Duke back. CB King released.

[Chandler#81]

 

[TroutDog]

While I recognize many (me among them) love the underdog story, I’m surprised he’s still on the team. Must be a DNA thing. 

Edited August 9, 2020 by TroutDog

[Putin]

1 minute ago, TroutDog said:

While I recognize many (me among them) love the underdog story, I’m surprised he’s still on the team. Must be a DNA thing. 

He’s a good blocker may also compete for the # 4 WR spot 

[SCBills]

4 minutes ago, TroutDog said:

While I recognize many (me among them) love the underdog story, I’m surprised he’s still on the team. Must be a DNA thing. 

I don’t know what to make of him tbh.  
 

He was somehow able to put up over 100 yards receiving against the Jets last game of the year.  
 

Could've cemented his place on the team if he grabs that TD before half again Houston.   Alas, he didnt. 

 

Wouldn’t mind using him, or Hodgins, as a big slot WR. 
 

 

Edited August 9, 2020 by SCBills

[NoSaint]

2 minutes ago, Putin said:

He’s a good blocker may also compete for the # 4 WR spot 

this board has always loved backs and receivers that are good blockers over good backs or receivers.

[The Wiz]

Just now, SCBills said:

I don’t know what to make of him tbh.  
 

He was somehow able to put up over 100 yards receiving against the Jets last game of the year.  
 

Could've cemented his place on the team if he grabs that TD before half on what would’ve been a tough catch, but one a player like him needs to make.   

 

Wouldn’t mind using him, or Hodgins, as a big slot WR. 

Big body and has some good hands. 

 

He's basically what we wanted Benjamin to be but cost a drop in the bucket. 

 

No reason not to be a depth wr when they need sure hands or a good block. 

[Hampton Josh fan]

Duke is a 2nd year, highly motivated big receiver, who showed ability to separate and make contested catches in postseason. Why wouldn't this guy have a great shot at making the roster? I'm rooting hard for this guy. 

[Bulldog]

Duke sure is a polarizing figure for Bills fans -- I don't quite know what to make of him either.

 

As for Akeem - he wasn't around very long was he? Hope he didn't unpack to many things. Don't know much about him as a player. Good luck to him in trying to stick around in the league.

[SCBills]

7 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

Big body and has some good hands. 

 

He's basically what we wanted Benjamin to be but cost a drop in the bucket. 

 

No reason not to be a depth wr when they need sure hands or a good block. 

Tend to agree.  We gave him an audition against the Jets reg season finale, in which he played well enough anddddd then we made him the primary WR in a Playoff Game?? lol... of which he didn’t come through.   However, neither did John Brown.  

WR room is definitely crowded, but I’m not sure who I’d rather keep at WR 4/5 (Gabe Davis is likely getting one of those spots).  
 

Duke vs Foster vs Hodgins

 

Edited August 9, 2020 by SCBills

[Don Otreply]

Hope he makes the team, he a a good receiver, I suspect he comes in fitter than he has ever been, he will make whoever he is competing with work their butts off if they want to beat him out for a job that he has every intention of securing for himself. 
 

Go Bills!!!

[TBBills]

Duke made 3 very good catches in the playoffs so he has earned the chance.

Edited August 9, 2020 by TBBills

[Doc]

If he’s a better prospect than King is, there’s no issue here.  And I doubt King will be picked up by anyone so he’s probably going to be available to them later if need be.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

26 minutes ago, Putin said:

He’s a good blocker may also compete for the # 4 WR spot 

 

21 minutes ago, Hampton Josh fan said:

Duke is a 2nd year, highly motivated big receiver, who showed ability to separate and make contested catches in postseason. Why wouldn't this guy have a great shot at making the roster? I'm rooting hard for this guy. 

 

More like #6 spot!  There's no way he's making the team over a 4th round draft pick who has the #4 WR spot locked up and even a 6th rounder likely has a leg up on him particularly since both guys drafted are as big as Williams is.  So they both bring to the table the same thing Williams brings other than some experience.  McKenzie brings are rather uniquely different skill set that is lacking elsewhere so likely he also has a leg up on Williams to be kept as will come down to Williams or 2 draft picks all with very similar skill sets.  Beane likes his draft picks!

 

The top 4 spots are taken, I think #5 goes to McKenzie, so the only way I see Williams making the team is if they feel they can sneak Hodkins to the PS.  Likely the more experienced Williams would outplay Hodkins in training camp, but the long term upside may be higher with Hodkins so they would be more reluctant to lose him.  Maybe the team gets lucky and Hodkins breaks a nail so they can move him to the  PS for a year, then Williams chances could change.  Likely whomever is the #6 WR will be inactive most weeks anyway barring injuries ahead of him.

[Hampton Josh fan]

7 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

 

More like #6 spot!  There's no way he's making the team over a 4th round draft pick who has the #4 WR spot locked up and even a 6th rounder likely has a leg up on him particularly since both guys drafted are as big as Williams is.  So they both bring to the table the same thing Williams brings other than some experience.  McKenzie brings are rather uniquely different skill set that is lacking elsewhere so likely he also has a leg up on Williams to be kept as will come down to Williams or 2 draft picks all with very similar skill sets.  Beane likes his draft picks!

 

The top 4 spots are taken, I think #5 goes to McKenzie, so the only way I see Williams making the team is if they feel they can sneak Hodkins to the PS.  Likely the more experienced Williams would outplay Hodkins in training camp, but the long term upside may be higher with Hodkins so they would be more reluctant to lose him.  Maybe the team gets lucky and Hodkins breaks a nail so they can move him to the  PS for a year, then Williams chances could change.  Likely whomever is the #6 WR will be inactive most weeks anyway barring injuries ahead of him.

I disagree about Hodkins having any higher upside or a leg up on Duke. Teams cut 6th rounders all the time. His college resume didn't seem to light up any other teams draft board. Williams overcame huge obstacles to get on the field and produced in a small sample size. If they dump Duke , guaranteed he's playing on another roster opening day. 

[Augie]

Goodbye Akeem! Thank you for all your efforts and accomplishments. You will forever remain one of my top 10,000 Bills of all time. 

 

 

OK, maybe 50,000.......

[Chandler#81]

I’m done with Duke, personally. I certainly bought in on the big WR who squandered early opportunities then led the CFL in catches & yards. Mostly, I suppose, because it was a glaring need. But Sean seeing serious liabilities in his route running, crippling drops at inopportune times and no noticeable improvement coupled with fantastic upgrades at the position, make him expendable. jmo.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

57 minutes ago, Putin said:

He’s a good blocker may also compete for the # 4 WR spot 

 

FWIW, here's Joe B's guess at the 53 man roster from The Athletic. 
For WR he has:

Wide Receiver (7): Stefon Diggs, John Brown, Cole Beasley, Gabriel Davis, Andre Roberts, Isaiah McKenzie, Isaiah Hodgins

Before any practices, the receiver debate is not about which players should make the team. Instead, it’s about how many make the final roster. Wide receiver is notoriously a difficult position for rookies to transition into in the NFL, which makes Beane’s task at crafting the right group a difficult one. He selected both Gabriel Davis and Isaiah Hodgins this April and isn’t particularly keen on letting draft picks go in their first season. Barring injury, Davis will be on the 53-man roster. The player in question becomes Hodgins — if Beane cuts Hodgins, he runs the risk of a player he believes in being claimed on waivers. For now, Hodgins sticks as the seventh receiver.

The lack of practices increases Isaiah McKenzie’s value for the beginning of the season. The Bills know they can plug McKenzie into the lineup if necessary, while the rookie wideouts get more acclimated in the background. Andre Roberts is an efficient kickoff and punt returner, making his inclusion likely as well. Robert Foster and Duke Williams were both nice stories once upon a time, and there is a distinct possibility the Bills sneak one or both onto the practice squad.

Cut: Robert Foster, Duke Williams, Nick Easley

 

Last season if I have it right, we kept 6:

Brown, Beas, McKenzie, Roberts, Duke, Foster

 

I think Buscaglia has a point that McKenzie has a leg-up to be their "utility knife" player given the short off-season, and a point that rookies have trouble transitioning at WR.  But as he also notes, we did use 2 draft picks on Davis and Hodgins.   Will Beane be willing to expose them to possible waivers? 

 

Foster and Duke have both shown flashes, but also fallen short of expectations at times.  Notably, Duke had a chance to show big in Houston and didn't.  For whatever reason, he didn't make it to the off-season workouts in FL.  If we keep 6 WR as last year, I think it's likely to be Diggs, Brown, Beas, Davis, Roberts, and McKenzie while Foster and Duke are the "odd men out".

[Gugny]

1 minute ago, Chandler#81 said:

I’m done with Duke, personally. I certainly bought in on the big WR who squandered early opportunities then led the CFL in catches & yards. Mostly, I suppose, because it was a glaring need. But Sean seeing serious liabilities in his route running, crippling drops at inopportune times and no noticeable improvement coupled with fantastic upgrades at the position, make him expendable. jmo.

 

Personally, I think it's unfair to judge him based on how he was inactive for 12 regular season games, then thrust into the offense in a playoff game and given 10 targets.

 

I still think he CAN be a good WR.  Hopefully we see better roster management in the next full season.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

21 minutes ago, Hampton Josh fan said:

I disagree about Hodkins having any higher upside or a leg up on Duke. Teams cut 6th rounders all the time. His college resume didn't seem to light up any other teams draft board. Williams overcame huge obstacles to get on the field and produced in a small sample size. If they dump Duke , guaranteed he's playing on another roster opening day. 

 

I really like Duke so I hope you're right another roster picks him up.  And you may also be right about Hodgins.  But I think it's quite plausible the team still keeps only 6 WR this year, in which case IMO they would both be "odd men out".  Your points about Hodgins would be arguments why Beane may feel he can stash him on the PS successfully.

Duke had 10 targets in the Houston game and made 4 receptions.  At what point do you say the guy had his chance in the bright lights and he didn't make good?

 

From the "risk management" perspective, I think the guys with the highest potential in-game exposure to Covid-19 are going to be the lines on both sides, so if I were looking at the squad, that's where I'd use extra slots. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

3 minutes ago, Gugny said:

Personally, I think it's unfair to judge him [Duke] based on how he was inactive for 12 regular season games, then thrust into the offense in a playoff game and given 10 targets.

I still think he CAN be a good WR.  Hopefully we see better roster management in the next full season.

 

Duke was active in the Jets game and a big part of the game plan with 12 targets (6 receptions).  So it's not as though he were thrown into the Houston game stone cold.

I'm not sure what improved roster management you would like to see, or what you would find fair as far as judging Duke?    He got 29 targets in 5 games and caught 55% of his targets.