Tag Archives: los angeles rams

AAF, NFL

Green, Aaron TCU (2)

Cards: Sage 2016, Sage 2016 Next Level, Panini Contenders 2016, Leaf Draft 2016, Panini Classics 2016, Topps AAF 2019
Acquired: IP 2018, San Antonio Commanders AAF Season Ticket Holders Reveal Party. IP 2019, San Antonio Commanders vs. Salt Lake City Stallions, EBay, 2019.
See Also: Aaron Green

After being waived by the Rams, Aaron Green has seen stints on the rosters of the Dallas Cowboys (2017) and the Buffalo Bills (2018). He’d be released on an injury settlement in May of 2018, later signing with the San Antonio Commanders of the fledgling AAF. 

Green has a stack of really nice cards that I wanted to get signed, and I made good headway at the AAF Season Ticket Holders Party. Unfortunately my silver marker dried out, so I was forced to make do with the Brown signatures. Still I think they came out alright. When I asked him if he had gas in the tank to run for 7 yards per carry like he did at TCU, he cooly flashed a smile at me. 

Later during the introductions the franchise lauded praise upon him for being a San Antonio legend from the time that Aaron played for San Antonio Madison in High School.

Green was one of the few players from that stage who made it from the opening bell of the league to the final cut. He spelled Kenneth Farrow II at runningback and posted 25 carries for 98 yards, along with 7 catches for 53 yards in 6 contests. He had his best game in the opener against San Diego when he gashed the Fleet for 43 yards on 6 carries almost breaking one loose.

After the Salt Lake City game I recognized Green in the crowd talking to his family. When he saw his Topps base card, he was very impressed, and penned a total of 3 cards for me that evening. A few weeks after the AAF folded I started sniping out certified autographs on EBay on the cheap. I got lucky and pulled down one of Green in no time flat.

NFL

Scales, Tegray

Card: Panini Contenders 2018
Acquired: 2018, Box Breaker

Tegray Scales played linebacker for the Indiana Hoosiers and really had a nose for the ball, racking up 102 tackles, 13 sacks, and 2 interceptions in his Senior campaign. An incredibly instinctive player and leader, Scales is considered undersized for the position measuring in at just above 6’2″, 215- so the thought I guess the scouts have is that he’d get swallowed up as an ILB. To me he makes an interesting project. Could he put on the muscle mass while maintaining the speed? I mean he’s already demonstrated the intangibles. Perhaps he’d make an interesting linebacker/safety hybrid? The Rams brought him into camp after the draft but he didn’t make the squad. After a short stint at the end of 2018 with the Colts, Tegray was signed in early 2019 by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

NFL

Watkins, Sammy

Card: Panini Absolute Heroes 2016 (26/50)
Acquired: 2018, Panini Instant Rewards Program

I never thought I’d ever get Sammy Watkins due to the fact that he’s never signed really through the mail, and also because he’s never quite been the player I’ve been interested in. It’s not that I didn’t want his autograph. It’s just that it never occurred to me that I could get his autograph. 

This is the first card that I’ve gotten from the Instant Rewards Program that Panini is rolling out and I am quite pleased. I was opening up a blaster box of Panini Contenders 2018 and there was this card in there for 150 points to spend through this program. I went to the website. It was slow and a bit woeful to navigate, but I zeroed in on this gem of an autograph. Then I hem hawed between buying 3 50 point autographs or just getting one for 150. Obviously in the end I went for this one. (The design really sticks out on this card, and it is a limited print run- for what that is worth.) The advantages I’d say for the IRP is that you can actually choose from and see a pretty large sampling of cards and autographs (-and they are fair ones, not just ‘floating wood’). 

The disadvantages are if you are just set hunting for say.. Panini Contenders 2018 autographs, there was nothing to be found.  The delivery time said 6-8 weeks, so I hunkered down for a long wait, but lo and behold less than 2 weeks later the envelope arrived with this pretty little autograph inside. Still a 6-8 week reported turn around and having to pay for shipping is a bit terrible. Also the boxes don’t state on the outside ‘additional purchase maybe necessary’.

Beyond that as I have gotten more points over time I’ve noticed that the inventory rarely changes on the bottom end and old cards and autographs that would be worth even less in this current market are left at their still high price values.

Sammy Watkins played for Clemson University across from DeAndre Hopkins. A 3 year starter from 2011 to 2013, Sammy compiled 240 receptions for 3,391 yards and 27 TDs. He also returned kicks as well with 60 career returns for 1376 yards and a TD. His best year came in 2013 when he caught 101 passes for 1,464 yards and 12 TDs- including a 96 yarder. He was considered the best receiver in the 2014 NFL Draft, and was selected 4th overall by the Buffalo Bills. 

Sammy had a pretty good rookie season. He’d turn some heads starting all 16 games catching 65 passes for 982 yards, 6 TDs and an 84 yard long.  The Bills themselves were going through a transition at QB with EJ Manuel. Still Sammy’s numbers were solid enough to set Bills rookie records for catches and yards. Watkins 2015 stood out as the best of his young career so far. He posted 60 catches for 1047 yards- a whopping 17.5 yards per catch, and 9 TDs in just 13 games.  2016 didn’t end well though as a broken foot limited him to just 8 starts and 430 yards on 28 receptions.

The Bills traded Sammy to the Rams in exchange for EJ Gaines and some draft picks changing hands. Expected to be Jared Goff‘s #1 target for 2017, Sammy finished the season with 39 receptions for 593 yards and 8 TDs in his lone year with LA. 

He joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018, and in 10 contests he caught 40 passes for 519 yards and 3 Tds.