Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly called for the team's fan base to stay on board following Friday's shock trades of Sammy Watkins and Ronald Darby to the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.
"I'm a former player," Kelly said during a visit to Sunday’s training camp practice, according to ESPN's Mike Rodak. "You want to win. You want to win now. I get it. I understand that. It's not always that way with all fans. But the ones who really do get it, understand it, that know the game of football - (they know) that sometimes these things take a little longer. Never would anyone of us expect 17 years not being able to see a January football game.
"Just got to keep your hope, stay on the wagon, hopefully it's sooner rather than later."
For Watkins and Darby, the Bills came away with wideout Jordan Matthews, cornerback E.J. Gaines, the Rams' 2018 second-round pick, and the Eagles' 2018 third-round pick.
And while Matthews is a solid receiver who's still improving, and Gaines is only a few years removed from an impressive rookie season, the Bills' trades were made with an eye toward competing in the future.
Buffalo now owns two picks in each of the first three rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft, enough ammunition to rule the event.
The price of that ammunition robbed Tyrod Taylor of his favorite target. And though Kelly admits it will be tough on the quarterback, he says Taylor must persevere.
"It would be like me losing Andre Reed, as far as me, that was my No. 1 receiver and (Watkins) was his No. 1 receiver," Kelly said. "It's not easy but you got to live with it, understand why they did and you have to go with it. That's your job. You have to lead the team down the field no matter who's in the huddle.
"Hopefully Matthews comes in and does what we all hope he will do and hopefully what they gave up will be enough to build something with what we got the next three-to-five years."
