RealityCheck Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 I believe the real reason the Bills traded Evans was because they have 4 WRs from the class of 2010 that they don't want to cut. While their future is yet to be determined, one of them might just be an important player when the team gets good. By the time the team is good, they realize Evans' contract will be up & they had no intention of giving him another big $ contract. So, to play it safe, it's better to keep Easley, Jones, Nelson & Roosevelt on the roster. With Johnson & Parish that's 6 receivers. Since they don't want 7 receivers on the roster,the oldest guy, Evans, was the odd man out. It's more a classic example of a team knowing they're not winning this year & are investing time, including added playing time, into the future at the WR position. Brilliant logic. I have been a big Lee Evans fan forever, and as a fan I am extremely disappointed that we lost him. However, emotions aside, this is a wise move. Evans lacks a vital quality that this team needs at WO, physicality. He is a small player who never beats the jam against our divisional rivals, and never got open underneath. It is what it is now.
Reed83HOF Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 Myabe Peter King is right...check out these stats and the write up on Donald Jones Lee's Replacement
inkman Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 I doubt any sort of move will be made. I'm not sure if the guys in charge know or care what the fans think. While I don't hink the trade was the worst idea ever, it's getting harder and harder to feel like Buddy and Chan are on the right track. I was happy with the Barnett signing and the Dareus pick but the rest of the offseason has left me feeling pretty empty. I'm clinging to a shred of hope that these guys know what they are doing but it's hard to ignore the mess that is the Buffalo Bills right now.
playboy reese 2.0 Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 Before this gets closed...Evans was a good team player--thats it! With a contract close to 10 million over the next 2 years...trading him seemed likely! Fans can go on and on about "Ralph is cheap" or "When will he die" posts, but Evans career with the Bills is over...from a business standpoint this opens up competition for the #2 spot and will help us extend the contracts of Kyle, Stevie & Fitz! Why does everyone want to extend Fitz? Can we please all realize that he isnt an elite QB.They were smart enough to get rid of Evans.Extending Fitz would be one step forward and two steps backward.
Reed83HOF Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 I doubt any sort of move will be made. I'm not sure if the guys in charge know or care what the fans think. While I don't hink the trade was the worst idea ever, it's getting harder and harder to feel like Buddy and Chan are on the right track. I was happy with the Barnett signing and the Dareus pick but the rest of the offseason has left me feeling pretty empty. I'm clinging to a shred of hope that these guys know what they are doing but it's hard to ignore the mess that is the Buffalo Bills right now. +1000000 The timing of this deal is suspect, it should have been done before the lockout or at the end of the season. I hope that while reviewing tape during the lockout and evaluating everything once the players were able to practice, they see or know something that makes this move pay off. All I know is they better hope that one of the other WRs can fill in, cause if not we have yet another hole to fill with no replacement on the rister and no FA wanting to come here...
cjatcreek07 Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 (edited) I can't remember where I saw it but it said something about how Evans doesn't suit Gailey's offense because he isn't comfortable running routes across the middle. And isn't it ironic how for the past few weeks before entering Buffalobills.com there is the page with Stevie catching the ball, was it a sign? Edited August 12, 2011 by LoyalToTheEnd
Van_phelaN1 Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 Myabe Peter King is right...check out these stats and the write up on Donald Jones Lee's Replacement Haha, you almost had me but i saw the link name in the bottom of my browser. Close call.
todd Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 I'm absolutely at a loss to explain why the Bills would get rid of Evans. How does getting rid of a good player help your team? It doesn't. The stink might be less if they use the dollars or the 4th to get a player to improve the team right now. but will they? I personally hope they take a chance on Shawn Andrews. Risk would be totally worth the reward.....
Erik Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 +1000000 The timing of this deal is suspect, it should have been done before the lockout or at the end of the season. I hope that while reviewing tape during the lockout and evaluating everything once the players were able to practice, they see or know something that makes this move pay off. All I know is they better hope that one of the other WRs can fill in, cause if not we have yet another hole to fill with no replacement on the rister and no FA wanting to come here... The timing is not unreasonable at all...teams are going to make moves now because they are seeing what they have after an off-season of inactivity.
Reed83HOF Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 Haha, you almost had me but i saw the link name in the bottom of my browser. Close call. Seemed like the approriate time to toss that out there... in all seriousness though here is the real link CBSsports "Under the guidance of head coach Mark Duda, a former University of Maryland player who went on to perform in the National Football League for both the St. Louis and Phoenix Cardinals (1983-89), Jones greatly improved his route-running ability, becoming the complete wideout. He led Lackawanna College to the North East Football Conference title during his sophomore year, scoring five times behind 42 receptions while averaging 17.81 yards per catch. The major colleges took notice, with nearby Temple offering him a scholarship. Syracuse, Virginia and Mississippi were also highly interested in Jones for 2007. It appeared he would join Ole Miss for the 2007 season, but the new Rebels coaching staff "let the ball slip" through their fingers and the junior decided to enroll at Youngstown State, where their coaching staff coveted a player of his ability." His combine stats: Height: 6003 Weight: 214 40 Yrd Dash: 4.46 20 Yrd Dash: 2.55 10 Yrd Dash: 1.54 225 Lb. Bench Reps: 20 Vertical Jump: 41 Broad Jump: 09'11" 20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.20 3-Cone Drill: 6.90
1billsfan Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 Absolutely correct. Just as TO delayed the development of Stevie Johnson, the presence of Lee Evans is going to unnecessarily delay the development of such players as Donald Jones, Namaan Roosevelt and David Nelson. This is a move that simply had to be made. Granted a 4th round pick is relatively paltry compensation for a player of Lee's caliber, this team needs to rid itself of Evans, who is a one-dimensional receiver past his prime. He'll flourish in Baltimore working across Anquan Boldin, but his best days in Buffalo were certainly behind him. In general, I think a lot of people here have a bit of a distorted opinion about Evan's worth. I understand why, but the reality check is that Evans' average TD catches per season the last four years was 4.75 and his catch total average was 69 per season. So as an NFL GM, would you give up a prized 3rd round pick for him? Not only that, but these GMs have to answer to the media and fans when Evans fails to live up to how much that pick is worth. 3rd round guys are very cheap and are generally regarded as having enough talent to become pro bowlers. There was no way they were getting a 3rd for him. If you want to see getting nothing for a player, look at what the Giants got for Steve Smith.
Reed83HOF Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 The timing is not unreasonable at all...teams are going to make moves now because they are seeing what they have after an off-season of inactivity. Receiving anything of value with a trade this late in the year is almost non-existant. Had the lockout not happened or had they anticpated this before ther lockout, package him with a pick and move even higher to grab an impact player. Hell they could do that this next off season. They could have even done this as sooon as the league year opened, but to do this after a couple weeks of camp, gives the impression that you will cut him if you can't trade him. Hence you get lousy trade value. Another reason why I am not thrilled with the timing is that he was well respected by his teammates and an established vet with a good rep around the league. He is also someone who could still play. He is an 8 year vet, who only missed 3 games in his career due to injury - they knew what they had going into camp...
K-No Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 (edited) They are looking to the future. Yeah, I get it....but this has been the line for the last 16 years. And so now it's our strategy that we are building through the draft? What does that mean? That we weren't really trying too hard in earlier drafts but now we will? This crap is getting old. Edited August 12, 2011 by K-No
John Cocktosten Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 The only thing I am dissappointed in is the 4th round pick for him. Thought it was a bit low (3rd sounds realistic). But other than that Evans is a one dimensional WR with fly route capabilities that can't run the crucial underneath and timing routes in the NFL. He does not make or break our offense and has pretty much been invisible for a number of years now. Did we really lose a leader? I dunno, I never seen it on the field. Was he a class act? Sure. However, I don't mind dumping his salary for the sacrifice of the rebuild, locking up guys like Williams and Stevie long term, hopefully have a top 3 draft pick next year and make a splash next offseason in fa to polish the turd into one shiny one. We are not winning this year anyways. Its not that bad people. You don't have to lose to eventually win. Where does this mentality come from?
Lurker Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 (edited) So, to play it safe, it's better to keep Easley, Jones, Nelson & Roosevelt on the roster. That's safe? The combined NFL production for that group is 58 receptions for 705 yards and 4 TDs. That's a typical year for Evans and what got him run out of town, isn't it? Nelson looks to be a very good slot-type, "alternative-to-a-TE" guy, so no problem with him. But the flyer they're taking on Easley/Jones is amazing, given that they've only been running around in their underware to this point in the season... Edited August 12, 2011 by Lurker
Erik Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 That's safe? The combined NFL production for that group is 58 receptions for 705 yards and 4 TDs. That's a typical year for Evans and what got him run out of town, isn't it? Not bad production at all for three undrafteds in their rookie year.
DrDawkinstein Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 Receiving anything of value with a trade this late in the year is almost non-existant. Had the lockout not happened or had they anticpated this before ther lockout, package him with a pick and move even higher to grab an impact player. Hell they could do that this next off season. They could have even done this as sooon as the league year opened, but to do this after a couple weeks of camp, gives the impression that you will cut him if you can't trade him. Hence you get lousy trade value. Another reason why I am not thrilled with the timing is that he was well respected by his teammates and an established vet with a good rep around the league. He is also someone who could still play. He is an 8 year vet, who only missed 3 games in his career due to injury - they knew what they had going into camp... And the other teams were still trying to sign FAs and see what was out there. There is ANOTHER side to each of these deals. Its possible that Baltimore and AZ only got interested this week after they failed to address their needs through the draft and FA. Not everything happens because the Bills FO is inept.
PromoTheRobot Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 Absolutely correct. Just as TO delayed the development of Stevie Johnson, the presence of Lee Evans is going to unnecessarily delay the development of such players as Donald Jones, Namaan Roosevelt and David Nelson. This is a move that simply had to be made. Granted a 4th round pick is relatively paltry compensation for a player of Lee's caliber, this team needs to rid itself of Evans, who is a one-dimensional receiver past his prime. He'll flourish in Baltimore working across Anquan Boldin, but his best days in Buffalo were certainly behind him. Agreed. And why not be happy for Evans? He's getting a chance to play for a playoff team before he retires. PTR
Lurker Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 Not bad production at all for three undrafteds in their rookie year. Since they can't all be on the field at once it is. Unless Chan goes to six WR sets, I suppose...
NewEra Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 CLOSE THIS THREAD!! it contains the words "lee evans". Don't get butthurt guy, it's true. There's been a few threads closed prematurely IMO.
Recommended Posts