Bills offense would miss Evans



Lee Evans

   As free agency winds down, most of the stars and starting caliber players have dried up off the market.  Teams still looking for a big-play receiver have to focus on trading to fill a roster hole.
   This week, trade talks have surrounded Bills receiver Lee Evans, who has been linked to the Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens.
   No doubt, a rebuilding team like Buffalo should certainly entertain those offers.  If a favorable deal is out there, one couldn't knock the Bills for pulling the trigger and getting another high draft pick.
   But if teams aren't willing to part with a first or second rounder, I believe the eight-year veteran is just too valuable to let walk.
   Fans often criticize Evans for being one-dimensional, and rightly so.  Unlike many of the league's top receivers, Evans has never progressed beyond being a deep sideline threat.  Since J.P. Losman left town, the Bills haven't had a quarterback capable of consistently getting the ball to him downfield, and Evans has watched his numbers plummet.  With the sudden emergence of Steve Johnson last year (82 catches, 1,073 yards, 10 touchdowns) and other young depth at wide reciever, many have deemed Evans as expendable.
   But I believe his value to the team goes way beyond his statistical production.
   True, Evans might only be a deep threat, but it's still a threat that teams can't afford to ignore.  Defenses are forced to send safeties to his side of the field to make sure they don't give up the big play.  That allows other receivers to face single coverage underneath and ultimately thrive.
   Some may scoff at the idea of paying $5 million per season for a speedy decoy, but nobody on the Bills roster is currently capable of filling Evans shoes. 
   Without him streaking down the field, Johnson gets slammed with the double teams.  David Nelson or Marcus Easley are thrust into a starting position.  Roscoe Parrish is taken out of the slot and forced to play against his physical strengths.   
   I understand that at 30 years old, Evans isn't going to be effective forever.  But anything less than a first or second rounder would be a mistake, opening another hole and making things more difficult for those already playing well.