Buffalo Bills WR2 training camp battle (1 Viewer)

[loose circuits]

First of all, for those of you that play in shallow leagues where the candidates for this job aren't owned then there is no reason to post that you don't think any are worth a spot. Many of us play in deep leagues and WR's can come from out of no where into value once they emerge as a weekly starter. It wasn't long ago where there was an unjustified love affair with Lee Evans and Steve Johnson emerged. Buffalo (Chan Gailey) loves to toss the rock around and run multiple WR sets. The threat of a 2 headed running game along with most everyone's experience in the system could lead to some positive numbers from both Fitzy as well as a few WR targets.

The candidates:

Donald Jones: Leader in the clubhouse and is a candidate for 3rd year WR breakout. He's actually been somewhat of a starter since dating back to the 2nd half of his rookie season coming out of Youngstown. He has flashed at times and looked overwhelmed at times. Reports are they are shifting him into the slot now. However, could that be because someone else is going to emerge outside? Not sure even Gailey knows the answer, but a role similar to guys like Cruz, Boldin, etc... who move inside during passing downs seems attractive if we knew his job was safe and that he could stay healthy.

Marcus Easley: Athletic freak hasn't been able to shake injuries. A heart condition kept him out last season, but he has fully recovered. Probably has the most upside of any of these guys due to his 6-2 220 lb frame and 4.4 track speed.

TJ Graham: Many thought he was a reach, but Gailey and Co must have saw something they like in this speedster. Not much information about him yet, but he could come on once he gets acclimated to pro game and learns the playbook.

David Nelson: Good sized WR who they almost used like a flexed out TE at times in the slot. Could he be losing his job to Donald Jones inside? Not much information about him coming out of Buffalo. Hard to say where he still fits.

Derek Hagan: Crafty Vet has been playing Steve Johnson's role in camp as Johnson sits out. He tore it up in preseason last year for Oakland, but lost out in a numbers game towards the middle of the season so he was released. Claimed by Buffalo and pressed into action- he understands how to get open at this point in his career. In 8 career starts he has 39 catches for 448 which are decent numbers considering his been somewhat of a journeyman. If he were to win the job, he would be limited to WR3-4ish type upside.

others to mention: Brad Smith, Naaman Roosevelt, Kamar Aiken

Who is your favorite?

Please post any pertinent news/articles/opinions from beat writers or whoever...

 

[kwille]

From Rotoworld 06/24/2012

BuffaloBills.com's Chris Brown feels that, among the team's unit of wide receivers, Marcus Easley has the best physical skill set for the outside receiver role.

The Bills are a bit crowded at wide receiver, but as Rotoworld's Mike Clay recently pointed out, they led the NFL in both three and four-wide sets last season. Easley saw some work with the first-team in minicamp and is competing with Derek Hagan, Donald Jones, and T.J. Graham for the starting gig opposite Steve Johnson. He should be on your list of deep sleepers.

Source: BuffaloBills.com

 

[GroveDiesel]

Jones isn't moving inside. Nelson and SJ will appear in the slot.

IMO, the two guys to own are Johnson and Scott Chandler. The Bills are more scheme and formation oriented than individual player focused. I think you'll see Stevie get his in general and Chandler put up decent red zone numbers, but outside of that I think the ball will be spread around quite a bit amongst Jones, Nelson, Graham, Easley and Hagan.

The talk seemed to be that Jones has looked pretty good in OTAs and mini camp though. So out of all those guys, he probably had the highest probable upside. Easley probably has the highest ceiling, but he has a long way to go. Nelson will probably have the most predictable and consistent numbers.

 

[DansRams]

Give me Easly. He has big time talent and IMO he is the only one, of the other candidates, that has a chance of being FF relevant from the #2 wr spot. These are all sleepers so I am not saying he will or won't, but if I am betting a roster spot on a sleeper out of this group I want the high upside 6'2 220 4.4 guy.

 

[sspunisher]

Was extremely disappointed that Easley was put on IR last year. I've been watching him closely for a while now and he was looking like he was ready to bust through before the heart condition. Gailey's offense is very fantasy friendly, all Easley needs to do is break into that starting lineup. If he can get 700-800 snaps on offense he'll make an impact without a doubt IMO.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Jones is the best blocker so that gives him the early advantage.

Easley is the most impressive physically and has the highest upside if he can stay healthy.

Part of the problem is Fitz doesn't use his outside receivers all that well. Steve Johnson runs a lot of slants and crossing patterns, but it's likely the WR2 will be running more deep routes to try and draw defenders away and allow guys like David Nelson or Scott Chandler to work underneath.

They have been using Jones at the slot in OTAs though, which could be a good sign for him.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

 

[lbouchard]

For dynasty as a flier, I want Easley

 

[GroveDiesel]

Jones is the best blocker so that gives him the early advantage. Easley is the most impressive physically and has the highest upside if he can stay healthy.Part of the problem is Fitz doesn't use his outside receivers all that well. Steve Johnson runs a lot of slants and crossing patterns, but it's likely the WR2 will be running more deep routes to try and draw defenders away and allow guys like David Nelson or Scott Chandler to work underneath.They have been using Jones at the slot in OTAs though, which could be a good sign for him.

I'll be interested to see if there are any actual improvements to Fitz's downfield and sideline passes. I wad shocked when he said that David Lee is the first coach to ever address his mechanics. Unreal. SJ said that Fitz already has more zip on his across the body throws. So who knows, there's at least reason to be hopeful that there is a legitimate improvement on longer throws.As an aside, I saw that Ochocinco tweeted that he thinks Stevie is a top 5 receiver in the league because of the way he beats press coverage. SJ getting the respect from his fellow WRs.

 

[loose circuits]

Easley playing well it appears

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/Practice-Notes---Day-4---Young-WRs-make-plays/68d2422f-43b5-4443-9f68-82659f170add

 

[GroveDiesel]

I've also been hearing quite a bit of buzz on TJ Graham. Still probably a package guy for now, but it sounds like he's been tearing it up.

 

[Sabertooth]

I was able to scoop Easley based on information here. Thanks for the heads up. Lots of guys had chances last year. Nobody planted their flag in the ground for the spot. My bet is Easley takes it.

 

[Steve Tasker]

They were talking about this on local radio this morning (sorry - no link). From the reporter's view, Easley has looked mediocre so far and hasn't done much. Graham is "ahead of where the Bills projected him to be at this point, but still has a lot of work to do". Hagan has been getting a lot of looks and has looked decent overall, but has been prone to drops at times so far in camp. Nelson is nursing a short-term injury he sustained at practice the other day; he initially thought it was serious but the docs say he should be back within a few days (probably something to keep an eye on).

I missed what they said about Donald Jones, if anything. No word of Smith, Roosevelt, or Aiken.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Nelson is like 6-5 I think, doesn't seem suited for the slot, seems more likely to line up wide opposite Steve Johnson. I think Jones/Nelson will be the 2/3 rotation but I understand it is pretty open right now.

 

[todisco1]

Nelson is like 6-5 I think, doesn't seem suited for the slot, seems more likely to line up wide opposite Steve Johnson. I think Jones/Nelson will be the 2/3 rotation but I understand it is pretty open right now.

I would have thought this too but from what I've seen/read the Bills seem perfectly content to keep Nelson in the slot. From what I gather, they want the 2nd WR to be more of a burner to stretch the D - Stevie J isn't that kind of player and neither is Nelson. That pretty much leaves Easley and Graham as the guys with some deep speed to open things up. I'm not a Bills homer so I could be wrong, just what I've read.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Nelson is like 6-5 I think, doesn't seem suited for the slot, seems more likely to line up wide opposite Steve Johnson. I think Jones/Nelson will be the 2/3 rotation but I understand it is pretty open right now.

I would have thought this too but from what I've seen/read the Bills seem perfectly content to keep Nelson in the slot. From what I gather, they want the 2nd WR to be more of a burner to stretch the D - Stevie J isn't that kind of player and neither is Nelson. That pretty much leaves Easley and Graham as the guys with some deep speed to open things up. I'm not a Bills homer so I could be wrong, just what I've read.

Good stuff, sounds like Nelson has a spot already as the slot WR3, never be able to start him but I bet he has 4-5 nice games for the season and a lot of Steve Johnson bellyachers on Monday Morning.

 

[Area51Inhabitant]

The Bills throw a lot to their backs so I personally wouldn't get too excited about this "battle" myself. Stevie is the one guy who should get consistent looks. Graham is an intriguing dynasty guy but I'm not counting on any of the rest of these guys putting up consistent numbers this season.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

The Bills throw a lot to their backs so I personally wouldn't get too excited about this "battle" myself. Stevie is the one guy who should get consistent looks. Graham is an intriguing dynasty guy but I'm not counting on any of the rest of these guys putting up consistent numbers this season.

I would strongly disagree. Buffalo is a team on the rise IMO, this offense is not anything like it was 2-3 years ago. They can slam the ball up the gut with their ferocious inside blocking, they have enough at the Tackle spots to let Fitz set up and have time to toss it down the field, lot of speed, good size, playmakers, I think you might be selling that WR2 spot short just a bit. In best ball I like these guys even more.

 

[GroveDiesel]

David Nelson will play the slot, but how the Bills use the slot isn't what most people think of when they hear slot. He's used very similar to a TE. He even lines up essentially as a TE quite often.

The Bills will use their other outside receiver for speed IMO. They want their downfield threat to be on the outside.

I actually think the Bills will use quite a few 4 receiver sets this year. With Nelson acting as a 2nd TE or Chandler out and Nelson acting as the TE.

 

[Area51Inhabitant]

The Bills throw a lot to their backs so I personally wouldn't get too excited about this "battle" myself. Stevie is the one guy who should get consistent looks. Graham is an intriguing dynasty guy but I'm not counting on any of the rest of these guys putting up consistent numbers this season.

I would strongly disagree. Buffalo is a team on the rise IMO, this offense is not anything like it was 2-3 years ago. They can slam the ball up the gut with their ferocious inside blocking, they have enough at the Tackle spots to let Fitz set up and have time to toss it down the field, lot of speed, good size, playmakers, I think you might be selling that WR2 spot short just a bit. In best ball I like these guys even more.

I would say that if this offense does change from last year to this year, it will be chucking the ball around LESS not more than a year ago. The schedule is relatively easier which should mean more second half ball control instead of throwing it all over the lot and letting the Fitz interceptions pile up like they did last year. They've now got much more faith in both backs unlike a year ago. The defense should be a major upgrade and the major strength of this team. Everything would seem to be pointing to changing the play distribution to a more balanced ratio and not going the other way.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Per Buddy Nix on the radio this morning (paraphrasing): "TJ Graham is ahead of where we expected him to be. We were worried about how he would adapt to catching the ball in the NFL, but he hasn't had any trouble so far. He's still a very raw route-runner; we're working on that. But it's safe to say that he has been a very pleasant surprise so far."

 

[loose circuits]

Per Buddy Nix on the radio this morning (paraphrasing): "TJ Graham is ahead of where we expected him to be. We were worried about how he would adapt to catching the ball in the NFL, but he hasn't had any trouble so far. He's still a very raw route-runner; we're working on that. But it's safe to say that he has been a very pleasant surprise so far."

He said the same thing on Sirius yesterday. However, he started the conversation saying Donald Jones is the favorite for now. He also basically said that it doesn't matter who the 2nd guy is because they rarely play with just 2 WR's out there

 

[Sabertooth]

Per Buddy Nix on the radio this morning (paraphrasing): "TJ Graham is ahead of where we expected him to be. We were worried about how he would adapt to catching the ball in the NFL, but he hasn't had any trouble so far. He's still a very raw route-runner; we're working on that. But it's safe to say that he has been a very pleasant surprise so far."

He said the same thing on Sirius yesterday. However, he started the conversation saying Donald Jones is the favorite for now. He also basically said that it doesn't matter who the 2nd guy is because they rarely play with just 2 WR's out there

True, but that doesn't seem to impact opinions on Stevie Johnson. He was in the TOP 10 in targets to wideouts last season. It think this offense as a whole takes a step forward. And I think that the potential is there for a player to emerge opposite Johnson. Just because the team does play 4WR doesn't mean they all get an equal share of the targets over the cource of the season. My money is on Marcus Easley because I think he is a player who can physically seperate himself from the pack if everything breaks right for him.

 

[Kyle_Wright]

As a Bills fan who closely follows the team and all info coming out of OBD, I would like to share some info...

The guy everyone should be looking at to lock in the #2 spot by week one is Marcus Easley.

Think T.O. size with 4.3-4.4 speed.

Since im sure none of you are actually Buffalo Bills fans, I will tell you some interesting info....

As a rookie and Stevie Johnson as a 2nd year player, while TO and Lee Evans were the #1 and #2, Easley was ahead of Stevie Johnson on the depth chart. It wasnt until he had a leg injury that put him on IR. Last season Easley showed up to Fitzpatrick's WR camp at 225 lbs and in excellent shape. Came into camp last year expected to began where he left off the following season but due to a heart condition (which is healed), once again he was placed on IR.

Gailey and Nix likes tall WR's. Nix drafted V-Jax in SD, USFA David Nelson, FA Scott Chandler, 4th Rd pick Marcus Easley, USFA Kamar Aiken, and UFA Hagan.

If you watch a Bills game of 2011, you will notice the Bills run alot of slants, hitches, bubble screens, or any other route that is less than 15 yrds deep. When Roscoe Parrish went down we lost alot of speed on offense (minus CJ Spiller).

Buffalo drafted TJ Graham in the 3rd this year to stretch the defense and safties.

Well guys, Easley can run the go route, be physical to go up and "get the ball", and be a red zone target. Easley has the most physical tools of any WR on the Bills roster and that includes Stevie Johnson (who is my favorite player).

The coaching staff isnt just going to give the # 2 spot to Easley. They are going to make him earn it and prove he deserves it..

But when you look at the Bills offense as a whole, they run alot of 3-5 WR sets so if you are looking to grab a WR or TE, you need to look at who Fitz likes to throw to in the red zone (Johnson, Chandler, Spiller, and Nelson) in that order. If Easley wins the job though, I would place him as the 2nd most dangerous WR target of the group listed above in the red zone and the #2 on Fitz target list outside the red zone.

Hope this helps and remember...

NO ONE CIRCLES THE WAGONS LIKE THE BUFFALO BILLS!

 

[GroveDiesel]

I'm telling you guys, Nelson is the true #2 WR. He'll be listed as the #3 simply due to where he lines up, but it's 100% clear that both Gailey and Fitz trust Nelson more than any other WR. That includes Stevie. SJ is a better player and Fitz has a lot of trust in him too, so SJ will have better stats, but Nelson is the true #2 WR for Buffalo and will see the most action outside of SJ.

After that, I really believe that Donald Jones will start out as the outside flanker but TJ Graham will take over by mid-season.

Everyone desperately wants Easley to be better than he is. Yeah, he's had some rough luck, but fans are overstating his performance this offseason so far. Graham has looked and performed much better. Graham needs to polish his routes still and earn Fitz's trust, but he's clearly the guy making the most plays in camp outside of Stevie.

 

[Kyle_Wright]

I'm telling you guys, Nelson is the true #2 WR. He'll be listed as the #3 simply due to where he lines up, but it's 100% clear that both Gailey and Fitz trust Nelson more than any other WR. That includes Stevie. SJ is a better player and Fitz has a lot of trust in him too, so SJ will have better stats, but Nelson is the true #2 WR for Buffalo and will see the most action outside of SJ.

After that, I really believe that Donald Jones will start out as the outside flanker but TJ Graham will take over by mid-season.

Everyone desperately wants Easley to be better than he is. Yeah, he's had some rough luck, but fans are overstating his performance this offseason so far. Graham has looked and performed much better. Graham needs to polish his routes still and earn Fitz's trust, but he's clearly the guy making the most plays in camp outside of Stevie.

You know whats funny is that all of the Bills "fans" said the same thing about Stevie Johnson before his third year and CJ Spiller before last year.

The talent is there in Easley, give the guy some freakin playing time and he will produce. Trust me!

Nelson is the solid, big, tall, posession WR we need on 3rd downs. He plays his role well and thats why he will have a long career.

Defenses will have to account for Easley on the field. Same goes with Graham after he gets his bearings.

Trust the process my friend. Easley is the pick. If he isnt then you know we are drafting a WR early next year or signing a FA like Bowe ect..

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Nelson is like 6-5 I think, doesn't seem suited for the slot, seems more likely to line up wide opposite Steve Johnson. I think Jones/Nelson will be the 2/3 rotation but I understand it is pretty open right now.

he's played almost exclusively out of the slot the past two years.he's an inside receiver. basically a lighter/quicker version of a receiving tight end.he'll be #2 in terms of targets/receptions because the Bills use a 3WR formation as their base, but someone else will likely be on the field and lined up outside in 2WR formations.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

The Bills throw a lot to their backs so I personally wouldn't get too excited about this "battle" myself. Stevie is the one guy who should get consistent looks. Graham is an intriguing dynasty guy but I'm not counting on any of the rest of these guys putting up consistent numbers this season.

yep.Fitz is going to spread the ball around.the only receiving weapon this team can't afford to lose is Stevie. after that, whoever wins the "WR2" job will likely see not any more targets than both RBs, the TE, and Nelson.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

The Bills throw a lot to their backs so I personally wouldn't get too excited about this "battle" myself. Stevie is the one guy who should get consistent looks. Graham is an intriguing dynasty guy but I'm not counting on any of the rest of these guys putting up consistent numbers this season.

I would strongly disagree. Buffalo is a team on the rise IMO, this offense is not anything like it was 2-3 years ago. They can slam the ball up the gut with their ferocious inside blocking, they have enough at the Tackle spots to let Fitz set up and have time to toss it down the field, lot of speed, good size, playmakers, I think you might be selling that WR2 spot short just a bit. In best ball I like these guys even more.

I would say that if this offense does change from last year to this year, it will be chucking the ball around LESS not more than a year ago. The schedule is relatively easier which should mean more second half ball control instead of throwing it all over the lot and letting the Fitz interceptions pile up like they did last year. They've now got much more faith in both backs unlike a year ago. The defense should be a major upgrade and the major strength of this team. Everything would seem to be pointing to changing the play distribution to a more balanced ratio and not going the other way.

the offense will rely more heavily on the run game this year thanks to a defense that should keep them in every game and two quality backs to split touches. in the past, they needed to score 30 points to have any chance to win. When your QB leads the league in interceptions and you make huge upgrades on defense, it's clearly time to take a little air out of the ball.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Since im sure none of you are actually Buffalo Bills fans

I do agree with you though that Easley has the most upside by far. If he wins the #2 job and can stay healthy, then I'm excited to see what he can do. Anybody else wins that job and it's going to be business as usual.

 

[Sabertooth]

I'm telling you guys, Nelson is the true #2 WR. He'll be listed as the #3 simply due to where he lines up, but it's 100% clear that both Gailey and Fitz trust Nelson more than any other WR. That includes Stevie. SJ is a better player and Fitz has a lot of trust in him too, so SJ will have better stats, but Nelson is the true #2 WR for Buffalo and will see the most action outside of SJ.After that, I really believe that Donald Jones will start out as the outside flanker but TJ Graham will take over by mid-season.Everyone desperately wants Easley to be better than he is. Yeah, he's had some rough luck, but fans are overstating his performance this offseason so far. Graham has looked and performed much better. Graham needs to polish his routes still and earn Fitz's trust, but he's clearly the guy making the most plays in camp outside of Stevie.

Nah, that's not really what I saw with Nelson. I saw a guy who could make some plays when the defenses ignored him. He didn't show anything really after the catch. He's just a guy. I think Easley or Graham could effectively relegate him to decoy status. The truth is, nobody really knows how good Easley can be. He hasn't played yet. He could be all world following the Jimmy Smith path of a rough start finishing with huge seasons. We just don't know. You don't know how good he is, nobody does. He appears to be running with the 1s.

Marcus Easley has been working in with the first-team offense early in Bills camp.Although Donald Jones opened camp as the No. 2 receiver, Easley and Derek Hagan will get a chance to unseat him. Easley "stood out making some difficult acrobatic catches" in Sunday's practice. While Hagan's combination of experience and skills could lead to the most production opposite Stevie Johnson, Easley has the highest fantasy upside of the bunch. Jul 29 - 11:25 PMSource: BuffaloBills.com

 

[Whitney26]

I'm in the minority but my money is still on Jones. When he was in the lineup, Fitz obviously liked throwing him the ball. As this terrific article shows, he missed on several huge gains last year and must improve.

http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2012/7/6/3141440/buffalo-bills-re-watch-on-donald-jones-and-the-deep-ball

Everyone tallks about how Easley is so much more physically gifted.

Marcus Easley

Height 6.22

Weight 210

Arms 32 3/4"

Hands 8 1/2"

40 Time 4.39

Short Shuttle 4.60

3-Cone 6.94

Broad Jump 10'3"

Vertical 34"

Bench Press 16 Reps

Donald Jones

Height 6.03

Weight 214

Arms 32"

Hands 9"

40 Time 4.46

Short Shuttle 4.20

3-Cone 6.90

Broad Jump 9'11"

Vertical 41"

Bench Press 20 Reps

Based on their combine / pro day results, I don't see much of a difference. From all indications, they are both performing well so far this summer. It's shouldn't surprise anyone if they both see a lot of action considering how often they'll be in 3 - 5 WR sets. I may be wrong, but I think Buffalo led the league last season in this category.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Since im sure none of you are actually Buffalo Bills fans

Yeah, what's that all about?

 

[Steve Tasker]

I'm telling you guys, Nelson is the true #2 WR. He'll be listed as the #3 simply due to where he lines up, but it's 100% clear that both Gailey and Fitz trust Nelson more than any other WR. That includes Stevie. SJ is a better player and Fitz has a lot of trust in him too, so SJ will have better stats, but Nelson is the true #2 WR for Buffalo and will see the most action outside of SJ.After that, I really believe that Donald Jones will start out as the outside flanker but TJ Graham will take over by mid-season.Everyone desperately wants Easley to be better than he is. Yeah, he's had some rough luck, but fans are overstating his performance this offseason so far. Graham has looked and performed much better. Graham needs to polish his routes still and earn Fitz's trust, but he's clearly the guy making the most plays in camp outside of Stevie.

Nah, that's not really what I saw with Nelson. I saw a guy who could make some plays when the defenses ignored him. He didn't show anything really after the catch. He's just a guy. I think Easley or Graham could effectively relegate him to decoy status.

Nelson may seem a bit of a boring player - doesn't do much after the catch, not really much of a deep threat, fairly anonymous, to be honest - but he showed a remarkable consistency last year. Other than Stevie, he was easily the Bills' most dependable and consistent wideout. I know we all love measurables, 40 times, shuttle drills, etc., but there's something to be said for a guy who knows how to find the soft spots in a zone and hang on to the ball on third down. It might not be a big thing from a fantasy standpoint, but it means a lot for the Bills. Perhaps more importantly, Fitz showed last year that he trusts Nelson and isn't afraid to go to him in important situations.Honestly, from a fantasy standpoint (I don't actually play FF anymore, so take my opinion FWIW), I don't see any of the receivers other than Stevie being a consistent fantasy option this year, except in the deepest leagues. It wouldn't surprise me to see Nelson/Jones/Easley all end up with relatively similar numbers by year's end.

 

[loose circuits]

Depth chart released: http://www.buffalobills.com/team/depth-chart.html

 

[Shanahanigans]

The way I see it the only WR other than Johnson worth taking a shot on is TJ Graham. Derek Hagan is too old to be having a breakout year, not to mention he's failed when given the opportunity before. Marcus Easley is intriguing, but the heart ailment makes him easy to avoid in dynasty. Donald Jones was given a shot and did next to nothing. Although I doubt if any of these guys will have long term fantasy value, the one with the most upside is TJ Graham. So, at least in dynasty, I would take him if I were to add any of these guys.

 

[loose circuits]

great article on Hagan: http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/article984439.ece

I don't think we can immediately assume that it's not possible for him to breakout at age 27. You don't have to look far to see a few WR's who had breakout years at an older age in Bryant and Lloyd. There are also many others who took time to develop. While I'm saying it's not impossible, I am not saying it's likely. However, he is in the mix and it sounds like he is playing well at camp from what I have read...at the least, he is a handcuff type for Stevie J in very deep leagues. Johnson seems to have some lingering injury issues and Hagan is replacing him every time he sits...

 

[baconisgood]

great article on Hagan: http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/article984439.ece

I don't think we can immediately assume that it's not possible for him to breakout at age 27. You don't have to look far to see a few WR's who had breakout years at an older age in Bryant and Lloyd. There are also many others who took time to develop. While I'm saying it's not impossible, I am not saying it's likely. However, he is in the mix and it sounds like he is playing well at camp from what I have read...at the least, he is a handcuff type for Stevie J in very deep leagues. Johnson seems to have some lingering injury issues and Hagan is replacing him every time he sits...

Hagan is 28 this season, he has 1,200/6 for his career. Antonio Bryant had that bested by the time he was in his 22 at the end of his 2nd season. Lloyd halfway through his 3rd season at 25.

 

[Bronx Bomber]

great article on Hagan: http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/article984439.ece

I don't think we can immediately assume that it's not possible for him to breakout at age 27. You don't have to look far to see a few WR's who had breakout years at an older age in Bryant and Lloyd. There are also many others who took time to develop. While I'm saying it's not impossible, I am not saying it's likely. However, he is in the mix and it sounds like he is playing well at camp from what I have read...at the least, he is a handcuff type for Stevie J in very deep leagues. Johnson seems to have some lingering injury issues and Hagan is replacing him every time he sits...

Seems like Hagan is always getting praise in whatever teams camp he is in. I remember hearing good things when he was with the Giants too. I wonder why he doesnt make more of his opportunities. Or is this thr first time he isnt buried in the depth chart?

 

[Steve Tasker]

Interesting comments from Chan Gailey that I heard on the radio this AM. Paraphrasing: "Over the last few practices, it seems maybe our WRs aren't as far ahead of the curve as I initially thought they were. We definitely have a lot to work on, we've gotta get the rest of our guys to get to the level that Stevie and David are at."

Coachspeak, sure, but interesting that he specifically identified Nelson as being ahead of the pack (aside from Stevie).

 

[Tau837]

The way I see it the only WR other than Johnson worth taking a shot on is TJ Graham. Derek Hagan is too old to be having a breakout year, not to mention he's failed when given the opportunity before. Marcus Easley is intriguing, but the heart ailment makes him easy to avoid in dynasty. Donald Jones was given a shot and did next to nothing. Although I doubt if any of these guys will have long term fantasy value, the one with the most upside is TJ Graham. So, at least in dynasty, I would take him if I were to add any of these guys.

Previous post on Graham:

Look, I'm a fan of Graham. I watched every game he played at State that was televised, and attended several in person. I hope he surprises and does well in the NFL.Here are the issues:- Small stature- Below average route runner- Unreliable across the middle; used mostly on deep routes and bubble screens at State- Tracks deep balls well but doesn't have the strength or athleticism to win jump balls- Willing but poor blockerKeep in mind, he played with Russell Wilson for three seasons and then Mike Glennon for his final season. During Graham's last three seasons, Wilson and Glennon combined to throw for 9444/90, and Graham had 83/1202/12 receiving over a span of 31 games. That's not particularly strong production for being in such a great situation. 12 TDs is pretty good, and that reflects his ability to get deep... I'm not convinced he'll have that same ability against NFL corners.Mayock had Graham as a seventh rounder. Now, Graham was a very strong kickoff and punt returner. I assumed that whoever drafted him would be planning to use him in that capacity, and he could definitely add some value there.

 

[loose circuits]

Interesting comments from Chan Gailey that I heard on the radio this AM. Paraphrasing: "Over the last few practices, it seems maybe our WRs aren't as far ahead of the curve as I initially thought they were. We definitely have a lot to work on, we've gotta get the rest of our guys to get to the level that Stevie and David are at."Coachspeak, sure, but interesting that he specifically identified Nelson as being ahead of the pack (aside from Stevie).

I believe he was referring to Easley, Roosevelt, and Aiken when he said that as they were pressed into action with SJ and Nelson sitting at least I read an article that implied that but I cant find it now

 

[loose circuits]

Found it:

In their absence players like Marcus Easley, Ruvell Martin and Naaman Roosevelt have seen more reps with the first team offense. Coach Gailey however, needs to see more out of them.

“They don’t know everything as well as maybe I thought they did or hoped they did,” he said. “I think we’ve got a lot of work to do to get them up to speed to where David and Stevie are. We’ve got a lot of work to do there to find the right combination of people if we get injuries here or there. And they’ve got to do it. Somebody has to be able to step up and fill those spots.”

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/Practice-Notes---Day-9---Pads-pop-on-goal-line/22376158-84b8-458d-b123-d3525c10cbbb

 

[Steve Tasker]

Found it:In their absence players like Marcus Easley, Ruvell Martin and Naaman Roosevelt have seen more reps with the first team offense. Coach Gailey however, needs to see more out of them.“They don’t know everything as well as maybe I thought they did or hoped they did,” he said. “I think we’ve got a lot of work to do to get them up to speed to where David and Stevie are. We’ve got a lot of work to do there to find the right combination of people if we get injuries here or there. And they’ve got to do it. Somebody has to be able to step up and fill those spots.”http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/Practice-Notes---Day-9---Pads-pop-on-goal-line/22376158-84b8-458d-b123-d3525c10cbbb

Good post. Makes some more sense.

 

[flysack]

great article on Hagan: http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/article984439.ece

I don't think we can immediately assume that it's not possible for him to breakout at age 27. You don't have to look far to see a few WR's who had breakout years at an older age in Bryant and Lloyd. There are also many others who took time to develop. While I'm saying it's not impossible, I am not saying it's likely. However, he is in the mix and it sounds like he is playing well at camp from what I have read...at the least, he is a handcuff type for Stevie J in very deep leagues. Johnson seems to have some lingering injury issues and Hagan is replacing him every time he sits...

Hagan is 28 this season, he has 1,200/6 for his career. Antonio Bryant had that bested by the time he was in his 22 at the end of his 2nd season. Lloyd halfway through his 3rd season at 25.

Hagan is garbage. I saw him at Training Camp on the 28th (link) and he was by far the worse WR on the field. He dropped balls that hit him between the numbers and struggled to get separation from CBs. Gilmore absolutely schooled him in coverage.

 

[flysack]

BTW - Easley is the darling of fantasy football aficionados, but I wouldn't sleep on Ruvell Martin. The guy looked amazing when I visited training camp. While SJ and Nelson were clearly the most in synch with Fitz (both looked really good), Martin was almost as impressive. FWIW they lined him up outside in the 7 on 7s (the #2 flanker), and most of his catches were either 10 yard hitches or sideline streaks, most of which he burned coverage and made difficult over the shoulder catches. I was shocked when I looked up his number and saw he was a veteran who had bounced around the league.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Martin won't even make the team, let alone win the #2 WR job.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Just as a heads up, Easley has been passed by both Hagan and Graham on the depth chart right now. Donald Jones is still penciled in as the starter opposite Johnson. Easley may not even make the team at this point.

I still think Graham will end up starting in the outside position opposite Stevie at some point this season. He still needs some polish on his routes and to learn more of the playbook, but he's clearly the most explosive and dynamic WR they have. He's consistently made plays in practice and he had a nice preseason game ad well.

 

[duaneok66]

Grove, what happened to Easley? Attitude, Difficulty with the playbook? Just curious.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Grove, what happened to Easley? Attitude, Difficulty with the playbook? Just curious.

He's just been inconsistent. Too many drops, too many bad routes, and not enough separation on routes. For all the talk about his physical abilities, he doesn't make enough special plays to justify carrying him as a 6th receiver if Fitzpatrick can't trust him.