The Bills on Tuesday officially declined the fifth-year option on receiver Sammy Watkins' rookie contract, but don't jump to conclusions. Watkins' days in Buffalo are far from over.
The Bills made a smart business decision to not pick up the option, considering Watkins is coming off another foot surgery. Watkins has dealt with a number of ailments in his three-year Bills career, including broken ribs, a broken foot and injuries to his groin, hip and calf.
MORE: Bills owner explains decision to fire GM Whaley after Draft
The Bills are taking a wait-and-see approach to protect themselves in case Watkins' injury history bites them again.
The option would have paid him $13.2 million in 2018 and be guaranteed for injury. Why commit to that money when he has yet to show he can stay healthy and produce enough to be considered an elite NFL receiver? If Watkins wants to get paid, he's going to have to prove it.
Recently fired general manager Doug Whaley probably would have picked up the option. He made the gamble in 2014 to send two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick to the Browns in a trade up to pick Watkins fourth overall. With Whaley gone, the Bills feel no pressure to treat Watkins like a prized possession.
The Bills have been heavily criticized for giving up so much to trade up for Watkins in one of the deepest receiver drafts ever. They could have stayed put at No. 9 and still gotten their No. 1 receiver. Odell Beckham Jr., Brandin Cooks and Kelvin Benjamin all would have been available. The draft was so deep at receiver that Allen Robinson, Donte Moncrief, Jarvis Landry and Davante Adams were all second-round picks.
The trade is one of biggest reasons why Whaley is no longer calling the shots in Buffalo.
MORE: Bills draft pick Zay Jones has interesting take on O.J. police chase
Watkins hasn't been a bust. He showed how good he can be during the second half of the 2015 season. In a nine-game stretch, he had 49 catches for 900 yards and seven touchdowns. Those numbers rivaled ones put up by the NFL's best pass-catchers.
If the Bills feel good about Watkins' health, and he plays like an elite receiver in 2017, then the team can place the franchise tag on him for about $16 million. It also could structure a long-term extension.
The worst thing that can happen is that Watkins plays like a superstar, the two sides can't come to a long-term agreement, and it costs the Bills $3 million more to use the franchise tag after declining the fifth-year option.
Considering Watkins' history, that's a gamble the Bills needed to take.