What started out as a high school lunch room rumor very quickly became a reality this afternoon. The Buffalo Bills have traded wide receiver Lee Evans to the Baltimore Ravens. In exchange for Evans, the Bills receive Baltimore’s fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Last Sunday, Dan Pompei at the nationalfootballpost.com summarized this his piece NFP Sunday Blitz that with Bills adding WR/KR/RB/QB Brad Smith and with the Bills’ logjam at the receiver position, Evans could become expendable should the Bills decide to part ways with the former Wisconsin Badger product. Pompei indicated that “interesting parties” were sniffing around.
From then on, the rumors surrounding Evans began holding water seemingly with each passing day. Less than 48 hours after Pompei’s piece, on Tuesday it was reported that the Arizona Cardinals were interested in acquiring Evans’ services. Last night, ESPN’s Adam Schefter braced Bills fans that a Lee Evans trade could be completed sometimes this weekd, with the Cardinals and the Baltimore Ravens reportedly in the running to land the wide receiver.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported via his Twitter account that the Bills and Ravens had discussions about the Ravens sending back an offensive lineman (likely not Michael Oher, who the Bills SHOULD have drafted a few years ago) along with a draft pick. That never came to fruition and instead the Bills will receive only a mid-round pick. Both Evans and Bills GM Buddy Nix spent the last couple of days downplaying rumors of Evans’ availability on the trade market.
Evans was selected in the first round of the 2004 draft and up until about 1 p.m. this afternoon, had been the longest tenured Bill on offense not including kicker Rian Lindell. An immensely popular and respected veteran in the locker room, his presence will not be easily replaced. Evans has two years remaining on his contract and will make $3.25 million this season
More to come on Evans’ departure later and there will certainly be plenty to discuss over the weekend, with the Bills’ first preseason game looming tomorrow evening in Chicago against the Bears.
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