Who can blame Bills fans for thinking their team is cursed?
They all know the math: 17 straight years without a playoff berth, nine coaches – two of them interim – since the one who last took Buffalo to the postseason, and six general managers over that span.
But with the chaotic reigns of coach Rex Ryan and GM Doug Whaley ending last season, things were supposed to change starting this year with Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane, respectively.
However, it didn’t take long to be reminded that these are still the Bills.
McDermott and Beane went about a massive roster change with fewer than three dozen players who spent any part of last season on the roster of 53 still on the current 90-man squad. And two of those – offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson and wide receiver Walter Powell – will open the season on suspension for five (positive test for medical marijuana) and four games (performance enhancing drugs), respectively.
Buffalo, having lost Percy Harvin to retirement and Robert Woods (L.A. Rams) and Marquise Goodwin (49ers) to free agency, was short on veteran receivers.
So, the Bills signed Anquan Boldin, a free agent ranking No. 9 on the NFL’s all-time leading receiver list. Only Jerry Rice, Tony Gonzalez, Larry Fitzgerald, Marvin Harrison, Cris Carter, Tim Brown, Jason Witten and Terrell Owens have caught more balls. And if Boldin had an even modest season – catching, say 50 balls – he could move up to fourth, and no worse than fifth depending on Witten’s output this year.
Buffalo fans were thrilled, envisioning the trio of Sammy Watkins, second-round draft choice Zay Jones and Boldin, the consummate slot receiver who never had top-end speed but was extraordinary in traffic, as the team’s starting wideout corps.
But, alas, that optimism was short-lived.
A day after the Bills’ preseason-opening loss to the Vikings, Watkins, an admittedly elite, though seemingly fragile pass receiver, was dealt, along with a 2018 sixth-round draft pick, to the L.A. Rams for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a second-round selection.
Shortly thereafter, Buffalo corner Ronald Darby was traded to the Eagles for wide receiver Jordan Matthews and a third-round draft pick.
The acquisition of Matthews actually softened the loss of Watkins, especially given his history of injury, having played only 21 games over the past two seasons.
But, as noted above, these are the Bills and on his first play at Buffalo’s training camp, Philadelphia’s leading wide receiver the past two seasons, suffered a bone chip of the sternum and is listed week-to-week.
However, it wasn’t to be the worst news for the team’s faithful … that came Monday when it was revealed Boldin had decided to retire.
His stated reason was that there were more important things in life than football at this time in his career, noting on Sirius radio that he had made, “the larger fight for human rights a priority.”
And, in fairness, this is a high-character player who won the NFL’s premier off-field citation, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, in 2015.
Boldin turns 37 in early October, ancient by NFL standards for a wide receiver, yet he was adamant that the trading of Watkins and the struggles of quarterback Tyrod Taylor the first two preseason games did not impact his decision.
Still, it’s not unreasonable to speculate his situation with the Bills helped push him into retirement earlier than he expected.
Boldin signed with Buffalo because he saw it as a team on the rise and a club that might just end the playoff drought.
And Beane, announcing the signing, made it clear that Boldin wasn’t a one-and-done acquisition, but rather saw him as a positive, experienced leader in seasons to come.
Instead, much to the embarrassment of Buffalo’s front office, a critical free agent-signing is gone in 13 days.
There’s no question about Boldin’s dedication to off-the-field pursuits, especially after 14 seasons in the NFL with Arizona, Baltimore, San Francisco and Detroit where his prolific production was sometimes overshadowed by his off-field dedication and generosity. Even, in announcing his retirement, he made it clear how much the tragic events in Charlottesville, Virginia bothered him.
I refuse to question any of that.
But it also occurs to me that Tyrod’s troubles, the fact that he was moved from the slot to the outside receiver spot, in which he looked profoundly uncomfortable Thursday night in Philadelphia, and the reality that Matthews, another high character player, wasn’t Watkins, helped his decision.
That’s especially true with Buffalo having lost cornerback Stephon Gilmore to New England in free agency, then dealing its new top corner, Darby, to the Eagles.
Why would he put his body on the line for a modest – given his experience – $2.75 million salary with incentives which could lift him to $4 million this season, while playing for a team that will likely win six or seven games?
Still, it has to be galling for the Bills – particularly Beane – who now is heading into the regular season at wide receiver with Matthews and Jones and no Powell (suspension) and two week-to-week injuries: Rod Streater (toe) and Jeremy Butler (concussion).
If those two aren’t ready for opening day, the remainder of Buffalo’s receiving corps is Brandon Tate, Philly Brown, Dez Lewis, Brandon Reilly, Rashad Ross and Daikeil Shorts who have combined for only 25 starts, 22 of them by Brown, who’s been less-than-stellar this preseason.
No matter who survives from that group to make the 53-man roster, Buffalo’s receiving corps will intimidate nobody.
What happens then?
The defensive focus will be on veteran Bills running back LeSean McCoy.
In short, don’t expect 1,267 rushing yards, 50 receptions and 14 touchdowns out of the former Eagle.
Or many wins for Buffalo, for that matter.
(Chuck Pollock, a Times Herald sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)
