It’s February and kind of a dead time around the Buffalo sports scene. The Sabres are on break and the Bills are weeks away from the kickoff to free agency. Sorry, but I don’t exactly have the energy to dissect the impact of losing Derek Fine or whose my favorite Buffalo Sabres player. So starting today, I will be dedicating a daily post to what I would do if I were the Bills General Manager. Now, this isn’t a series on predicting what I think the Bills will do. This is just what I would do if Ralph Wilson gave me the keys to his kingdom.
I will be very bold and aggressive when it comes to making moves. This team needs change and every player will be evaluated. I’m looking for young players who are entering the primes of their careers. I’m not looking for hasbeens or any sort of marketing tool (I.E. Terrell Owens and Mike Vick). I’m looking to build a football team and get rid of some of the unwanted baggage. My motto will be if you are going to make an omelette, you’re going to have to break some eggs. I’ll also have Ralph Wilson’s cash to the cap philosophy in the back of my head, so I won’t be signing every single free agent on the open market.
Sorry Buddy Nix, but you may claim to not be the smartest man in room…well, I am. So let the GMing begin!
Trade Lee Evans to the Baltimore Ravens for their 1st and 3rd round picks
If Chan Gailey’s motto is that he can win the Super Bowl “without having Babe Ruth on his team”, then it’s time for the Bills to get value for their version of the Great Bambino. I know, fans will come out in groves and say the obvious; “Lee’s a great wide receiver and has never had the luxury of having a top tier quarterback.”
That’s all true, but over the years, I’ve seen too many receivers who’ve had exceptional seasons without the use of a star quarterback. Calvin Johnson had 86 catches on a 0-16 football team. Andre Johnson wouldn’t miss a beat when Sage Rosenfels (Now with the Vikings) was his quarterback. Steve Smith keeps on ticking with Jake Delhomme. Even Eric Moulds caught 94 passes with Rob Johnson as his quarterback in 2000.
There’s been way too many games with Evans catching 3 passes or fewer. He just doesn’t seem like a 40-million dollar wideout who can force himself into the passing game. Everyone knows that the ball is going to go to Andre Johnson, yet defenses can’t stop him with double teams.
Evans just isn’t worth the money the Bills are paying him. I also have serious doubts about him being a legit number one option because he’s just too one dimensional for my taste. To take a page out of Buddy Ryan’s book, “All he does is catch bombs.” I have never seen Evans make a tough grab in traffic. I’ve never seen Evans go over the middle or break tackles.
More importantly, the Bills are 2-3 years away from really competing. By that time, Evans will be a free agent and in his 30’s. Also, fans have to realize that it’s a lot more easier to be a good receiver these days than anytime during the NFL’s history. The NFL crackdown on illegal contact down field makes it a lot more easier for wideouts to get open.
As for my trading partner, I’ve heard that the Ravens are extremely interested in adding a wide receiver to their team. The Ravens have had a lot of health issues with Todd Heap and Derek Mason over the years. The Ravens are in a win now mode and have a young quarterback in Joe Flacco that needs help in the receiving ranks. If the Lions can get a 1st and 4th rounder for Roy Williams, I think asking the Ravens to sweeten the pot to a 3rd rounder would suffice.
Of course, I don’t plan on having James Hardy and Roscoe Parish as my opening day starters, so I’ll be looking for receivers elsewhere. All in all, this trade was made to get more draft picks and to lose Lee Evans gigantic salary.
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