When Tyrod Taylor hit wide receiver Sammy Watkins four times in last week’s preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills’ fans felt that the duo was finally on the same page. Watkins’ foot seemed healed. Perhaps, Buffalo could get that playoff berth after all. The rug was pulled out from under Bills fans when Sammy Watkins was traded to the Los Angeles Rams the next day. Buffalo did two trades that moved cornerback Ronald Darby to the Philadelphia Eagles and brought in wide receiver Jordan Matthews to Buffalo. The Bills also got cornerback E.J.
Gaines. With Watkins’ uncanny speed and great hands, is the Watkins swap another Marshawn Lynch fiasco?
Marshawn Lynch
Buffalo drafted running back Marshawn Lynch in 2007. Labeled “The Beast” for his high-power running style, his first two years with the team were explosive. According to NFL.com, he racked up over 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns. He missed four games in that two-year span. The next year saw a drop in his play. Lynch only ran for 450 yards and two touchdowns. Lynch had some injuries, such as a sprained ankle, and just played in 13 games.
Lynch’s off-field issues were a major concern for Buffalo. He hit a female pedestrian while driving in 2008 and took off in his car. The next year, Lynch added a weapons charge to his record.
Lynch also allegedly stole $20 from a woman in a Buffalo restaurant.
The Bills shipped Lynch off to the Seattle Seahawks in 2010 and got a fourth and fifth round draft pick from the Seahawks. The Bills selected Tank Carder and Chris Hairston, two guys that most fans would not even know today. That makes the Lynch trade a bust.
Lynch went on to help the Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVII. He scored a touchdown in the 43-8 romp of the Denver Broncos. Buffalo has not made the playoffs in 17 years. Lynch came out of retirement this year to play with the Oakland Raiders.
Sammy Watkins
While Watkins did not have the same off-field issues as Lynch, Watkins was prone to foot injuries.
He missed half of the season with Buffalo in 2016. Yet, his on-field presence is stellar. Only playing in 35 games, he still managed close to 2500 yards and over 150 receptions, as stated by NFL.com. His ankle seems healed, and Watkins is faster than most wide receivers. His replacement Jordan Matthews sustained a chipped sternum in the first 15 minutes of Bills’ practice this past weekend. While he may play in Buffalo’s home opener against the New York Jets, as of right now, the Watkins trade feels like another Marshawn Lynch bust.
