WR battle heading into first preseason game

[Alphadawg7]

It’s going to be very interesting to see if Bills keep 6 or 7 WRs.  I still think it’s 6, meaning there is currently one spot to likely be won.

 

Who will get that final spot is the question, and who would be good enough to make them think about keeping 7?

 

Right now, all reports and rotations seem to suggest Roberts is going to be seriously considered to play a WR role, not just a Returner role.  And with him having some good moments as a WR in camp, even getting first and second team reps, if this trend continues I think it would mean they were be very little chance they keep 7.  

 

Right now the guys standing out the most I think based on reports have been Ray Ray and Cam Phillips.  Duke and Sills have had a positive moment here and there, but mostly have gotten little buzz or rotation and seem to be behind a decent amount of those two guys.  Easley also has had some bright moments, but not consistently.

 

Too early for anything to be in stone, but if I had to make a guess right now, I think it will be 6 total WRs kept with Roberts being used as a WR too, and I think Ray Ray is the favorite right now.  I am cautious on his buzz until I see it in live game action as there have been plenty of camp stars who didn’t do much in live action.  But the coaches have really been praising him too, so they must be seeing something they like this far.

 

Be fun to see how this keeps playing out in preseason.

[GunnerBill]

Ray Ray's job to lose at this stage IMHO. Though McKenzie and Phillips have still been getting odd snaps with the ones. 

 

The history under McDermott is that production in pre-season games has not weighed all that heavily into the final decision. The only way I think someone makes enough impact to drastically change things in the games is a receiver who really makes plays on special teams.  

Edited August 4, 2019 by GunnerBill

[3rdand12]

24 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

It’s going to be very interesting to see if Bills keep 6 or 7 WRs.  I still think it’s 6, meaning there is currently one spot to likely be won.

 

Who will get that final spot is the question, and who would be good enough to make them think about keeping 7?

 

Right now, all reports and rotations seem to suggest Roberts is going to be seriously considered to play a WR role, not just a Returner role.  And with him having some good moments as a WR in camp, even getting first and second team reps, if this trend continues I think it would mean they were be very little chance they keep 7.  

 

Right now the guys standing out the most I think based on reports have been Ray Ray and Cam Phillips.  Duke and Sills have had a positive moment here and there, but mostly have gotten little buzz or rotation and seem to be behind a decent amount of those two guys.  Easley also has had some bright moments, but not consistently.

 

Too early for anything to be in stone, but if I had to make a guess right now, I think it will be 6 total WRs kept with Roberts being used as a WR too, and I think Ray Ray is the favorite right now.  I am cautious on his buzz until I see it in live game action as there have been plenty of camp stars who didn’t do much in live action.  But the coaches have really been praising him too, so they must be seeing something they like this far.

 

Be fun to see how this keeps playing out in preseason.

so a rough guess as to the WR's by rank and position.

we know the 3  locks.

 Brown Beasley and Jones.
#4 Foster ?

 

Maybe the TE situation allows an extra WR to start the season ?
and all the RBs might affect the 53 as well.

 Hope Daboll has a flexible plan and finds the right guys for his schemes

[Rocky Landing]

If memory serves me correctly, Beane has offhandedly mentioned in a couple different interviews the possibility of only keeping five WRs. I don't see how that would be the case at this point, but I suspect the possibility for seven is slim.

 

12 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

Ray Ray's job to lose at this stage IMHO. Though McKenzie and Phillips have still been getting odd snaps with the ones. 

 

The history under McDermott is that production in pre-season games has not weighed all that heavily into the final decision. The only way I think someone makes enough impact to drastically change things in the games is a receiver who really makes plays on special teams.  

You've mentioned this before, but I'm not sure there is enough of a sample size to really establish that. Could it be that in the past couple years, production in preseason games have basically confirmed McD's opinions going in?

[NewEra]

I never really understood the love for Ray Ray, except his name and hair.  At Clemson I thought he was pedestrian.  

 

The praise out of training camp, while unexpected to me based on mr view of him, is very encouraging and I’m excited to see the little playmaker weave his way.  Sounds like he’s the favorite at the moment.  I’d put McKenzie as next in line.  He has speed and explosion that the others lack

[PetermansRedemption]

5 minutes ago, NewEra said:

I never really understood the love for Ray Ray, except his name and hair.  At Clemson I thought he was pedestrian.  

 

The praise out of training camp, while unexpected to me based on mr view of him, is very encouraging and I’m excited to see the little playmaker weave his way.  Sounds like he’s the favorite at the moment.  I’d put McKenzie as next in line.  He has speed and explosion that the others lack

From the practices I have seen, Ray-Ray has absolutely outshined McKenzie. I was very impressed with Ray-Ray and Zay Jones up to this point. 

[Phil The Thrill]

11 minutes ago, NewEra said:

I never really understood the love for Ray Ray, except his name and hair.  At Clemson I thought he was pedestrian.  

 

The praise out of training camp, while unexpected to me based on mr view of him, is very encouraging and I’m excited to see the little playmaker weave his way.  Sounds like he’s the favorite at the moment.  I’d put McKenzie as next in line.  He has speed and explosion that the others lack

 

I don’t think they keep 5.  If Roberts is getting work at WR, I can see them keeping Ray Ray because he can takeover as a returner - though he was atrocious last season

[GunnerBill]

14 minutes ago, Rocky Landing said:

You've mentioned this before, but I'm not sure there is enough of a sample size to really establish that. Could it be that in the past couple years, production in preseason games have basically confirmed McD's opinions going in?

 

Of course it could. My suspicion is what they value higher is how well these guys are running the routes in their offense. And given they run a pretty vanilla scheme in pre season games I suspect that is why they have, so far, placed less weight on those games.

9 minutes ago, Bills2ref said:

From the practices I have seen, Ray-Ray has absolutely outshined McKenzie. I was very impressed with Ray-Ray and Zay Jones up to this point. 

 

Yea from reading a multitude of sources I agree. I think McKenzie went in slightly ahead but that order has flipped. Both have got a lot of work as gunners on teams as well.... which is another reason why I still think the winner of that battle gets that 6th spot. 

[Alphadawg7]

35 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

Ray Ray's job to lose at this stage IMHO. Though McKenzie and Phillips have still been getting odd snaps with the ones. 

 

The history under McDermott is that production in pre-season games has not weighed all that heavily into the final decision. The only way I think someone makes enough impact to drastically change things in the games is a receiver who really makes plays on special teams.  

 

Yeah, ST is important to Beane in these roster spots and he said so during the offseason in some post draft comments.  

 

The one thing going for Cam though is that he’s apparently been making lots of highlight type catches too, one handed catches, catches in traffic, etc.  That carries over into live games and he could really up his chances.  

[NewEra]

16 minutes ago, Bills2ref said:

From the practices I have seen, Ray-Ray has absolutely outshined McKenzie. I was very impressed with Ray-Ray and Zay Jones up to this point. 

Love to hear it!  Where has his progression been other than running routes?  Does he look quicker and more explosive?

[Alphadawg7]

22 minutes ago, 3rdand12 said:

so a rough guess as to the WR's by rank and position.

we know the 3  locks.

 Brown Beasley and Jones.
#4 Foster ?

 

Maybe the TE situation allows an extra WR to start the season ?
and all the RBs might affect the 53 as well.

 Hope Daboll has a flexible plan and finds the right guys for his schemes

 

Foster IMO is a lock and so is Roberts.  If we keep 5 (which i would be a little surprised if we did only keep 5), then there isn’t much of a WR battle likely left unless a trade or injuries happen.  

 

I personally think we keep 6 though like I said earlier leaving just the one spot reasonably obtainable out of the Ray Ray, Cam, McKenzie, Duke, Sills, and Easley group.  

 

Out of that 3, I feel like the guys who have stood out the most based on reports thus far are Ray Ray, Cam, and Easley.  

 

I think Cam and Easley are very probable PS guys though if they don’t get a roster spot.  Sills would be too, however I think there is a strong chance Sills would be picked up before making it to our PS based on how much demand there was for him after the draft.

[NewEra]

11 minutes ago, Phil The Thrill said:

 

I don’t think they keep 5.  If Roberts is getting work at WR, I can see them keeping Ray Ray because he can takeover as a returner - though he was atrocious last season

I don’t think they keep 5 either.  My bad if that is what I communicated.  I fully expect Brown, Beasley, Zay, Foster, Roberts.+ 1 to make the team with 1-2 on the PS

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

42 minutes ago, 3rdand12 said:

so a rough guess as to the WR's by rank and position.

we know the 3  locks.

 Brown Beasley and Jones.
#4 Foster ?

 

Maybe the TE situation allows an extra WR to start the season ?
and all the RBs might affect the 53 as well.

 Hope Daboll has a flexible plan and finds the right guys for his schemes

 

I'd think the opposite that forces them to keep another TE unless Kroft starts on PUP list which I think there's a good chance does happen.  But even then may just mean the TE situation has no bearing on the number of WR's kept.

 

Other name I've read has looked good is Easley.

 

[Mat68]

21 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Foster IMO is a lock and so is Roberts.  If we keep 5 (which i would be a little surprised if we did only keep 5), then there isn’t much of a WR battle likely left unless a trade or injuries happen.  

 

I personally think we keep 6 though like I said earlier leaving just the one spot reasonably obtainable out of the Ray Ray, Cam, McKenzie, Duke, Sills, and Easley group.  

 

Out of that 3, I feel like the guys who have stood out the most based on reports thus far are Ray Ray, Cam, and Easley.  

 

I think Cam and Easley are very probable PS guys though if they don’t get a roster spot.  Sills would be too, however I think there is a strong chance Sills would be picked up before making it to our PS based on how much demand there was for him after the draft.

They keep 5 to slip Mccould on P.S.  TE, Rb and Oline is going to impact the WR number.  McCoy, Gore, Singletary, and Yeldon all could make the 53 and 46, that happens you go with 5 Wrs.

[K-9]

I really like McKenzie as his insertion into the lineup last season paid immediate dividends as Daboll sought to get more quick twitch and speed in the lineup. I’m rooting for the kid.

 

That said, if he’s cut, it will be for all the right reasons. And something tells me Andre Roberts is going to announce his arrival as a legit WR threat in this league.

[Alphadawg7]

4 minutes ago, Mat68 said:

They keep 5 to slip Mccould on P.S.  TE, Rb and Oline is going to impact the WR number.  McCoy, Gore, Singletary, and Yeldon all could make the 53 and 46, that happens you go with 5 Wrs.

 

True, but I don’t think Yeldon is trending towards making it to be on the final 53 IMO.  

[The Bills Blog]

McKenzie was an impact player last season, so to see him out of position to make the team is kind of shocking, especially because it seems due to McCloud's rise. NO ONE saw that coming. Credit to McCloud.

 

Wild card here... Foster might be in trouble.

[Foxx]

so... is Zay a lock to make the team?

asking for a friend....

[Alphadawg7]

Just now, The Bills Blog said:

McKenzie was an impact player last season, so to see him out of position to make the team is kind of shocking, especially because it seems due to McCloud's rise. NO ONE saw that coming. Credit to McCloud.

 

Wild card here... Foster might be in trouble.

 

I think there is no way Foster is cut personally.  But maybe it’s him (as opposed to Zay that I posted about back in February) that could be a preseason trade if he’s not stepping up to stronger competition.

 

But I still highly doubt Foster goes anywhere after how he responded last year.  

[Mat68]

8 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

True, but I don’t think Yeldon is trending towards making it to be on the final 53 IMO.  

I understand where he stands on the roster in terms depth chart.  I think in terms of packages and matchup he is an interesting guy to watch.  Yeldon, 4th or 5th Te, 6th Wr, extra lineman.  Special teams and game impact with decide who makes it.