Buffalo Bills: Will Sammy Watkins become a bust?
By James Reeve
The Buffalo Bills had high hopes for Sammy Watkins when he was drafted in 2014, but is he heading towards being labelled a bust?
Sammy Watkins entered the draft as one of the highest-rated receivers in college, amassing 101 catches for 1,464 yards and 12 touchdowns in his final season with the Clemson Tigers. But it was the Buffalo Bills that leapt at the chance to draft Watkins, selecting him fourth overall – moving up five places in the draft after a trade with the Cleveland Browns.
The Bills gave up their ninth-overall pick in 2014 as well as their 2015 first round and fourth round selections to get their man. Since then, Watkins has repaid the Bills with 153 total receptions, 2,459 total receiving yards and 17 total receiving touchdowns, suffering through a slew of injuries along the way.
In fact, Watkins’ only full 16-game season came during his rookie campaign – where he caught 65 passes for 982 yards and six touchdowns. He went on to have a stronger sophomore season, with 60 receptions, 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns, despite playing three games less than his rookie year.
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In his third season, where most highly-rated players are expected to make the leap and reach the heights expected of them, things did not go as planned. Watkins suffered a difficult foot injury that kept him out of action for half the season, where he was only able to pull in 28 receptions for 430 yards and just two touchdowns – a far cry from what Bills fans were hoping from their number one receiver.
With Watkins’ injuries and disappointing third season, the Bills opted not to pick up his fifth-year option – leading to questions about his future with the team. Cameron DaSilva of FOX News has even included him on a list of 11 players he believes are heading towards being labelled busts.
Watkins has had a difficult start to his NFL career and has often been compared to New York Giants superstar Odell Beckham Jr, who was drafted eight places later. OBJ has flourished in the NFL, with two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning sending passes his way, while Watkins has had to suffer through multiple quarterback changes in his short career.
With Tyrod Taylor cemented as the Bills starting QB, and with a season injury-free, there is no reason why Watkins can’t return to the form he showed in his second professional season.
The future is unclear with Watkins and the Bills, given that he will be entering the final year of his contract, but if he puts up big numbers and can show he is over his injury worries, then a big pay day could be coming next spring.
If he struggles with more injuries, the writing might be on the wall for the former Clemson standout and DaSilva may be correct in his assessment that Watkins could be labelled a bust.
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What do you think? Will Watkins overcome his injuries and live up to the lofty expectations placed upon him, or will he find himself no longer a part of the Buffalo Bills? Share your thoughts in the comments section.