Watkins/Darby Trade Breakdown

Not even 24 hours after the first Buffalo Bills preseason game, the Bills have already made a huge splash on the roster. The Bills have traded away star-players Sammy Watkins and Ronald Darby. Watkins has been traded to the Rams in return for CB EJ Gaines and a 2nd round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Darby was exchanged for WR Jordan Matthews and a 3rd round pick from the Eagles. Honestly, I don't expect that many people thought this was coming. Nearly every fan has been scratching their head, and many are shocked, angry and frustated with the trade. In fact, the word "tank" has been mentioned many times, but take it easy Bills fans. Look at the entire picture.

This trade, in my eyes, definitely alters the team dynamic, but it certainly doesn't mean the team has gotten worse. In fact, I think these trades may even fit the team's dynamic a bit better, and provides more insurance as well. The picks, at face value, are certainly an upgrade right out of the gate. Buffalo now has 2 1st round picks, 2 2nd round picks, and 2 3rd round picks in this year's draft. Let's get a little bit more into each player obtained.

(WR) Jordan Matthews:

I think many people are overlooking Jordan Matthews as a WR. He is an underrated WR, who brings a different dynamic to the team than Sammy did. Matthews may not stretch the field as much as Sammy would, but he's a versatile possession receiver who still can provide a deep ball threat. In fact, Matthews is 1 of just 5 receivers in the NFL to have 65+ receptions and 800+ yards in his 1st 3 seasons. Matthews upgrades the height of the WR core as well, as Matthews stands at 6'3". He's a "go-get-it" type receiver who also has a physical nature as well. Matthews reliability and durability has also been proven, as opposed to the risk Sammy always seemed to face. Matthews has missed just 2 games in the course of his 3 season career. Watkin's health has always been a concern, but with this acquisition of Matthews, that concern is no more. Matthews will be there, when you need him. This trade, overall, makes a lot of sense. You sacrifice some playmaking ability, but in return get a solid possession receiver who is extremely reliable. Matthews may also provide for a quicker, more efficient passing offense for Tyrod Taylor and company. Not to mention, Buffalo no longer has to worry about losing Watkins for nothing at the end of the season if they elect to not resign him.

(CB) E.J. Gaines:

Along with replacing Sammy Watkins, Buffalo also managed to replace Ronald Darby the best that they could. Buffalo acquired EJ Gaines today in their trade with the Rams. Gaines, who stands at 5'10", 190 lbs, is a smaller CB, but still provides a bit of insurance for the defense. This team is running a 4-3 this season, which means Buffalo will be running a bit more zone defense, which is something that Ronald Darby had troubles with at times. Gaines provides the upgrade as he is familiar with a 4-3 scheme and may even fit the scheme better. Gaines has NFL experience, being around since 2014, and despite missing the entire 2015 season, will look to bounce back from quite frankly an average 2016 campaign. This move may make rookie Tre White the #1 corner on this roster, but that may not be a bad thing. McDermott trusts White heavily, and wouldn't give him this role if he didn't feel he could handle it. Gaines certainly isn't the highlight of these blockbuster Buffalo trades, but he may serve as a piece to the defense's success this season.

Overall, the big picture is this; Buffalo seems to be looking to retool on the fly, but without making a lot of high risk moves to do so. Also, it appears their goal is still to win this year. In any trade, getting players back often means that the team is still trying to win, and that they see value in the players acquired. In this situation, Buffalo dodged the potential bullet of another Sammy Watkin's season-ending injury, and having him walk away for nothing. I think Buffalo downgraded in the Darby trade, but will still find Gaines serviceable, and they managed to get a couple key draft picks. It's a new day here in Buffalo, and unfortunately, the Sammy era has come to an end. It's time to look ahead, and I believe Buffalo has improved the roster and future with these trades. Thanks for reading, and as always, Let's Go Buffalo!

What Anquan Boldin Signing Means For Bills

The Buffalo Bills have officially signed Anquan Boldin to a 1 year, $2.75 million contract. After the mention of the Bills interest in the WR several weeks ago, they have finally locked up the 36 year old for this upcoming season. The former Lion (most recently) is coming off of an 8 touchdown, 584 yard 2016 campaign. In Detroit, he found himself behind Marvin Jones and Golden Tate on the depth chart, not to mention the targets that their promising TE, Eric Ebron hauled in. Here in Buffalo though, Boldin enters a new situation. Boldin has a chance to be Buffalo's #2 WR, and a solid backup to Sammy Watkins for the #1 if Sammy goes down again. Here's what this signing means for the Buffalo Bills...

1) Solidifies the Depth: 

Saying that this signing "solidifies the depth" is quite plainly an understatement. This signing gives the Bills so much more to play with, and it's a whole lot of insurance if someone were to go down. This is what the current Bills WR depth chart looks like:

The Bills have 13, yes, 13, WR's on the current roster. That is a crazy amount of depth. The Bills may only keep 5 receivers, but may keep 6 if they elect to run with only 2 active QB's. There's a lot of combinations here, which is great for the Bills staff. Sammy, Zay Jones, and Boldin will seemingly have the 1st 3 spots locked up, and that will leave the 3 remaining spots or so up for grabs.

2) Provides Veteran Presence:

The receiving corps of the Buffalo Bills is a rather young one, with nearly half of the 13 WR's 25 or under. The presence of a 36 year old, who's seen it (and won it) all, will certainly be a huge advantage for Sammy Watkins and Zay Jones, and even for some of the older guys who might be 26 or 27. There's always room for improvement, and with Boldin providing some pro-tips of his own, every WR will be better off.

3) Another Red-Zone Threat:

The Bills have always struggled in the redzone, which has never been a secret. Every offseason, the same old discussion goes on; "We need to draft a redzone target," or "Bills need to get a big WR for the redzone in FA," etc. The Bills have now gotten one more to add. Boldin's not the tallest guy, standing at just 6'1", but his 220 lb frame and physical style will certainly be able to fight for his ground in the redzone. Add him with Sammy Watkins, the 6'4" Andre Holmes, Charles Clay and even the 6'6" QB-gone-TE Logan Thomas, the Bills will not be short in the "Redzone Target Department."

Overall, there is not one bad thing about this signing. Boldin's health seems to be the only concern here, as he is 36 years old. Still, he continues to produce at a #2-#3 WR level in the NFL, which is extremely suitable for what the Bills need. His veteran presence, his physical style, and his leadership will be a huge addition to the Buffalo Bills this season. This signing has a chance to put the Bills offense over the top, especially with the likes of Sammy Watkins, Shady McCoy, Zay Jones, Charles Clay, and Tyrod Taylor.  Thanks for reading, and as always, Let's Go Buffalo!

Image Credit: BuffaloBills.com