Gabe Davis named "X-Factor" coming into next season – given huge pay increase
There is so much hype, once again, for Gabe Davis coming into next season. There are some who believe Davis didn't do enough last season. The sky-high expectations from the team's number two wide receiver weren't met. Many point to his drops last year as a means to tear down his game. Davis, despite the […]
There is so much hype, once again, for Gabe Davis coming into next season.
There are some who believe Davis didn't do enough last season. The sky-high expectations from the team's number two wide receiver weren't met. Many point to his drops last year as a means to tear down his game.
Davis, despite the criticisms, had an above-average season for a WR2. He finished last season with career-highs in almost every category. In 15 games, Davis had 93 targets for 48 catches for 836 yards and seven touchdowns. He also had the honor of having the longest-receiving touchdown last season.
CBS Sports highlighted an offensive player from each team to be an "X-Factor" for next season. For the Buffalo Bills, it was none other than Davis himself. Jared Dubin had this to say about what to expect from Davis coming into this season.
Davis was expected to take a huge step forward as Buffalo’s No. 2 receiver behind Stefon Diggs last season. In the Week 1 game against the Rams, he shined, hauling in four catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. But he also got injured during that game, missed Week 2, and then never really got on track the rest of the year. He ended up playing a career-high 91% of the team’s offensive snaps, but saw his catch rate hit a career-low 51.6% as he hauled in 48 catches for 836 yards and seven scores. Now healthy and headed into Year 4 of his NFL career, can Davis become a true No. 2? We’re about to find out.
Davis taking an important step forward next year to dominate even more is exactly what the Bills Mafia, and Josh Allen, are hoping for from the talented wide reciever. The former fourth-round pick is in a make-or-break season for an extension from the team. Despite not being extended, Davis just got a massive pay raise.
As reported by Heavy.com, Davis is tripling his base salary through the league's Proven Performance Escalator (PPE) program. The article highlighted how Davis' base salary was able to jump from $895,000 to $2,740,000.
In order to earn the Level One pay bump, a player must participate in a certain percentage of a team’s snaps in two of his first three seasons, or average that percentage of snaps over his entire first three years. For second-round picks, the average is 60%, and (as was the same in the 2011 CBA) for third to seventh-round round picks, it’s 35%. Davis easily qualified for the bonus, as he’s participated in an average of 68.8% of snaps over the past three seasons.
Davis being named a make-or-break player, an X-Factor on offense, and securing that bag will ensure all eyes are on him this season. If Davis is able to take yet another step forward, the already red-hot Bills offense will get that much better.
Get your popcorn ready, it's almost time for some football.
Bills: Stefon Diggs praises Gabe Davis as “WR1”
The Buffalo Bills All-Pro wide receiver was blunt with his message.
Featured image via JAMIE GERMANO / USA TODAY NETWORK
