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Buffalo Bills Trade Up to Select WR Zay Jones in NFL Draft

By Cole Shelton

Oct 29, 2016; Greenville, NC, USA; East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Zay Jones (7) looks on before the game against the Connecticut Huskies at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The East Carolina Pirates defeated the Connecticut Huskies 41-3. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; Greenville, NC, USA; East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Zay Jones (7) looks on before the game against the Connecticut Huskies at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The East Carolina Pirates defeated the Connecticut Huskies 41-3. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Buffalo Bills have made a trade with the LA Rams, trading picks 44 and 91 for 37 and 149. The Bills then drafted receiver Zay Jones out of East Carolina.

Zay Jones has very good hands for a receiver and only dropped 6 catches of 164 last season. He is a very versatile receiver who can play anywhere on the field and plays well. He will provide competition alongside Watkins for the Buffalo Bills.

Going back onto the hands, Jones often makes tough catches or catches in traffic, which will help Tyrod Taylor if he is in trouble. He is an average route runner, but is very aware and can easily get open with sharp turns, and is hard to take down, as he fights for extra yards.

A knock going into the draft on Jones was his speed, but pairing him with Sammy Watkins, he doesn’t need to have speed. Instead, he just needs to catch the passes that are thrown to him — and get yards after catch.

Where he fits on the depth chart is presumably a starting receiver beside Sammy Watkins, which would then slide Andre Holmes to wide receiver three. Jones adds so much to the Bills on offense, giving them a target where they didn’t have much before.

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Especially after losing Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin in free agency.

After selecting Jones, here are the receivers currently on the Bills roster.

  • Sammy Watkins
  • Zay Jones
  • Andre Holmes
  • Philly Brown
  • Jeremy Butler
  • Walter Powell
  • Dez Lewis
  • Kolby Listenbee
  • Brandon Tate
  • Corey Washinton

It definitely still could use another receiver as the bottom players on the depth chart haven’t had much NFL experience. And the Buffalo Bills need to provide weapons for Tyrod Taylor and company so he can be successful.

Zay Jones should see a ton of passes thrown to him when teams double on Sammy Watkins. And if he proves he can catch them, it will open up Watkins since the safety will not be on Watkins. This will be big for the Watkins as he can be the dynamic receiver he is.

Jones’ NFL player comparison is Anquan Boldin according to Pro Football Focus. And, if Jones can turn out to like Boldin, everyone especially Tyrod Taylor will be happy with the selection.

A little interesting story to this is the Buffalo Bills receivers coach Phil McGeoghan coached Jones at ECU, who definitely pushed to trade up to select him. It should translate well on the field.

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What do you think of the Buffalo Bills selecting Zay Jones in the second round of the NFL Draft? Leave your thoughts below!

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