Wow…Sammy Watkins statement on Lamar 😬😳🥶🤦🏼‍♂️

[Beck Water]

8 hours ago, AlfaBill said:

I’m not sure what he said that was wrong?

 

He's expressing his views, so I dunno about "wrong"

 

Ironic perhaps.  He's a player who was thought by many (including coaches) to be "dogging it" with a foot injury when on the Bills and won the moniker "boo boo foot" (OK, boo-boo foot the second or junior, but that's ponderous)

 

Now he's basically accusing another player, a premier player in the league, of being able to play, but dogging it over contract $$

 

Oh, and basically he's doing this while he pretty clearly hasn't been making every effort to maintain his body in peak playing condition or to go hard on every play (as the OP clip shows)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2023 by Beck Water

[Doc]

Just now, SageAgainstTheMachine said:

I get that, but this is reading between the lines of what he actually said.  Is it a fair reading?  Perhaps.

 

What other reading could there be?  If Lamar is truly so injured that he can't play, there would be no need to say anything.

[Heitz]

7 hours ago, AlfaBill said:

Not what I read. Seems like he wants Lamar to play because he’s a difference maker.

100% how I read this too - and he’s not wrong.  Like, does anyone think the Ravens have a better chance *without* Lamar?? 🤔

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

1 minute ago, Doc said:

 

What other reading could there be?  If Lamar is truly so injured that he can't play, there would be no need to say anything.

 

See my edit

[Beck Water]

5 hours ago, Virgil said:

I actually agree with Watkins.  If it weren’t for his future contract, I think Lamar would be playing.  
 

Living here in Baltimore, there’s been some smoke to support it 

 

Say more

[Virgil]

8 minutes ago, BuffaloBill said:

If true the Ravens have culpability in the situation. It’s a negotiation and I understand they can’t simply cave. At the same time you have to wonder how the discussions were handled. You can usually find a way if you want to. 

From everything the local reporters have said, Lamar wants fully guaranteed just like Watson and the Ravens have told him it’s never happening. There was a rumor of a large amount fully guaranteed, but I can’t remember how much.   Someone in here said 200 mil, and that may be right.  
 

Him being his own agent I think will hurt him through all of this.  He doesn’t have someone who can actively gauge his market value.  
 

Lastly, I think this hurts his value.  If I’m a contender, I don’t know I want a guy who’s going to give up a playoff chance for a contract.   While they have some receivers hurt, their defense is in good shape and they have as good a chance as ever to make a run.  Lamar doesn’t seem to care about that as much.  

[clayboy54]

5 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

What other reading could there be?  If Lamar is truly so injured that he can't play, there would be no need to say anything.

Clearly an indicator of Lamar’s ability as a leader, if nothing else. Teammates would never publicly criticize their leader.

[Doc]

Just now, clayboy54 said:

Clearly an indicator of Lamar’s ability as a leader, if nothing else. Teammates would never publicly criticize their leader.

 

And worse yet from a guy who should be the last one talking.

[Buffalo03]

8 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

I mean really?  This guys got some nerve given his own track record…

 

👇👇This guys response was classic

 

😂😂😂😂😂
 

 

Not sure what he said that was really bad. I don't think Watkins is wrong. In a way, if this is contract related, I think Lamar is being a baby about it. He wants a fully guaranteed deal. Maybe he should be a little more realistic with himself

[T master]

I'm not sure it's wrong for Lamar to be thinking of his health for the future & not playing if he feels he can't go out & do the team justice or there is a chance that he could go out & be in a position to where he might just out of circumstances take off or again get a O linemen pushed over into him .

 

If Lamar needs to be 100% to get 100% of the contract he is thinking of negotiating & to keep his future health to be the player he is then i don't see him not playing as a bad thing .

 

The NFL will be here years after he is all done & like other NFL players that left it all on the field and now can't have a "Normal life" i can't say as i blame him in a lot of ways .

[Chaos]

6 hours ago, Virgil said:

I actually agree with Watkins.  If it weren’t for his future contract, I think Lamar would be playing.  
 

Living here in Baltimore, there’s been some smoke to support it 

Smoke plays in Buffalo now. 

[Beck Water]

4 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

Lamar is 6 weeks out from an injury that was originally thought to be a 1 or 2 week injury.  I think it's fair to wonder what's going on.  I think the entire league is wondering what's going on with him.

 

Lamar gambled on himself this season and he lost.  He certainly hasn't done anything that is going to make him more money whenever and wherever he signs his next contract.

 

Hi.  Remember when we went from this 

Quote

Bills linebacker Von Miller revealed Tuesday that he suffered damage to the meniscus in his right knee in his team’s win over the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.

Despite the injury, Miller said on The VonCast that he aims to return to the field for the Bills’ Week 14 home game against the Jets on Dec. 11. That would mean Miller would miss Thursday’s Week 13 game against the Patriots.

 

“The news is not the best of news. It’s definitely not the worst of news,” Miller said on his podcast. “It’s kind of like in the middle. … I do have some lateral meniscus damage. It’s gonna have to be addressed. I do feel like I can play through that.

 

To this

Quote

It’s bad news for Buffalo Bills pass rusher Von Miller, who will have to sit out the remainder of the 2022 season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Miller was placed on injured reserve on December 1, after suffering a knee injury during the Bills’ Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions.

During planned exploratory surgery this week, it was discovered Miller had a torn ACL, the Bills said in a news release, with head coach Sean McDermott adding that this means Miller will be “out for the year.”

 

Also remember when it was thought Josh Allen's torn UCL would put him out 2-4 weeks?

 

It's possible for initial injury diagnosis to be inaccurate, in both directions

 

Ask RGIII if he's glad he played in the Redskins WC game?  If we don't remember, Griffin injured his knee in Week 14

Quote

Week 14, Griffin hurt his right knee on a hit by Haloti Ngata.....With the team down eight points and driving, he tried to keep playing after missing only one play.

"(Griffin) didn't even let us look at him," [team physician James] Andrews said. "He came off the field, walked through the sidelines, circled back through the players and took off back to the field. It wasn't our opinion. We didn't even get to touch him or talk to him. Scared the hell out of me."

The injury was revealed to be a mild LCL sprain. Griffin missed Week 15
 

Griffin was cleared to play in Washington's playoff game against Seattle, albeit wearing a knee brace that causes him to limp slightly. The knee bothered him from the get-go, and he heads back to the locker room after a few big hits from the Seahawks.
 

Griffin vehemently argued that he should be allowed to return to the game, and Shanahan let him. It was evident that this was a very bad idea from the get-go: Griffin was clearly limping and his mobility was restricted, as he got hit on plays where he normally would've escaped.

 

Then, on a botched snap in the fourth quarter, his knee buckled.

Griffin's injury was revealed to be a partially torn LCL -- the same ligament that was strained earlier -- and ACL. Later, it is revealed to actually be a completely torn LCL and ACL, requiring total reconstruction. But when Griffin had surgery, and Washington revealed he also had a torn meniscus hanging around in there, too.

 

Griffin was never the same.  Oh, by the way - Lamar almost certainly has asked Griffin, since at one point Griffin was backing him up in Baltimore. 

 

I'm sure Lamar's lack of contract has something to do with it, because a player in the last year of his contract with no injury guarantees is in a different place, career-wise, than a player with a multi year contract committing the team to pay him if he plays through injury and ***** himself up. 

But if I were guessing, for a guy whose bread and butter as a QB is agility and speed, concern that if he plays on a joint with laxity because the LCL isn't properly protecting it he might totally blow out his knee like RGIII did and then "sayonara career", weighs large.  Because unless he had a fully guaranteed contract, I believe he would only get one year then they can cut him.

 

Aren't the Ravens a team that has one of the worst injury scores in the NFL among other training staff shenanigans?  There might be reason for Jackson not to place his faith completely in their training and medical staff advice.

[BillsFanSD]

I'm inclined to agree with Watkins.  He might not be the right guy to point this out, but everybody expected Jackson to be back out there weeks ago.  Reading between the lines, I suspect Harbaugh agrees with him too but is smart enough not to say so out loud.

 

Edit: Also, does anybody think that Watkins is just speaking for himself here?  If one guys says it to a reporter, you know there's another dozen guys who quietly agree.

Edited January 14, 2023 by BillsFanSD

[Chaos]

8 minutes ago, NUT said:

Ravens don't beat the Bengals even with Jackson playing after being off for 5 weeks.

You never know. Bengals struggled to put the Ravens away just last week. 

[Beck Water]

1 minute ago, BillsFanSD said:

I'm inclined to agree with Watkins.  He might not be the right guy to point this out, but everybody expected Jackson to be back out there weeks ago.  Reading between the lines, I suspect Harbaugh agrees with him too but is smart enough not to say so out loud.

 

Again - Von Miller initially expected to be out like 1-2 weeks.  The initial MRI missed his partially torn ACL.  Medicine is an art.

 

It's entirely possible that Jackson's injury was initially forecast to be 1-2 weeks, then 2 weeks went by and it's still swollen and there's still laxity in there.  One doctor says "we can tape you and put on a brace and give you a shot and get you back out there, there's a risk but there's always a risk".  Another doctor says "while there's this much laxity in your knee and this much swelling, you're at significantly higher risk for blowing out your whole knee, even with a brace" 

 

Lamar goes with the 2nd doctor, and the Ravens go with the first.  It's Lamar's right under the CBA to have an independent medical opinion on an injury, and follow that medical advice.

[Alphadawg7]

4 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

Lamar is 6 weeks out from an injury that was originally thought to be a 1 or 2 week injury.  I think it's fair to wonder what's going on.  I think the entire league is wondering what's going on with him.

I mean his knee was still swollen last week, there is no question that he is not fully recovered from his knee injury.

 

The only question is could he push the envelope or not and play on it before it’s 100%.  That’s a legit question, and I’m sure his future for himself plays into that decision.  
 

But there isn’t anything to be “suspicious” about in terms of what the injury was thought to be and him not being healed.  They thought Von would miss 2-4 weeks and he ended up out for the season.  

[Beck Water]

7 minutes ago, Chaos said:

You never know. Bengals struggled to put the Ravens away just last week. 

 

???

 

For values of "struggled" where the struggling team is leading 24-7 at the half, and gave up 2 unanswered FG in the 2nd half, ending 27-16 with a 2 score lead?

 

OK, they punted 5 times in the 2nd half, but I can't blame them for taking their foot off the gas a bit.  But when you have at minimum a 2 score lead all through the game, I don't think that's what most would describe as "struggling".

 

It's not a blowout win, certainly.

[SCBills]

19 minutes ago, T master said:

I'm not sure it's wrong for Lamar to be thinking of his health for the future & not playing if he feels he can't go out & do the team justice or there is a chance that he could go out & be in a position to where he might just out of circumstances take off or again get a O linemen pushed over into him .

 

If Lamar needs to be 100% to get 100% of the contract he is thinking of negotiating & to keep his future health to be the player he is then i don't see him not playing as a bad thing .

 

The NFL will be here years after he is all done & like other NFL players that left it all on the field and now can't have a "Normal life" i can't say as i blame him in a lot of ways .

Here’s my issue..

 

He set a deadline.  Get a deal done before the season or we’re not talking about it until after the season. 
 

I get where he’s coming from with that, but when you’re now injured, for a second straight season, missing significant time and (seemingly) unable to play in the playoffs.. it’s a bad look given the contract status.  He set the deadline, not the Ravens. 
 

Also, if what the Ravens guy on The Extra Point Show said is true… 250M/fully guaranteed … yikes.   That’s a lot of money for a QB who’s broken down to the point of missing a ton of time recently, hasn’t performed in the playoffs, and (for as good as he is) is quite a ways down on the pecking order of AFC QB’s. 
 

A QB-desperate team with the cap space.. like the Jets.. may make the move, but in checking in on their fans.. they’re smarter than I give them credit for - many of them do not want Lamar at the price it would take.  
 

As Bills fans, there’s a good chance he implodes the build theyre doing over there.  They’d be making the move for a 25% it hits in the next 2-3 years before they have to pay Sauce, Breece, Wilson etc.. But there’s a 75% chance he continues to break down, can’t get the ball to those WR’s and becomes a Russell Wilson albatross on the team. 
 

He’s done quite a bit of damage to the perception of his ability this year. …but I do still think someone will pull the trigger at the price point he wants. 

[Inigo Montoya]

6 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Again - Von Miller initially expected to be out like 1-2 weeks.  The initial MRI missed his partially torn ACL.  Medicine is an art.

 

It's entirely possible that Jackson's injury was initially forecast to be 1-2 weeks, then 2 weeks went by and it's still swollen and there's still laxity in there.  One doctor says "we can tape you and put on a brace and give you a shot and get you back out there, there's a risk but there's always a risk".  Another doctor says "while there's this much laxity in your knee and this much swelling, you're at significantly higher risk for blowing out your whole knee, even with a brace" 

 

Lamar goes with the 2nd doctor, and the Ravens go with the first.  It's Lamar's right under the CBA to have an independent medical opinion on an injury, and follow that medical advice.

 

2 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

I mean his knee was still swollen last week, there is no question that he is not fully recovered from his knee injury.

 

The only question is could he push the envelope or not and play on it before it’s 100%.  That’s a legit question, and I’m sure his future for himself plays into that decision.  
 

But there isn’t anything to be “suspicious” about in terms of what the injury was thought to be and him not being healed.  They thought Von would miss 2-4 weeks and he ended up out for the season.  

 

Both perfectly valid points.

 

My larger point is that Lamar rolled the dice this year hoping that he would get a better contract out of it and he is now in a situation where the best case scenario is that he is not available for a third of the season and the playoffs because of another injury, and  worse case scenario, there are rumblings that he might be playing the Ravens because of his contract situation.  Neither one is good look for him.  

 

You hear about players betting on themselves and winning like Kirk Cousins  did.  I think Lamar's situation is an example of a player betting on himself and losing that bet.

 

🍻

[Alphadawg7]

31 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

Not sure what he said that was really bad. I don't think Watkins is wrong. In a way, if this is contract related, I think Lamar is being a baby about it. He wants a fully guaranteed deal. Maybe he should be a little more realistic with himself

I mean he opens with downplaying Lamar’s injury for one by saying everyone’s hurt this time of year.  He goes on to imply he’s maybe dogging it essentially over his contract.  
 

Then he suggests Lamar risk play on an injured knee anyway, even if it means just on pass plays.  
 

You don’t see the irony of all that coming from a player in Watkins who has never put forth his best effort, missed a ton of games over tic tac injuries, and has coasted since getting paid?  

But more importantly, he is stirring up a distraction and questions heading into a playoff game.  He was stupid for talking about it in the media ahead of their playoff game and basically implying he has no confidence or faith in the backups either by calling out Lamar.  
 

Not to mention, Sammy wasn’t even on that team when Lamar got hurt because the Packers (a team desperate for WR help) felt they were a better team without Sammy…and turns out they were.