PFF Identifies Zay Jones as a Rookie Who Can Bounce Back in 2018

[26CornerBlitz]

6. ZAY JONES, WR, BUFFALO BILLS

2017 overall grade: 43.6

After both Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods walked out the door last offseason, in one way or another to Los Angeles, it became more clear that Zay Jones was in for a high-volume role at receiver in Buffalo. Year 1 certainly didn’t go as planned as Jones finished the season ranked 108th out of 116 qualified wide receivers in terms of overall grade and Bills’ quarterbacks had just a 60.8 passer rating when targeting him. Jones should fare better in Year 2 if he can rectify the drop issue that snuck up on him as a rookie. Jones dropped 5-of-32 catchable targets this past season, one year after he dropped just 6-of-164 catchable targets in his final campaign at ECU.

[PolishDave]

Assuming the Bills end up acquiring some new receiver talent, I hope Jones bounces to receiver number 3 or 4 (at least until he proves himself).

[White Linen]

This is one of the major reasons to not like Taylor as your teams QB.  He's a development killer.  

[billsfan89]

Zay taking over the slot role would serve him well. I think his issues were more mental than anything else. If he learns from year 1 I think he can be a very good player in year 2. 

[DCOrange]

A major issue is that Zay made his living at ECU essentially on screens, digs, and quick slants; basically anything underneath.

 

In Buffalo, he was used as the team's deep threat, which he has always struggled with dating back to ECU. It's no wonder that he struggled as a rookie; Buffalo played him to his weaknesses instead of using his strengths.

 

This line from that PFF article is pretty incredible though:

Jones dropped 5-of-32 catchable targets this past season, one year after he dropped just 6-of-164 catchable targets in his final campaign at ECU.

Edited February 16, 2018 by DCOrange

[elroy16]

3 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Dude Zay sucked. He was awful and that is independent of Tyrod.

 

Need to find another receiver opposite Benjamin. 

 

 

Zay had some trouble separating from corners and with drops. I'm sure having a torn labrum didn't help getting off press or catching tough passes. Saying he was awful is an exaggeration.

 

WR isn't an easy position for college players to come and play at a high level right away, especially coming from a smaller school. He probably won't be a #1, but I think he can be a solid slot receiver. 

[Sky Diver]

he had a shoulder injury.

[Kirby Jackson]

12 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

Zay taking over the slot role would serve him well. I think his issues were more mental than anything else. If he learns from year 1 I think he can be a very good player in year 2. 

I said it early but Zay got the yips like a golfer gets. He just never recovered. As his mistakes compiled, the pressure grew and he just couldn’t get past it. He now has some relief for that and a semi-fresh start with a new OC.

 

The Bills certainly can’t depend on him to be their #2 receiver. He can however be a big improvement over last year. I’m pretty confident in him (I’m not sure why). 

[BillsFan130]

1 hour ago, White Linen said:

This is one of the major reasons to not like Taylor as your teams QB.  He's a development killer.  

It’s Tyrods fault that he couldn’t create separation, dropped passes, and couldn’t come down with basically any 50/50 balls?

[Lfod]

So is this article suggesting he is gonna go to a different team like Woods and Goodwin did and have better numbers? I troll I troll. Huehuehue.

Edited February 16, 2018 by Lfod

[prissythecat]

2 minutes ago, billsfan11 said:

It’s Tyrods fault that he couldn’t create separation, dropped passes, and couldn’t come down with basically any 50/50 balls?

 

Just have to read a lot of the past threads on Taylor.  All the offensive problems were Taylor's fault

[BillsFan130]

2 minutes ago, prissythecat said:

 

Just have to read a lot of the past threads on Taylor.  All the offensive problems were Taylor's fault

Oh I know. 

 

The Bills offence were just full of all pros, TT was responsible for everything... lol

 

I don’t want to turn it into a TT thread again, so I’ll get back to point.

 

Jones had an awful year and he really needs to step it up next year 

[Teddy KGB]

5 minutes ago, prissythecat said:

 

Just have to read a lot of the past threads on Taylor.  All the offensive problems were Taylor's fault

 

Correct 

 

 

 

Zay will be just fine with our new QB.  

[Lfod]

3 minutes ago, prissythecat said:

 

Just have to read a lot of the past threads on Taylor.  All the offensive problems were Taylor's fault

I know right it's Peterman and Dennisons fault Tyrod got benched and then put up 3 points in the playoffs huehuehue.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Just now, billsfan11 said:

Oh I know. 

 

The Bills offence were just full of all pros, TT was responsible for everything... lol

 

I don’t want to turn it into a TT thread again, so I’ll get back to point.

 

Jones had an awful year and he really needs to step it up next year 

I know - Matthews was hurt his entire time here... Deonte Thompson was a UDFA in 2012, and is on his 2nd stint with the team... Benjamin was a midseason acquisition, and hurt his knee so he missed some time and never got fully integrated with the offense... Even Zay had a shoulder injury.  

 

Tyrod was bad, but we also had some of the worst WRs in the NFL. 

[26CornerBlitz]

29 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

Zay taking over the slot role would serve him well. I think his issues were more mental than anything else. If he learns from year 1 I think he can be a very good player in year 2. 

 

Good assessment.  I hope they use him in exactly that capacity. 

[DCOrange]

17 minutes ago, elroy16 said:

 

 

Zay had some trouble separating from corners and with drops. I'm sure having a torn labrum didn't help getting off press or catching tough passes. Saying he was awful is an exaggeration.

 

WR isn't an easy position for college players to come and play at a high level right away, especially coming from a smaller school. He probably won't be a #1, but I think he can be a solid slot receiver. 

It's really not. He was objectively awful last season.

 

That doesn't mean he can't improve though. Considering the Bills used him in all the situations that he struggled with in college plus the apparent shoulder injury, there's certainly reason to believe he can improve a substantial amount.

[BillsFan130]

4 minutes ago, dneveu said:

I know - Matthews was hurt his entire time here... Deonte Thompson was a UDFA in 2012, and is on his 2nd stint with the team... Benjamin was a midseason acquisition, and hurt his knee so he missed some time and never got fully integrated with the offense... Even Zay had a shoulder injury.  

 

Tyrod was bad, but we also had some of the worst WRs in the NFL. 

This pretty much sums it up perfectly 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

7 minutes ago, Lfod said:

I know right it's Peterman and Dennisons fault Tyrod got benched and then put up 3 points in the playoffs huehuehue.

 

Same or similar players had us 10th in points and 16th in yards in 2016.  This year we were 22nd in points in 29th in yards.  So yes - I blame Dennison.  He made the team worse and I'm glad he was fired.

 

Red zone TD scoring - 64.81% in 2016 to 51.11% in 2017

Rushing YPA - 5.3 in 2016 to 4.1 in 2017

We were even worse at passing...

 

5.4 NYA in 2017 16 TDs and 10 picks
5.8 NYA in 2016 17 TDs and 7 picks

 

Same RB, TE, QB, most of the O-line.  And significantly worse results.  

 

What did we get better at under Dennison?  

Edited February 16, 2018 by dneveu

[K D]

he can't get much worse.  literally.  he won't be playing if he doesn't "bounce back"