Buffalo Bills: Is Sammy Watkins on the verge of being a bust?
By Connor Price
FOX Sports recently stated that Buffalo Bills’ top wide receiver, Sammy Watkins, is on the verge of being a bust.
At this point in Sammy Watkins’ career, would you start to throw out the word ‘bust’ after looking at what the Buffalo Bills‘ gave up to get him?
Cameron DaSilva wrote a piece documenting 11 recently drafted players who are soon to be “busts”. With Jacksonville Jaguars’ quarterback, Blake Bortles, being the only player ahead of Watkins on this list, he seems sure of this prediction.
Browns/Steelers/whoever he is with now cornerback, Justin Gilbert, and Eagles defensive end, Marcus Smith, are behind Watkins on this list. It is safe to say these guys are deep in the bust zone.
Sammy Watkins
The Buffalo Bills receiver has 3 injury riddled years under his belt surpassing the 1,000 yard receiving mark just once in his career (2015). Watkins has missed 11 games in the past two years and has lost his grip on being in the top tier of NFL receivers.
The 2011 draft class boasts one of the greatest WR classes of all time.
- Mike Evans, 7th Overall
- Odell Beckham, 12th OVerall
- Brandin Cooks, 20th Overall
- Kelvin Benjamin, 28th Overall
- Allen Robinson, 61st Overall
- Jarvis Landry, 63rd Overall
- Donte Moncrief, 90th Overall
The player who was left out of this list was Watkins who was taken before all the others at 4th overall.
I’m no GM and hindsight is 20/20, but if the earth turned upside down and the NFL did a re-draft, I would take 4, maybe 5 of these guys before I turned to Sammy Watkins.
In a passing league where almost every team has a star wide receiver (sometimes 2) it is tough to compare Watkins to other players who have had more luck with the injury bug. But of course, injuries are part of the game and it just so happens that he has had quite a few.
What has he done?
The Clemson product has shown flashes of excellence in his short career. In all 3 years, his yards per reception has never sunk below 15 and he was shown 128 targets in his rookie season. Here are some of his other key career stats:
- 2,459 career receiving yards
- 17 total touchdowns
- 276 total targets
- 37/48 games played in 3 years.
I personally don’t believe that Sammy Watkins is a bust. With just 3 seasons under his belt and 2 of 3 being solid years, you can’t call that a bust. Watkins is still a valuable young piece (age 23) who still has tremendous upside.
It is tough to find a player with this high of ceiling even after being a 3 year veteran. But . . . .
I know it. Bradon Beane knows it. Sammy Watkins knows it. Hell, the security guard at New Era field know it. This is a boom or bust year for Watkins where he has the opportunity to make his money. It just so happens that this year falls within the same year of a new GM/head coach combo.
The team is also in the midst of a Tyrod Taylor era where the team is unsure if he is the QB of the future.
Good luck Sammy, we’re rooting for you.
Next: Bills' three biggest draft busts in history
Do you think Sammy Watkins is a bust? Leave your thoughts below!