Rumor: (per Chris Wesseling of nfl.com) Stevie Johnson on the trading

[Maybe Someday]

Again, if the objective is winning, you don't let your best Safety walk, and then draft a replacement for him in the 1st round, and you don't get rid of your best receiver, and draft a replacement for him in the 1st round. All you're doing is spinning the wheels. It makes absolutely no sense for the Bills to trade Stevie Johnson and then look to draft someone to replace him.

I do agree with your overall point but if we drafted Watkins or Evans in the 1^st round this year, we would not be drafting SJ13’s replacement; we would (hopefully) be drafting a true #1 receiver - #1 by league standards that is, not just the guy at the top of our depth chart. Personally, I like a guy with the size of Evans over Watkins but don’t really know much about either. Goodwin is our burner and maybe, just maybe the light will come on for Graham someday. I want that big guy that EJ can just throw it up to and he’ll come down with it. My point is, should we trade SJ13, IMO we already have his replacement on the roster in Woods and/or Mike Williams.

 

Overall, I do like SJ13 and hope we don’t trade him this year - wait for Woods or Williams to prove themselves first. I like the fact that he seems to be committed to this team and the city. I don’t like the fact that he just hasn’t been clutch when we needed him to be. I am not sold on his work ethic either. He always struggles with and then fights through injuries, which is admirable, but I think if he took his offseason more seriously, he could avoid a lot of those injuries.

 

Others have said that he doesn’t seem to have chemistry with EJ. Last season I wouldn’t really expect him to since EJ was a rookie who missed a lot of time with injuries. SJ13 is a different type of receiver, not fast but quick and uses deception and that quickness to get open on the best CBs in the game. I saw that the 2 of them worked out together this offseason so hopefully that and a full year together translates to the field this year.

[C.Biscuit97]

No reason to dump him like Lynch. If a team were to make an offer the Bills couldn't refuse obviously you take it.

Just don't see an NFL GM making a big offer for an often injured WR that's claim to fame is a batman quote or dropping a ball and blaming god.

It just doesn't add up.

 

There was a very good reason to dump Lynch. He was running over people off the field and rolling with guns and blunts. Despite people still holding things against SJ he did years ago against him, he is a saint compared to Lynch.

[billsfan_34]

Im not a Stevie hater either but for what its worth this is what I see....a guy who gets open with his unorthodox style and is pretty damn tough. That bein said he rarely hits a homerun, drops balls at key times, has a nagging hammy, runs his mouth, and has a huge contract. He very well may be as good as gone. Sure hes a good ball player, but hardly elite and if we want to sniff playoffs/SB its time for some elite playmakers.

[Pete]

This discussion is not about Byrd. The Bills did the right thing. NO overpaid for him and the Bills do not have the luxury of being able to overpay for one player. Safeties are a dime a dozen. This is about Stevie Johnson and I agree they should not trade him.

safeties are a dime a dozen? That's what was said about guards last year

[C.Biscuit97]

I'm a fan of Stevie the guy rather than the player. He is an average receiver and would be a #2 or #3 on any other team but since he has been our only decent receiver his stats are inflated. Very similar situation to Lee Evans. If another team wants to give us #1 receiver value for him in a trade then do it! I would miss him as a person though. He loves Buffalo and the fans and he brings a lot of swag and confidence to the team

 

I don't totally disagree but Evans was never as consistent as SJ. SJ never played with Bledsoe. How many times did SJ get open downfield and jsut was missed by Fitz? If SJ was any other receiver, he would have bugged out a long time ago.

[BUFFALOTONE]

SJ13 is overpaid for his production and inability to take a game over. But yes he did catch a game winner last year. But, that's what he is paid for.

 

The Nix regime crapped the bed on his extension just like the QB they overpaid and ironically cap wise are still paying for.

 

Blaming God, and saying that a dropped pass in the first quarter is no big deal(paraphrasing here). And being the best tweeter on the team simply is not "leadership" But I get it, the younger fans like all the buzz a 7th round pick brings. With his smart phone.

 

As for him loving Buffalo, well he blew off a signing session (paid) in Rochester his teammate a true Bill Fred-EX covered his silly ass on that one and stayed for an extra couple of hours. SJ13 is a perfect example of 14 years of fail. A slightly above average non clutch player that is a over glorified, over payed slot receiver.

 

Flame Away.

 

Agree on all fronts, I like the rest of the group like Stevie but his production simply isn't worth what he is being paid. And honestly you can't trade him because no one wants that contract that he shouldn't have been given in the first place. I feel for the guy losing his mother, that's terrible. But if we decide to keep him and he restructures I would like to see him mature into a real pro. As of now he is simply still a kid with his actions.

[NoSaint]

 

 

Vincent Jackson >>>>> Donald jones/ David Nelson. also, he's completely broken now, but Josh Freeman early in his career was better than any QB SJ has ever played with. I just don't see how you get better by trading productive players in their prime. Even if SJ isn't a true #1, he will be a damn good #2 and a great #3.

 

And for me, until we get to the point where we are spending to the cap consistently (like those "how did they afford THAT" teams we see annually) I don't like shedding the salary. Stevie for a 3 sucks. Stevie for a 3 and a 7m vet signing can be good value.... But until we are up against the cap it's hardly worth looking at it like that as a fan

[Max997]

It doesnt surprise me the Bills would be thinking about moving on from Stevie but i dont see him having any trade value with the contract he has.

[WotAGuy]

Only in Madden will Stevie be part of a package to move up from #9.

[Not at the table Karlos]

Word around town is that Mike Williams is the Bills number 1 WR. This shows how much players like SJ13 are a dime a dozen in the NFL. But Hey, hold that backpack tightly. You might need to pack your crap!

word around what town? Havent heard this in buffalo at all

[mrags]

Only in Madden will Stevie be part of a package to move up from #9.

nope. This past seasons Madden it's impossible to pull off trades.

 

word around what town? Havent heard this in buffalo at all

i also live in Buffalo and haven't heard a word of this. Who knows, I'm not in the extravagant confines of the Lockport trailer parks though.

[Mr. WEO]

You realize that your point about no one else being a receiving threat makes a stronger case of why SJ is good? When your receiving core is Johnson, Nelson, and Jones, SJ will get all the defensive talent and best corners. He had a monster game against Richard Sherman. You also realize that SJ is making $2.2 million this year and isn't even the highest paid wr on the team?

 

Well, the recieving corps is no longer SJ, Nelson and Jones......

 

 

 

 

I'm calling BS on this decline. He's 27, so he's just entering the agreed upon prime for receivers. He struggled with injuries and 3 basically 1st year QB (how could it not light it up with undrafted, part time college starter Jeff Tuel!!!). In his first 3 games last year, he had 17 catches for 239 yards and 2 tds. He was off to the best start of his career. Against NO later in the year, he was the best Bill on the field.

 

IMO, it would be a giant mistake to trade him unless you absolutely get blown away by an offer. But hey, those are moves teams that have missed the playoffs 14 years in a row do. Scapegoat your best players and create holes to refill. But Mike Williams is a strong leader and influence for young receivers.

 

There's an agrred upon prime for receivers?

 

And SJ may not have been the trouble maker M Williams was, but when was he a "strong leader" for the young receivers?

[PO'14]

As a person I wish SJ all the best. ( not really, he is a rich millionaire doing nothing in life really ). As a football player, im glad to see some people realize the fraud that he is. The one positive play that is stuck in my mind is that great catch he made against Carolina. You know, that floater which he caught by himself and hung on for dear life cuz that was his first MEANINGFUL BIG CATCH in an NFL game. It took 5 or so years, but he can always tell his kids about that Hard Catch! Bills 8-4 Until week their last 4 games. After that OUCH!

[YoloinOhio]

Great Well, I sure hope this doesn't happen. A group of rookie and 2nd yr WRs plus wild card Mike Williams and Stone Hands Graham would be bad.

[Bill from NYC]

 

 

I don't know man. I like Watkins but he hasn't proven a thing in the NFL. Of course there's a ton of potential but as Parcells says, "Potential means you haven't done (crap)." Watkins got a lot of yards on short passes. It's one thing to do that against Boston College, it's another to do that against the Pats. Stevie has proven himself against Revis and Sherman. Plus, do you really want a receiving core where Mike Williams is your veteran leader?

 

At the same point, maybe Stevie should move on where he'll be appreciate by more of the fans. The dude has worked himself from a 7th rounder into a 3 time 1,000 yard receiver with a QB who struggled to throw the ball 10 yards downfield. The best part is if they move Stevie or CJ, the same people who wanted them gone, will be the first people complaining after they thrive in their new situations.

 

The post with his cap hit is telling CB. His cap numbers are higher than those of Wes Welker.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9048556/wes-welker-agrees-terms-denver-broncos

 

I know that Stevie has talent. I appreciate his ability to get open. But compared to other posts that I read, I think that I tend to place less value on current players (with mileage and prior injuries), and more value on draft choices. In other words, if I was the GM and a team wanted to trade up, I would demand that they pay through the nose, or no deal.

 

Wrt to SJ, there are several factors to be considered:

 

1) Woods might already be a better wr than SJ. I am not saying that he is, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

2) Again, we don't know, but Williams might be something special.

 

3) This draft is said to be absolutely STACKED at WR. Gil Brandt says this over and over. Coach Gruden was raving about a wr from Oregon State. He stopped just short of depicting his as great, and I never even heard of him.

 

4) #3 is tricky. It would seem to make Stevie more expendable, but it might also serve to diminish his trade value.

 

Bottom line? Stevie is a good but not great player. If a team was willing to cough up a 3rd round pick, AND the Bills think it would it would be easy to replace him, I wouldn't object to a trade. Would you?

 

[KRT88]

Move up for Watkins! RT can be addressed in round 2 or 3. Stevie and Mike Williams are temporary solutions, we need a beast to pair with Woods long-term and that guy isn't on the roster.

 

Move up to get Watkins, you don't have a 2nd or 3rd round pick after that move

[ALF]

As long as the Bills have cap room , I would keep him, maybe restructure.

[bills1960]

Meh. What would we really get in return for him? A 4th round pick?

[metzelaars_lives]

I am as big a Stevie fan as anyone but if the cost for Watkins was SJ13 and #9 I wouldn't be able to accept fast enough. I am all in on Sammy and wouldn't hesitate to give the 9, 41 and next years #1 to get him.

Wait a second- you would rather have Stevie Johnson than this year's round 2 and next year's round 1??

Edited April 24, 2014 by metzelaars_lives

[Kellyto83TD]

Stevie will be very attractive to someone, every year there are picks where you are going WTF? So I trade him while he has value. Reality is he is, and has been, no more than a #2 on most teams but drawing #1 Money. Trade him.