When you are Bills General Manager Brandon Beane these days, justifying yourself is going to be difficult. The Buffalo Bills traded their top wide receiver today, and Beane declared that the Bills are not throwing in the towel this season. He might need to clarify a few items in order for Fans to believe him.
The trade
Bills wideout Sammy Watkins was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for a 2018 sixth round draft pick and cornerback EJ Gaines. The Bills also sent cornerback Ronald Darby to the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver Jordan Matthews and a 2018 third round pick.
The trade ensures that the Bills have two picks in the first, second, and third rounds in next year's draft.
The trade sent a wide receiver that clipped over 1,000 yards receiving in 2015 with nine touchdown passes. The former No. 4 overall draft pick was selected by Buffalo in 2014. Watkins suffered an injury-plagued season a year ago in which he recorded only 430 yards receiving and two touchdown passes. The Bills brought in Matthews who corralled 804 yards receiving last season with three touchdown passes. EJ Gaines will replace Darby in the cornerback position. Neither corners had any interceptions last season, while Darby recorded 13 more tackles.
Not throwing in the towel
Beane made comments that the team is not throwing away this season and immediately looking to the future.
These comments are problematic as the Bills traded away their best wideout and cornerback in order to receive draft picks. The Bills acquired Anquan Boldin this week, and Beane tried to play off that quarterback Tyrod Taylor has plenty of weapons to throw to in Boldin and Mathews. Boldin may be a future hall of famer, but he is turning 37 years old on October 3rd.
Watkins is just 24 years old. That's a huge difference, as Boldin only had 584 receiving yards last season.
The move also brings into question Taylor's job security. Taylor took $10 million less to come back to Buffalo this offseason. The Bills can release him in March before paying him a $6 million bonus which saves the Bills about $18 million in cap space.
Taylor also loses his top target in Watkins and will surely see his numbers decline this season.
Watkins was in the final year of his contract, which would make the trade make sense if the Bills did not want to pay him. However, Beane's comments are a sign of False Hope. The Bills share a division with the New England Patriots who won 14 games, and the Miami Dolphins who won 10 games last season. All signs point to a rebuild, and there is nothing wrong with giving fans that closure for the season.
