How do you define a #1 WR?

[dave mcbride]

He's not an elite receiver. He's the best receiver on a team with a dysfunctional passing game.

He's basically Reggie Wayne without Manning, Harrison (not so great anymore, of course), and a good TE -- basically the same size, same excellent route running ability, same excellent hands, but a bit faster.

[StupidNation]

He's basically Reggie Wayne without Manning, Harrison (not so great anymore, of course), and a good TE -- basically the same size, same excellent route running ability, same excellent hands, but a bit faster.

 

They are a lot alike except Wayne is willing to go over the middle. Many times people say "X" doesn't have a great supporting cast, but I have a different take... look and see if there is a playmaker and gives other players who were scrubs great opportunities on the new team, or helps create that good TE and #2 by drawing attention and playing like it.

 

Sometimes it's clear that the supporting cast isn't that great, but look at Steve Smith and you'll realize what a great player does to a team with or without a good, forget great, QB. Mohammed looks 5 years younger, Delhomme still isn't very good but he looks much better than he is, and the running game is humming.

 

Eric Moulds was/is a great example, so was Andre Reed. Both played tough, both played for the extra yard and made people better around them. Both played over the middle when asked.

[My Friends Call Me Tebucky]

I don't think Wayne is a fair comparison- the past 2 or 3 years, Harrison has benefited more from having Wayne with him than the other way around. Wayne and Evans can both make spectacular catches...but the Manning factor puts them out of the realm of comparison IMO. Who knows what Wayne would be without Manning? It's just guessing.

 

In terms of guys around the league, I think Evans compares pretty closely to Bernard Berrian, Joey Galloway (before this season), Santana Moss, Chris Chambers, and Greg Jennings...a couple of those guys are more productive than Lee, a couple not as productive...but overall, combining style of play, QB situation, and the type of talent possessed, I think those are better comparisons than Reggie Wayne.

[basskik11]

To me a #1 receiver is the receiver you count on to make the catches and plays especially in the clutch and move the chains.

 

# 1 receiver doesnt neccessarily have to be the leader in Yards but should be a leader in receptions and moving the chains.

 

A # 1 receiver should be ranked in the # 32 in receptions (becuase there is 32 Teams)

 

Lee Evans is not a # 1 receiver hes a deep threat reciver but he cannot be counted on in a possesion game and is not worth 9 Mil a year

 

Josh Reed who is really nothing more than a slot reciever and a very good one at that he proved that from year one on this team. He has been more of a #1 receiever than our official #1.

 

Josh reed is ranked 46 in receptions with 54 Catches

 

Lee Evans is ranked 36 in receptions with 58 Catches

 

Since Josh averages 6 catches per game and and Lee averages 3 there is a good chance that Josh will have more receptions than lee evans and these are important catches first down catches moving the chain catches while 90% of Lees catches comes from a deep ball which is why he has more yards I dont think thats worth 9 Mil a year. I don want to hear about double teams I have seen plenty of recievers catch balls in double temas it seems that Lee cannot even catch the ball when hes in single coverage its only when he has no one areound him to interfere with his catching.

 

Dont mean to bust up on our so called star player but hes not a fit for this offensive system and since he is not a fit for this offensive sytem he should not have been paid 9 mil a year we paid that to Eric moulds and he average more than 80 catches a year and was good for moving the chains no just the deep ball.

 

I apologize if I offend anyone but this is the reality I see this team overpaying for talent that doesnt fit our system.

 

I for the most part agree with you, however:

 

Most other teams have better weapons, whether it be a RB coming out in the flat, a pass catching TE, or a bigger Wideout. Josh Reed is definitely dangerous, but let's remember why Jim Kelly was so successful. HE GAVE THE RECIEVERS A CHANCE TO MAKE A PLAY.

 

He would throw the ball in the air with the confidence that either Reed, Thomas, Lofton, Metzalaars, or Beebe or somebody would bring it down. This also made the running game so effective, defenses knew that Kelly was going to go over the top and they were scared to death of it. I'm not saying Trent Edwards can't do that, but you gotta have balls. Jim Kelly had it and that's why Jay Cutler has had a lot of success (with the exception of last week, however he did throw for over 360 yards) he's got a set on him.

 

Bottom line: Lee Evans is a number one receiver, but we need to throw the ball up more and take chances or get another weapon or two. Hardy hasn't worked out so far, but Steve Johnson looks good and we need a TE. I'm optomistic.

[JinWPB]

Yes I hope the Bills remember that T.J.Houshmandzadeh is out there in FA this year. A smart GM might sign him and franchise /trade Evans.

[Poeticlaw]

Yes I hope the Bills remember that T.J.Houshmandzadeh is out there in FA this year. A smart GM might sign him and franchise /trade Evans.

 

 

you can only franchise a FA Lee was resigned to a 5 year 45 mil contract

[JinWPB]

you can only franchise a FA Lee was resigned to a 5 year 45 mil contract

[/quote

 

WOW . how did I miss that, link please!!!!!

[thebandit27]

To me a #1 receiver is the receiver you count on to make the catches and plays especially in the clutch and move the chains.

 

# 1 receiver doesnt neccessarily have to be the leader in Yards but should be a leader in receptions and moving the chains.

 

A # 1 receiver should be ranked in the # 32 in receptions (becuase there is 32 Teams)

 

Lee Evans is not a # 1 receiver hes a deep threat reciver but he cannot be counted on in a possesion game and is not worth 9 Mil a year

 

Josh Reed who is really nothing more than a slot reciever and a very good one at that he proved that from year one on this team. He has been more of a #1 receiever than our official #1.

 

Josh reed is ranked 46 in receptions with 54 Catches

 

Lee Evans is ranked 36 in receptions with 58 Catches

 

Since Josh averages 6 catches per game and and Lee averages 3 there is a good chance that Josh will have more receptions than lee evans and these are important catches first down catches moving the chain catches while 90% of Lees catches comes from a deep ball which is why he has more yards I dont think thats worth 9 Mil a year. I don want to hear about double teams I have seen plenty of recievers catch balls in double temas it seems that Lee cannot even catch the ball when hes in single coverage its only when he has no one areound him to interfere with his catching.

 

Dont mean to bust up on our so called star player but hes not a fit for this offensive system and since he is not a fit for this offensive sytem he should not have been paid 9 mil a year we paid that to Eric moulds and he average more than 80 catches a year and was good for moving the chains no just the deep ball.

 

I apologize if I offend anyone but this is the reality I see this team overpaying for talent that doesnt fit our system.

 

here's my beef with your post...your sample space is too small to make a conclusive argument.

 

when you talk about a number one receiver, i tend to think of guys that have historically been the go-to player for their teams. so that's really who evans should be compared to. just take for example two guys like chad johnson and torry holt. since they've entered the league, they've been their teams' unquestioned go-to WRs. I would try to compare to guys like randy moss and marvin harrison, but they've played along side outstanding WRs like cris carter, wes welker, and reggie wayne (not to mention that they have QBs like manning and brady throwing the ball--but that's another issue altogether), so I'm going to state my case with johnson and holt. evans is concluding his 5th year in the league, so I'll compare his numbers with those for johnson and holt over their first 5 seasons:

 

chad johnson (2001-2005): 379 catches, 5556 yards, 34 tds

torry holt (1999-2003): 423 catches, 6784 yards, 35 tds

lee evans (2004-2008): 291 catches, 4681 yards, 32 tds

 

so the only thing that really jumps out at me as lagging in evans' game would be number of receptions. can we attribute that to QB play? maybe, maybe not. but for the most part evans numbers certainly look the part.

[NFLBighits]

bang your head all you want.........

 

ALL big time WR's have someone on the other side of them. As for Lee being a decoy, go ask Schonert.......

 

But like I said, all the big time WR's have better then average WR's on the other side. We dont!

 

 

Like Andre Johnson who doe he have on the other side of him ?

[Sisyphean Bills]

Like Andre Johnson who doe he have on the other side of him ?

Andre Johnson, Roddy White, Calvin Johnson, Antonio Bryant ... all top 10 WRs without a threat on the other side of the formation.

 

Great players make other players around them better. Average players need great players around them to look better than they are.

[thebandit27]

Andre Johnson, Roddy White, Calvin Johnson, Antonio Bryant ... all top 10 WRs without a threat on the other side of the formation.

 

Great players make other players around them better. Average players need great players around them to look better than they are.

 

It's a discussion that's worth having, but here's the other side of the argument:

 

Andre Johnson has Owen Daniels, who's 5th in the NFL in receptions by a tight end, and 3rd amongst NFL tight ends in yards, so I'd say that he counts as another receiving threat.

 

Calvin Johnson is a freak, I'll give you that one. For the others, I'll make this point: QB play...Trent Edwards isn't half the QB that Matt Ryan or Jeff Garcia is (you can add a "yet" if you'd like, but I'm among those that feel the Bills need a better QB so I omitted it).

 

Evans is an excellent receiver. Check the stats for yourself, (link posted below) and you'll notice that only one WR with an unsettled QB situation has better numbers: Calvin Johnson. Ok, so Evans isn't Calvin Johnson, I'm willing to accept that.

 

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?arc...mp;d-447263-p=1

[StupidNation]

chad johnson (2001-2005): 379 catches, 5556 yards, 34 tds

torry holt (1999-2003): 423 catches, 6784 yards, 35 tds

lee evans (2004-2008): 291 catches, 4681 yards, 32 tds

 

Chad Johnson has averaged over 90 receptions for the past 5 years. Torry Holt has averaged over 90 the last 8 years. This year has been bad for both of them and both are 30 or older. Lee Evans is not at their caliber.

 

One poster pointed out Andre Johnson with no #2, same with Roddy White. Great players make their own way no matter who is around them, and good players stand out with other good players. That's why Peerless Price was a good WR in his day, but certainly not great whatsoever.

[THE GASH STATION]

I would have offered him to in a trade to the cards..

You take Evans, we take Bolden ( at the same $ we gave Evans).