RD1, Pick #4: WR Sammy Watkins - Clemson

[OCinBuffalo]

Now just stop and actually think for a minute. At the start of today's draft, we had a 1st round pick this year, a first round pick next year and a fourth round pick next year. At midnight tonight, we had Watkins, but no longer had any of those three picks.

 

How do you conclude that the Bills invested something other than 2 first round picks and a fourth round pick in Watkins?

What...in the Sam Hell...is going on here? Apparently, this is some sort of "have my cake/eat my cake" dysfunction. I shall intercede.

 

Put simply:

How do we...? Easy: There's no such thing as magically adding a draft-eligble player to your team, without expending 1(one) draft pick.

 

Let's review that: 100 % of the time, each draft-eligble player costs 1(one) draft pick. You cannot have your draft pick, and get a player, too. It is one or the other. If you take a player, that costs you a draft pick.

 

Let's look at it another way:

Option 1:

Player X @9.

Standard Cost:

1(one) 1st round draft pick.

 

Option 2:

Sammy Watkins @4.

Standard Cost:

1(one) 1st round draft pick.

Additional Cost:

Next year's 1st and 4th

 

What is the difference between Options 1 & 2? Answer: unless we were taking NOBODY @9 there is 0 difference in "standard cost".

 

So where is the difference? Ahh..that's right: the additional cost. Thus, the true cost of drafting Sammy Watkins, and not staying put?

 

Next year's 1st and 4th.

 

Now enough of this retatta. Next year's 1st and 4th is the answer. Not 2 1sts. Not ever. Anything else is flat out obtuse, and smells like Bleacher Report.

 

EDIT: I just hope we have retatta like this cleaned up before the Sabres draft, as that's going to be a hell of a lot more complicated, just due to the sheer # of resources....but hey....this is good practice.

Edited May 9, 2014 by OCinBuffalo

[KRT88]

It seems as if everyone has taken the holy crap, this was a bad move mentality

 

Imagine for a minute that EJ, Woods, Watkins and Williams actually make it! (Add in a new quality RT in 2nd and Glenn at LT)

 

We'd have an awful strong group of weapons for years to come, making the other teams in our division have to adjust to us. That is not beyond the realm of possibilities and it is exactly what the top brass at One Bills Drive is in visioning.

 

Jump on board, this could be fun to watch.

[MDH]

What...in the Sam Hell...is going on here? Apparently, this is some sort of "have my cake/eat my cake" dysfunction. I shall intercede.

 

Put simply:

How do we...? Easy: There's no such thing as magically adding a draft-eligble player to your team, without expending 1(one) draft pick.

 

Let's review that: 100 % of the time, each draft-eligble player costs 1(one) draft pick. You cannot have your draft pick, and get a player, too. It is one or the other. If you take a player, that costs you a draft pick.

 

Let's look at it another way:

Option 1:

Player X @9.

Standard Cost:

1(one) 1st round draft pick.

 

Option 2:

Sammy Watkins @4.

Standard Cost:

1(one) 1st round draft pick.

Additional Cost:

Next year's 1st and 4th

 

What is the difference between Options 1 & 2? Answer: unless we were taking NOBODY @9 there is 0 difference in "standard cost".

 

So where is the difference? Ahh..that's right: the additional cost. Thus, the true cost of drafting Sammy Watkins, and not staying put?

 

Next year's 1st and 4th.

 

Now enough of this retatta. Next year's 1st and 4th is the answer. Not 2 1sts. Not ever. Anything else is flat out obtuse, and smells like Bleacher Report.

 

EDIT: I just hope we have retatta like this cleaned up before the Sabres draft, as that's going to be a hell of a lot more complicated, just due to the sheer # of resources....but hey....this is good practice.

 

I think you're getting caught up in semantics here, as is everyone. The Bills used 3 of their picks to acquire Watkins. That's a fact. They had to divest themselves of three picks to get the kid when usually it only takes one. So if one wants to say they "gave up" 2 picks then I suppose they could since it's 2 more than it usually takes but the bottom line is they needed three picks to land him.

 

I'm not sure why people are arguing this point anyway. Was it too much? Maybe. I'm generally not in favor of giving away picks as I think you take the shotgun approach to the draft (i.e. the more pics you have the more likely you are to hit something) but my line of thinking going into this draft was that sitting pat was a mistake because the QBs weren't going to get taken in mass before the Bills picked at 9. They needed to move up and grab a dynamic player or move back and pick up some picks. They chose the former, let's hope it works out.

 

That being said I love Watkins. He was the guy I coveted in this draft and a guy who can help Manuel develop.

[bmur66]

Sammy Sammy Sammy Sammy Sammy, I can hear it now!

[ALF]

I thought acquiring Mike Williams made this trade unnecessary.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

I thought acquiring Mike Williams made this trade unnecessary.

 

I thought it did too.

 

Not that I don't think Watkins isn't a great player, but I really think he looks like a rookie Mike Williams. Maybe the Bills are planing to jettison him the moment before his salary hit jumps.

[Bill from NYC]

 

The best is when he lambasted Gilmore for giving up a bunch of yards to Dwayne Bowe in the first half a week after coming back from surgery playing with a giant club on his hand.

 

Dude, instead of stalking me on this board and boring others, why don't you send me a PM telling me what a p.o.s. I am. I promise not to tell the mods.

Now, why not revisit the "Redskin" thread and pour out your aching heart yet again? Your emotional outpour was so moving I was almost in tears.

Maybe we can get together some day. I'll play a few chords on my acoustic and sing "Emotional Rescue" by the Rolling Stones to you.

Edited May 9, 2014 by Bill from NYC

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

this has turned into the typical TSW thread. Name calling, arguments, fact checking, basic math, moron front office, bold move, EJ sucks etc. Al that might be missing is some how some political comment was added in someplace in the 29 pages

[Dorkington]

It's interesting that anyone who isn't 100% on board with this is questioned as a Bills fan, or is labeled overly pessimistic.

 

Personally, I see this as a high risk, high reward.

 

Two things have to happen for this to work out:

 

- Watkins has to translate to the NFL. This is always a question for a rookie. That's why every year there are gems and busts. Giving up a first and a fourth for him, for any player outside of a Luck caliber QB is a risk.

 

- EJ needs to develop into at least an above average QB. No WR is a stud WR without QBs throwing to him with at least some success. EJ last year showed he doesn't make very many big mistakes, which is awesome. But he also had a problem trusting WRs to get open, or recognizing when they will be open. This is another risk, because we have no clue what EJ will become over the next year, and this trade effectively tells us that we are "all in" with EJ for at least the next two years.

 

I'm hoping it works out. But there's a boat load of risk going into this. So it admittedly makes me very nervous.

Edited May 9, 2014 by Dorkington

[Beerball]

Official meltdown over acquiring great wideout ? Nice !!

That's not a meltdown, far from it.

[nucci]

It's interesting that anyone who isn't 100% on board with this is questioned as a Bills fan, or is labeled overly pessimistic.

 

Personally, I see this as a high risk, high reward.

 

Two things have to happen for this to work out:

 

- Watkins has to translate to the NFL. This is always a question for a rookie. That's why every year there are gems and busts. Giving up a first and a fourth for him, for any player outside of a Luck caliber QB is a risk.

 

- EJ needs to develop into at least an above average QB. No WR is a stud WR without QBs throwing to him with at least some success. EJ last year showed he doesn't make very many big mistakes, which is awesome. But he also had a problem trusting WRs to get open, or recognizing when they will be open. This is another risk, because we have no clue what EJ will become over the next year, and this trade effectively tells us that we are "all in" with EJ for at least the next two years.

 

I'm hoping it works out. But there's a boat load of risk going into this. So it admittedly makes me very nervous.

Fair enough and logical thinking.

[Beerball]

98 underclassmen available this year means a weaker draft class next year. That is 3 rounds of talent added to this crop of available players. This will have ripple effects on upcoming drafts.

unless there are 110 underclassmen next year.

 

I still say we nab RB Hyde in the 2nd if he's still available. Then come back & grab an OT in the 3rd, then DE & LB.

I would really like Hyde, but OT is almost a must pick now. They have got to fix the line.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/3/28/5521124/2014-nfl-draft-sammy-watkins-video-scouting-report

 

Alright, I am one of the first and loudest skeptics. But I was pretty impressed by what I saw looking through this article. I think that the bar has been set high, and I will continue to have my doubts until I see Watkins become game breaking. That said, he might just do it.

 

It's interesting that anyone who isn't 100% on board with this is questioned as a Bills fan, or is labeled overly pessimistic.

 

Personally, I see this as a high risk, high reward.

 

Two things have to happen for this to work out:

 

- Watkins has to translate to the NFL. This is always a question for a rookie. That's why every year there are gems and busts. Giving up a first and a fourth for him, for any player outside of a Luck caliber QB is a risk.

 

- EJ needs to develop into at least an above average QB. No WR is a stud WR without QBs throwing to him with at least some success. EJ last year showed he doesn't make very many big mistakes, which is awesome. But he also had a problem trusting WRs to get open, or recognizing when they will be open. This is another risk, because we have no clue what EJ will become over the next year, and this trade effectively tells us that we are "all in" with EJ for at least the next two years.

 

I'm hoping it works out. But there's a boat load of risk going into this. So it admittedly makes me very nervous.

 

+1

 

Thank you. You've said my hopes and concerns more eloquently than I could manage last night when I was charged with emotion.

[Storm Front]

Watkins was the only sure thing type of player in the whole draft. We're talking elite No. 1 receiving talent here who actually liked the Bills as a lad growing up in Fla. The Bills have improved their defense over the off-season and with this pick they have significantly improved the offense. I think they made the right decision to trade the draft picks. I will be so disappointed if we have another losing record this season. I trust Whaley and Marrone.

[G-Daddy]

Now fix up the oline to give ej time and hope he progresses to be able to hit these speedsters.

[RuntheDamnBall]

 

 

Yea Julio getting 959 yards at nearly 18 yards a catch and 8 tds in 13 games wouldn't help a team win now....

[The Wiz]

this has turned into the typical TSW thread. Name calling, arguments, fact checking, basic math, moron front office, bold move, EJ sucks etc. Al that might be missing is some how some political comment was added in someplace in the 29 pages

I blame Obama. Obviously the government is doing such a poor job that next years nfl draft picks have already devalued.

Edited May 9, 2014 by The Wiz

[ALF]

Now fix up the oline to give ej time and hope he progresses to be able to hit these speedsters.

 

I agree !

[mousetrap08]

WOW! Bills fans sure are a finicky group that is for sure.

[G-Daddy]

WOW! Bills fans sure are a finicky group that is for sure.

Yep, all we want is a freaking winning team!! 14 Years no playoffs tends to wear on the fan base. Even Whaley mentioned that when talking about moving up to get Sammy. This season all hinges on EJs growth and development. And healthy knees. And playcalling. And defense. And coaching. Don't forget a new owner too! RIP Mr. Wilson.

Edited May 9, 2014 by DGW54321