It's been said that Sammy Watkins is the best receiver the Bills have had since Eric Moulds, and believe it or not (strike that – you definitely believe it), Moulds agrees.
"Yes, I definitely think he is," said the three time Pro Bowler on the John Murphy Show. "For him to be a young receiver, he has so much upside because the guy is so smart and he can make plays. But what I like about him most is that he makes catches with his hands and also he has the ability to run after the catch which I'm impressed with."
Moulds will have a chance to watch his apparent successor first-hand on Sunday when he returns to Buffalo to serve as the Leader of the Charge, presiding over the tunnel as the Bills enter the field.
"It's an honor," he said. "Obviously it's going to be a big game. Kansas City is a tough football team. They're playing for a lot. We're playing for a lot. We need to be competitive with the Chiefs to be where we want to be."
The receiver wore a Bills uniform for 10 of his 12 seasons in the NFL and was the team's first round draft pick in 1996, so it's not surprising he still refers to the Bills using "we." But what *might *surprise you is that he once contemplated switching sports in the middle of that successful NFL career.
"I'm really good friends with Vince Carter and he said he thought I could play at the NBA level, so he kind of boosted my head up so I was kind of thinking about doing it. But after talking to the late great Mr. Wilson, I changed my mind really quick," he said, laughing. "He told me it wasn't going to happen."
Moulds says he used to play hoops with his then-quarterback Doug Flutie and that it contributed to their chemistry on the field. The two used to play (and hold their own, Moulds says) with a number of Buffalo-based ballers like Cliff Robinson and Trevor Ruffin, both who played in the NBA.
"They made us run and kept us in shape. It's one of those things that as a football player gave me a chance to get away from football. If you're a football player, it helps you so much with your footwork."
While playing in the NBA didn't come to fruition for Moulds, his son – who Moulds says "hates football" – is following his own basketball dream and is currently being recruited out of his Charlotte-area high school by a number of impressive college programs like Notre Dame and UNC.
Moulds still plays basketball with his son some to keep in shape, but he's spent most of his time focused on football, dipping his toe into both the broadcasting and coaching arenas. He spent training camp with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013 as a coaching fellow, and completed the NFL's Broadcast Bootcamp for alumni that summer as well.
With his playing, coaching and broadcasting expertise, as well as a very likely bias, Moulds says he likes what he sees out of this Bills team, and that this year could be the year.
"I'm really excited about it because I think this is the year they're going to make the playoffs," he said. "I'm more than convinced. If the core guys stay healthy like Sammy and Kyle Orton...you have an excellent chance and I think that they have the talent to do it."
