you this year. In future years he could be a real gem. You would likely be keeping him over a 6th CB (possibly J. Rogers/TJ Heath) or 5th S (J. Meeks) and none of those guys appear to have the upside that he has.

[Pete]

"If the team is going to keep 7 WRs then I think those 7 have to be: SJ/Woods/Goodwin/Graham/B. Smith/Easley/D. Rogers."

I agree we keep 7 and that these are the 7 we keep, and for the reasons you mentioned. Kaufman and Hogan are so easy to root for. It is a shame we can't keep them all. Kaufman just makes too many plays, and will be picked up by another team IMO. Hogan will get a shot somewhere

[Rubes]

Just to make sure I didn't miss something, you start with this:

 

Anyway, so many people have already pre-determined which WRs will make the final roster based upon only the first two preseason games. I say to you, "Hold your horses". There are still two more games to be played.

 

and finish with this:

 

If the team is going to keep 7 WRs then I think those 7 have to be: SJ/Woods/Goodwin/Graham/B. Smith/Easley/D. Rogers.

 

Shouldn't you be holding your horses?

[Big Turk]

Hogan has been one of the best special steamers on the field the first two games, not sure what games you have been watching...been outstanding on kick coverage and made one of tackles inside the 15 yard line on one of the returns...

 

[ChanOverChin]

Pete,

 

I like both Hogan and Kaufman, but they are both up against faster/more athletic players who are capable of making bigger plays. I'm happy for Easley for the way he has come back and played so well. He and Rogers have the strength and body type to win the 1v1 battles that NFL WRs so often have to win to keep drives alive.

 

This would have to be the deepest WR corps that I've seen on a Bills roster in a very long time. It really bodes well for the future.

[eball]

LOL @ Rubes. Nailed it.

 

That said -- I like the seven ChanOverChin identified as sticking, and will be watching closely tomorrow to see which of those bottom guys are getting ST reps (and how they're handling them).

 

More so than anyone else, I probably still have Brad Smith as a lock purely on the basis of his proven ST contributions; he's also one of the few proven vets on that side of the ball, which is important.

 

7-11 Hogan just doesn't impress me; I don't know what it is. Kaufman will easily make it onto the PS. Sampson's a goner. Now that he's healthy, Easley seems to have turned the corner and has outstanding measurables. He's catching everything thrown at him.

 

And then there's Da'Rick. Too much potential to cut, and no ability to "hide" him on the PS. At the end of the day, I don't think this staff wants to see him snatched up by the Pats* or Jets and will keep him among the 53, hoping he matures with designs on cracking the "real" roster in 2014.

Edited August 23, 2013 by eball

[shoretalk]

Have you watched the games? Attended or read the accounts of training camp? If you had participated in any of those options you would know that Hogan has been the most predominant receiver on special teams. In addition he has continued to be praised by the coaching staff while running well defined routes and catching difficult passes. He is a lock to be #5 in our receiving corps.

 

The battle for #6 based on reports from recent practice sessions is between Easely, Rodgers, and Kauffman.

 

Tough choices because someone will end up on another team's 53.

[ChanOverChin]

Rubes, I guess I don't know how to hold my horses.

 

matter2003, Hogan has done somewhat well on ST, but we still need to see more from him to make a final determination. I don't understand the lovefest for Hogan. Wasn't he cut by the Dolphins last year when their WR corps was fairly thin?? He is a possession receiver. To me, those guys are fairly esasy to find. You have to decide if you like him better long term than both Easley and D. Rogers.

[Dopey]

Just to make sure I didn't miss something, you start with this:

 

 

 

and finish with this:

 

 

 

Shouldn't you be holding your horses?

I think you missed everything in-between those two statements.

[jumbalaya]

SJ, Goodwin, Woods, Graham, Hogan, Easely all make it. Smith stays if they keep 7. Kaufman to PS. Rogers to season ending IR for stubbed toe, shin rash, ankle twist, knee sprain, pinkie jam, or eyelash bruise.

[eball]

Somebody needs to make the case for why Hogan should be kept over the game-breaking potential of Easley and Rogers. If your answer is "possession receiver" the Bills already have that in Stevie, Woods, and Chandler. I just don't see it.

[Big Turk]

Somebody needs to make the case for why Hogan should be kept over the game-breaking potential of Easley and Rogers. If your answer is "possession receiver" the Bills already have that in Stevie, Woods, and Chandler. I just don't see it.

 

Marrone stated in an interview on WGR that sometimes coaches make mistakes about projecting what a player could do but he is more interested in who's played the best

[papazoid]

my sleeper pick is DeMarco Sampson

[eball]

Marrone stated in an interview on WGR that sometimes coaches make mistakes about projecting what a player could do but he is more interested in who's played the best

 

And coaches also drool over someone with Rogers' potential. I guess the question is whether you believe Hogan is going to significantly impact Bills games this season. I don't, and therefore even if Rogers won't play I'd rather keep him, let him practice and learn how to be a pro, and prepare him to make an impact in 2014.

 

my sleeper pick is DeMarco Sampson

 

Polo!

[Special K]

Hogan has been one of the best special steamers

 

If this is the case, maybe he would be better off playing in Cleveland.

[bigK14094]

The staff will decide, and, if we are smart, we will not look back and second guess. Especially if one of the cuts lands elsewhere and does well.

[BillsMakeMeShout]

Isn't it amazing to be able to even have this conversation because just a few months ago we only had Stevie and TJ. What a turnaround.

[NoSaint]

still think it will be

 

the 4 "gimmes"

 

and then smith, rogers, and easley fighting for 2 spots

 

kaufman and/or hogan on the PS.

 

 

 

 

 

Marrone stated in an interview on WGR that sometimes coaches make mistakes about projecting what a player could do but he is more interested in who's played the best

 

and what hes doing isnt as hard to replace imo. its not just about number of catches in preseason, its about being able to beat a starting nfl corner 1 on 1 and he has physical limitations that make me think he will struggle with that more than others on the roster - hence hes bounced around, been a street free agent during the season etc.... i like him as a depth option but i think we have guys with talent that is harder to replicate and id rather protect. hogan very well could get cut and resigned in the middle of the season even.

[Sumin]

Few things

 

Just because Brad Smith renegotiated his contract doesn't mean he's a lock. It was simply a move to try and increase his chances of making the final 53

 

Marrone has emphasized that every spot is up for grabs, and for him to go back on that for Rogers especially as a new coach trying to instill values into a team is unlikely, IMO. That being said, I can see Rogers getting "season-ending IR" or simply being outright cut, and its not a definite thing he doesn't fit the final 53. But if he does, I doubt he will play.

 

Easley has been tremendous, looking at improved technique and his body type BUT I'd like to see him play with 1s/2s, the 4th preseason game will show us if he has improved that much. If he continues his improvement he has a good chance of cutting the roster as he has shown he can play STs

 

Hogan is a possession receiver, but honestly, he's been very reliable and a gamer on STs. How many people here were shocked when Nelson was released?

 

Kaufman has made some good plays, but again, what warrants a 7th WR that never plays? Instead, how about carrying another OL?

[BuffaloBob]

Yes this topic has been discussed before, but maybe not from this point of view (I just love the liberal tendencies of this board's monitors who control everything that is said and done on this board - talk about taking the fun out of it).

 

Anyway, so many people have already pre-determined which WRs will make the final roster based upon only the first two preseason games. I say to you, "Hold your horses". There are still two more games to be played. Pay attention which of these WRs garners the most reps on ST. Those are usually the guys that the team is trying to find a way to find a fit on the roster.

 

SJ/Woods/Goodwin/Graham are all locks to make the final 53 IMHO. I believe that Goodwin has surpassed Graham because of his elite speed and great hands. Goodwin's game is simply more explosive. he has been a very pleasant surprise. After that, there are really some very tough decisions to be made. Whether the Bills decide to keep 6 or possibly 7 WRs will impact the no. of players taken at another position so this is an important discussion.

 

I believe that once you get past determining the top four WRs (i.e. the guys who are going to garner most of the reps on offense each Sunday) you then must look at which players can help you the most on ST and then also provide quality WR depth.

 

The remaining WRs to choose from include D. Rogers/Easley/Hogan/Kaufman/B. Smith/Sampson. My take on these guys from a "complete body of work" perspective (i.e. not just what they've done in the preseason games, but also what they've done in practice and the potential that they have exhibited overall) is as follows:

 

Hogan - consistent, possession receiver. But how much can he contribute on ST?? His upside is limited.

 

Easley - has been surprisingly good, has the most yards of this group in the preseason games, but it has mostly been against 3rd string guys, many of whom won't be playing on Sundays. His upside is pretty high. I love his prototypical size/strength/speed/youth.

 

Kaufman - very tall, rangy receiver who I think is destined for the PS. He has no reps on ST thus far, which is a tell tale sign that the Bills are not seriously considering him for the final 53. He has a decent upside and could be a very good complimentary reciever in another year or two because he's athletic and a solid pass catcher at 6'-5".

 

Sampson - has shown some things, but mostly in garbage time. My guess is that he will be waived on 8-27-13. You always need to show well, but if you're only showing well against 3rd/4th stringers it doesn't mean a whole lot. You've got to show well against 1st/2nd string guys because those are the guys that you're going to go up against on Sundays.

 

D. Rogers - easily the most talented of this group. He has everything that you're looking for in an NFL WR from a physical standpoint. SI's Peter King dubbed him a "Baby Randy Moss". Can he contribute on ST?? That remains to be seen. His upside is extremely high, even to the point that he could be a Pro Bowl WR. I don't think that I can realistically say that about anybody else in this bunch.

 

B. Smith - vet WR, can play QB, can return kicks/punts, can be a gunner on kicks/punts. He is extremely.......extremely valuable because he can do all of that and do it well. Even if he's not a starter at one of those positions, as the seasons moves forwards and various starters are injured he can step right in and get the job done. Did I mention that he can be a positive impact on ST?? I believe I did. And for that reason I believe he will make the final 53 man roster. The Bills would not have sought to reduce his salary if they didn't plan to keep him. They would have simply waived him. They don't need him to be a starting WR, but they do need his ability to contribute on ST.

 

When you go through the process of trying to figure out the depth of the Bills roster at each position you quickly figure out that it's somewhat diffcult to fill 53 roster spots (with high quality players). To me that means that the Bills will fill their roster with 7 WRs as long as WR #5/WR #6/WR#7 can all contribute on ST.

 

If the team is going to keep 7 WRs then I think those 7 have to be: SJ/Woods/Goodwin/Graham/B. Smith/Easley/D. Rogers.

 

I like Easley over Hogan because Easley has more upside. If you take Hogan he's not likely to play much on offense anyway this year so you take Easley because he may surpass Graham at some point.

 

I like D. Rogers to make the final roster because of his very high ceiling. As long as he can contribute on ST he can help you this year. In future years he could be a real gem. You would likely be keeping him over a 6th CB (possibly J. Rogers/TJ Heath) or 5th S (J. Meeks) and none of those guys appear to have the upside that he has.

 

The one thing I have to disagree with is that Goodwin has surpassed Graham due to his elite speed, great hands and more explosiveness. Graham was the superstar of the wide receivers this offseason until he pulled a groin. He also has elite speed and good hands, and we simply have not seen him since early in the first preseason game due to his injury.

 

I think you should heed your own advice and hold your horses, and let TJ show something in a game first.

Edited August 23, 2013 by BuffaloBob