Buffalo Bills didn’t have time to wait for a rookie wide receiver
By Scott Bryk
Where the Buffalo Bills are expected to go, they couldn’t gamble on a rookie wide receiver.
I have heard suggestions that the Buffalo Bills gave up too much for Stefon Diggs. I gainsay.
They gave up their first rounder, which is the 22nd pick in this year’s draft. I anticipated Brandon Beane to draft the best possible wide receiver on the board with that pick. When drafting that player, one could only hope that player turns out to be able to make the leap from the college ranks to the best league on the plant. The rookie would be competing against the absolute best coached, most athletic and talented, highest football I.Q. defenders on the face of this third rock from the sun.
A stud receiver of Bills’ past such as Eric Moulds did not really arrive until his third season in the league. He didn’t do well in his rookie year with Jim Kelly behind center on a playoff team. The next season the Bills scrambled through many quarterbacks as Kelly retired including Todd Collins, Billy Joe Hobert, and Alex Van Pelt. Moulds did not outshine the unspectacular play of his teammates. Moulds finally arrived when Doug Flutie came in, as he utilized a decade of dominating experience from the CFL to reinvent himself in the NFL after a failed attempt earlier in his career.
Peerless Price did not show up on the radar in his rookie season. He put up decent numbers in Year 2 and 3. It was not until Drew Bledsoe’s arm arrived in his fourth season that Price established himself as a star in the league. Josh Reed would be a reliable possession receiver, but never mistaken for an elite go-to-guy. Lee Evans would be putting up decent numbers right away and had great stats a few years in, but never was regarded as a top tier wide-out in the NFL.
Failing to address the self-proclaimed “franchise ” Russell Copeland would be uncivilized. He should have invested in a fast food franchise because he never arrived as an NFL receiver. Pencil in Bucky Brooks, Roscoe Parrish, James Hardy or even Zay Jones as career no shows.
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The point is that selecting a stud college receiver in the first or second round has shown to have “bust” risk. Those who became solid receivers did not all make the immediate impact Buffalo needs right now. Josh Allen is entering his third season. The “process” is entering year four. The Bills need a number one receiver as in yesterday. Standby awaiting development or ruling out “bust” is not a luxury Buffalo has.
They can still draft a receiver of the future if one drops to them. They even could trade back in to the first round if they really like someone at any position.
The Bills traded for a young 26-year-old, fast, athletic, incredible route runner, separation creating, great hands, deep ball threat, aggressive player displaying tenacity and a High football I.Q.
At 5’11”, Diggs goes up and comes down with contested balls. He is already a top receiver in the game. He immediately steps in being a number one receiver in September. No watching until being gradually targeted by Week 10 or his second season. No “bust” potential. Immediately he makes Brown, Beasley and Knox better targets. Josh Allen has more weapons to air it out to.
The Bills stockpiled draft capital to make such a move. They still have picks in Rounds 2 to 7. If they kept those other picks minus the first round, they do not have enough job openings for that many mid to late round players. The Bills are no longer a bad team with no depth. Buffalo is challenging for mid to late round players to secure a job. Those picks who may have made the team or practice squad during the drought, simply could be casualties being cut during camp. I view it as trading away our first round pick for Diggs.
We could only be so lucky to land a playmaker like Stefon Diggs at with the 22nd pick. If we did, chances of him shining as a rookie and being a trusted reliable target are slim. He has four years left on a contract not even in the ballpark of Amari Cooper’s new deal.
Next. 4 reasons to like the Bills trading for Stefon Diggs. dark
Did you want them to trade up like they did for Sammy Watkins? A guy who could be criticized for being injured or not elite enough worthy of the two first round picks needed to acquire him? He never would have been good enough for fans to justify the Bills mortgaging their future for.
Stefon Diggs is a bona-fide number one receiver. Josh Allen diggs this acquisition. I do as well.