Evans' Contract Status

[BillsVet]

What they do wrt the Evans situation will say a ton about the current mindset and future of this franchise imo.

 

It says a great deal about where the franchise is going. Teams that want to stay successful eventually have to ante up, and Buffalo is no different. We know the Bills are capable of getting smaller contracts done, but larger ones seem to be a slow process. Schobel's contract negotiations went on for months, and now so is Evans'. It's understandable that both sides want something fair, but this has dragged on for too long. The going rate for WR's is high, but the Bills have no viable replacement for Evans, and have more than 20M in cap room.

 

You have to wonder with Ralph having final say on contracts if this isn't something he could be holding up. I think Marv was someone Ralph trusted a great deal, and Brandon isn't at that level from a personnel standpoint.

[DrDawkinstein]

It says a great deal about where the franchise is going. Teams that want to stay successful eventually have to ante up, and Buffalo is no different. We know the Bills are capable of getting smaller contracts done, but larger ones seem to be a slow process. Schobel's contract negotiations went on for months, and now so is Evans'. It's understandable that both sides want something fair, but this has dragged on for too long. The going rate for WR's is high, but the Bills have no viable replacement for Evans, and have more than 20M in cap room.

 

You have to wonder with Ralph having final say on contracts if this isn't something he could be holding up. I think Marv was someone Ralph trusted a great deal, and Brandon isn't at that level from a personnel standpoint.

 

 

negotiations of deals that are for ten's (almost hundreds) of millions of dollar tend to take a while. no matter what the industry. its called running a good business. and that applies to both the owner and the athlete (running his "own" business).

 

i dont think we should be BLAMING anyone as if something is being done incorrectly. i would like to see it done sooner than later. im sure we all would. but just because its not done yet doesnt mean Ralph is being cheap or Lee is being greedy.

 

so lets just stop with all that.

[StupidNation]

negotiations of deals that are for ten's (almost hundreds) of millions of dollar tend to take a while. no matter what the industry. its called running a good business. and that applies to both the owner and the athlete (running his "own" business).

 

i dont think we should be BLAMING anyone as if something is being done incorrectly. i would like to see it done sooner than later. im sure we all would. but just because its not done yet doesnt mean Ralph is being cheap or Lee is being greedy.

 

so lets just stop with all that.

 

I completely agree. What do we do? Extend him at $8 mil and then Peters at $8 mil and then how do you extend the rest of the team with $4 mil a year? The salary cap is just that, a handicap to signing your good players to spread out the wealth of talent. Then what do you do if Stroud wants to renegotiate or Edwards? Sit on your hands?

 

This is a hard business. Screaming "sign'em" isn't helping.

[The Dean]

Thanks for posting this. It cannot be over emphasized how important it is to keep Evans. I would hate for the Bills to lose him and be virtually mandated to trying to replace him with a first round pick. Receivers take longer to develop than most positions, so it would probably be a step back under almost any conditions.

 

What they do wrt the Evans situation will say a ton about the current mindset and future of this franchise imo.

 

 

But, Lee Evans is too small, isn't a real #1 WR, is way overrated and can't be relied on. I know this must be true, because I read post after post about it, last year (not from you Bill).

[Guest dog14787]

But, Lee Evans is too small, isn't a real #1 WR, is way overrated and can't be relied on. I know this must be true, because I read post after post about it, last year (not from you Bill).

 

I'm guilty of calling Lee Evans undersized myself mainly due to the drop off in catches, but if this year stays true to form, his stats will compare much better to some of the elite#1 WR in the league.

 

From a leadership and character stanpoint, Lee Evans is at the top of my list and way, way to valuable to lose.

 

Football players like Lee Evans are very few and far between, Lee's awesome

[Bill from NYC]

The going rate for WR's is high, but the Bills have no viable replacement for Evans, and have more than 20M in cap room.

 

Right again! I am not making the case that Evans is as good as T.O. He isn't, but that isn't important. Evans is very good and keeping him would negate the need to go chasing after his replacement in the draft. I want the Bills to be able to take a first round DT, OG, OC or TE instead of being mandated to draft a 1st round receiver (let alone another db ) who might take several years to develop.

 

Even if Evans gets a little more than he is worth, future contracts will surpass his in years to come, the cap will rise, and the Bills will have a very important player locked up. We must get out of the habit of grooming our best picks for other teams if we are to be and stay competitive.

[DrDawkinstein]

Right again! I am not making the case that Evans is as good as T.O. He isn't, but that isn't important. Evans is very good and keeping him would negate the need to go chasing after his replacement in the draft. I want the Bills to be able to take a first round DT, OG, OC or TE instead of being mandated to draft a 1st round receiver (let alone another db ) who might take several years to develop.

Even if Evans gets a little more than he is worth, future contracts will surpass his in years to come, the cap will rise, and the Bills will have a very important player locked up. We must get out of the habit of grooming our best picks for other teams if we are to be and stay competitive.

 

How many game clinching TDs has Brandon Albert scored for KC again?

[Guest dog14787]

How many game clinching TDs has Brandon Albert scored for KC again?

 

 

Hate to bother you Doc but PTR just slammed TE's throwing hand in a car door to prove a point, I think Simon needs you on the "Trent Edwards was injury prone" thread, I hope you can help somehow

[Taro T]

Eh, the Bills were just waiting for Pominville to sign to set the market.

 

Now that he's in, they're good to go.

[Saint Doug]

This is excellent news. My favorite quote is this one:

 

“We’re a lot closer. We have closed the gap,” said Evans, who’s entering the final year of his contract. “Hopefully, we can get it done sooner than later. But I’m not really worried.”

 

This basically states that the two sides are on the same page in terms of the amount of money, which is the biggest hurdle. Now all they have to do is work out all the little details and fine print, which I can't really see tripping up the process. It's only a matter of days now. Perhaps before Sunday's game? If I was Lee, I would want to get this done ASAP. All its going to take is one freak injury and it will be taken off the table.

[Mickey]

I completely agree. What do we do? Extend him at $8 mil and then Peters at $8 mil and then how do you extend the rest of the team with $4 mil a year? The salary cap is just that, a handicap to signing your good players to spread out the wealth of talent. Then what do you do if Stroud wants to renegotiate or Edwards? Sit on your hands?

 

This is a hard business. Screaming "sign'em" isn't helping.

Lee really isn't an extension, his contract is up, we sign him, franchise him or lose him.

[nobody]

Obviously this is just another step to show up Peters for holding out.

[StupidNation]

Lee really isn't an extension, his contract is up, we sign him, franchise him or lose him.

 

So extended his contract isn't extending him because it really isn't? Why do you think teams with high caps lose good players when their contract is up?

 

It's an extension, and I'm not against signing him, but not for over $7/mil a year. There is one thing that Clements taught me, namely, swallowing the cap for one player that isn't a game-changer isn't worth it. Evans has not been a game-changer and disappears in games. Look at a guy like Boldin on the Cards, that guy is always open changing the Defense. That's a game-changer, same with T.O who always looks open.

[Guest dog14787]

So extended his contract isn't extending him because it really isn't? Why do you think teams with high caps lose good players when their contract is up?

 

It's an extension, and I'm not against signing him, but not for over $7/mil a year. There is one thing that Clements taught me, namely, swallowing the cap for one player that isn't a game-changer isn't worth it. Evans has not been a game-changer and disappears in games. Look at a guy like Boldin on the Cards, that guy is always open changing the Defense. That's a game-changer, same with T.O who always looks open.

 

Lee Evans is one of the best WR's in the game and this years stats will better resemble what an elite #1 should look like.

[BillsVet]

So extended his contract isn't extending him because it really isn't? Why do you think teams with high caps lose good players when their contract is up?

 

It's an extension, and I'm not against signing him, but not for over $7/mil a year. There is one thing that Clements taught me, namely, swallowing the cap for one player that isn't a game-changer isn't worth it. Evans has not been a game-changer and disappears in games. Look at a guy like Boldin on the Cards, that guy is always open changing the Defense. That's a game-changer, same with T.O who always looks open.

 

I don't believe you "get it." Every year, FA determines the price of players, whether the fans like it or not. I would argue that Evans' presence on the field is more game-changing than many of us realize. Opponents have to respect his speed, and he's demonstrated against decent defenses that he's capable of beating them regularly. He's a fifth year player who is in the prime of his career, despite having multiple QB's in his NFL time.

 

The Bills can pay the going rate or a similar amount for Evans. If not, Lee takes his services elsewhere, a.k.a. free agency. Bernard Berrian's contract, and probably Larry Fitzgerald's are figuring heavily into the negotiations, as they're some of the more recent and comparabale WR's signed.

 

You may not think Evans is not worthy of a deal above 7M per, but it's a narrow view to simply say he's not worth it and let him depart in FA. For example, Evans' replacement value is high, given that Buffalo has no other WR near him in terms of what he can do. Second, WR, as many have pointed out, is historically a position that takes a great deal of time to transition from college to the pros.

 

Third, the Bills won't find a player for less than 7M per season who can grasp their offense and personnel as quickly as Lee. The Bills core group is beginning to establish rapport, and I can't imagine one more close than QB to WR.

 

You can disagree with the cost because of numbers alone, but that ignores far too many other issues at hand.

[Steely Dan]

I can't beleive they would pull a Clements or Winfield move with this guy. It does raise an issue however, is there a price that would be too high to keep Lee Evans? There was with Clements. Do you think there is a line in the sand out there somewhere even for a guy this good?

 

There is always a price too high for anything or anyone but It doesn't sound like Lee's agent is being a dick.

 

 

I agree 100%! It will be a great day for the Bills once he is resigned. Also, you gotta love his attitude through this whole thing- kinda 'I'm going to go out and do my best on the football field, I'm not too worried about the talks, it'll get done sort of thing'. And he's playing great!

 

That's going to be worth some extra money to him. He's very team oriented.

 

 

It's hilarious that the only impatient people here are the fans. Without doing a lot of research, I don't remember any articles that said they were close; everything seemed to state that talks were continuing, but they weren't really all that close to a deal, and more importantly, that nobody was concerned.

 

Lee Evans is not in a hurry, his stock continues to rise, the FO knows he wants to stay here, and he's a reasonable dude. There's no reason whatsoever to even mention the franchise tag to him, as negotiations are continuing and progressing.

 

From the article:

 

Coincidentally or not, Evans was happy to report this week that his slow-going contract talks have suddenly heated up as well.

 

“We’re a lot closer. We have closed the gap,” said Evans, who’s entering the final year of his contract. “Hopefully, we can get it done sooner than later. But I’m not really worried.”

 

The Bills have declined to discuss the status of contract talks, but have consistently maintained signing Evans to a long-term deal is their top priority.

 

 

It says a great deal about where the franchise is going. Teams that want to stay successful eventually have to ante up, and Buffalo is no different. We know the Bills are capable of getting smaller contracts done, but larger ones seem to be a slow process. Schobel's contract negotiations went on for months, and now so is Evans'. It's understandable that both sides want something fair, but this has dragged on for too long. The going rate for WR's is high, but the Bills have no viable replacement for Evans, and have more than 20M in cap room.

 

You have to wonder with Ralph having final say on contracts if this isn't something he could be holding up. I think Marv was someone Ralph trusted a great deal, and Brandon isn't at that level from a personnel standpoint.

 

Brandon has personel experience he's worked closely with the scouting departments before he became GM. I think any player who has a large contract will take longer than a smaller contract.

 

 

But, Lee Evans is too small, isn't a real #1 WR, is way overrated and can't be relied on. I know this must be true, because I read post after post about it, last year (not from you Bill).

 

 

So extended his contract isn't extending him because it really isn't? Why do you think teams with high caps lose good players when their contract is up?

 

It's an extension, and I'm not against signing him, but not for over $7/mil a year. There is one thing that Clements taught me, namely, swallowing the cap for one player that isn't a game-changer isn't worth it. Evans has not been a game-changer and disappears in games. Look at a guy like Boldin on the Cards, that guy is always open changing the Defense. That's a game-changer, same with T.O who always looks open.

 

I think it will be in this neighborhood.

 

Plaxico Burress signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Giants Thursday that will pay him $11 million in salary and bonuses this year.

[BillsVet]

Brandon has personel experience he's worked closely with the scouting departments before he became GM. I think any player who has a large contract will take longer than a smaller contract.

 

I think it will be in this neighborhood.

 

Plaxico Burress signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Giants Thursday that will pay him $11 million in salary and bonuses this year.

 

Brandon's personnel experience falls far short of many successful GM's in the league. Most GM's begin their career on the personnel side of the team, either as an amateur scout or in pro personel. Guys like Polian, AJ Smith, Jerry Reese, Ted Thompson, and Scott Pioli all worked in personnel before graduating to GM or VP of Personel roles. Brandon is at a distinct disadvantage here, and he relies heavily on Modrak, Guy, and Jauron for personel guidance.

 

As for Burress, he's 31 and took a deal significantly less than Fitzgerald and Berrian. Fitzgerald got a whopping 30M guaranteed and Berrian's new deal includes 16M of the same. I have a feeling Evans' people are pushing the point that Evans is younger and on the upswing, while Burress is not getting younger. JMO.

[The Dean]

Brandon's personel experience falls far short of many successful GM's in the league. Most GM's begin their career on the personnel side of the team, either as an amateur scout or in pro personel. Guys like Polian, AJ Smith, Jerry Reese, Ted Thompson, and Scott Pioli all worked in personnel before graduating to GM or VP of Personel roles. Brandon is at a distinct disadvantage here, and he relies heavily on Modrak, Guy, and Jauron for personel guidance.

 

 

That's one way to put it. Another way is Brandon has the combined experience of Modrak, Guy and Jauron available to use in personnel guidance, and that is a great advantage, for him.

[Guest dog14787]

That's one way to put it. Another way is Brandon has the combined experience of Modrak, Guy and Jauron available to use in personnel guidance, and that is a great advantage, for him.

 

[BillsVet]

That's one way to put it. Another way is Brandon has the combined experience of Modrak, Guy and Jauron available to use in personnel guidance, and that is a great advantage, for him.

 

I think Modrak's very adept at handling the amateur scouting side of personnel. Guy, I'm not so high on with pro scouting. Jauron may have a bias toward defense, but has been around the NFL and its players for awhile.

 

IMO, a GM ought to come from the personnel arena, not the business side of the house. In that way, when a tough decision needs to be made, they can take their own experience and combine that with their lieutenants. My greatest fear is decisions are made totally by committee at OBD. While this can be advantageous, sometimes a leader has a particular feeling toward something which may not be popular. I recall reading in The GM by Tom Callahan that Ernie Accorsi was convinced that Eli Manning would be a special player. Not everyone was on board, and Accorsi took a lot of heat. Needless to say, he's been vindicated. That decision may not have been made without a guy like Ernie.

 

In no way am I saying Brandon is a dunce or incapable of being GM. I just think teams are defined more often than not by the quality of their personnel people, GM included. It's best to have as many proven talent evaluators as possible.