MERGED: Lee Evans Traded to the Ravens

[BaltimoreBean]

Seems he has disappeared. Hmmm...

[scrock]

A little article on Lee Evans and what teammates thought of trade

[quote]"Sad day for the Bills," said cornerback Drayton Florence(notes) on Twitter. "Are we trying to win now or later????"

Florence hinted that he wouldn't have re-signed with Buffalo as a free agent if he knew management was shopping Evans.


"Makes no sense," Florence tweeted. "I'm not mad at the trade. I'm mad because this will change how defenses play us now."

Evans, a first-round pick in 2004 out of Indiana and a skilled deep threat, was generally regarded as a big reason for Stevie Johnson's(notes) breakout 2010 season when he caught 82 passes for 1,073 yards and 10 scores.

The attention defenses paid Evans gave Johnson mostly single looks. Now that has changed and the pressure is on Johnson and the rest of Buffalo's mostly young receiving corps, including Donald Jones(notes), David Nelson(notes), Naaman Roosevelt(notes), Paul Hubbard(notes) and Marcus Easley(notes), to respond.[/quote]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AvJDGcGaeZURVUBd8wYoMDX.uLYF?slug=sportsxchange-000383922_whats-the-deal-bills-veterans-miffed-by-evans-trade

[BaltimoreBean]

Best one yet!

Long article, but VERY good read. Makes me feel even better about this trade.

http://www.ravens24x7.com/columns/Talkin-Smack-Guest-Columnists/Lee-Evans-Overcomes-His-Own-Poor-Decision

[FerrariFan87]

Lol, Evans went to Wisconsin, not Indiana... fail Yahoo.

[B-LO fan 4 ever]

[quote name='jimmysmith3' timestamp='1313351349' post='750898']<br />Ya I was watching that game. Merriman looked great in there and Marcell Dareus will be a beast along with Kyle Williams. I think the Bills could surprise this year because the big problem was always the run defense and with all the new LB you guys picked up along with Dareus, it will be a fun year watching Bills games for sure!<br />[/quote]<br /><br />Yessir jimmysmith3...finally a football season to look forward to...we Bills fans have been waiting since the 90's to turn this thing around....but this year it is yours...kick the <poop> out of the Steelers Win the BOWL!...This board rules...such wonderful...(Not egotistical) fans you are....my avatar here will become my fav. of all...Ray Lewis...Rock on Raven's Nation

[Ravens Beast]

[quote name='B-LO fan 4 ever' timestamp='1313367337' post='751088']
<br /><br />Yessir jimmysmith3...finally a football season to look forward to...we Bills fans have been waiting since the 90's to turn this thing around....but this year it is yours...kick the <poop> out of the Steelers Win the BOWL!...This board rules...such wonderful...(Not egotistical) fans you are....my avatar here will become my fav. of all...Ray Lewis...Rock on Raven's Nation
[/quote]
I respect you buffalo fans.

[darklight1216]

[quote name='BaltimoreBean' timestamp='1313357204' post='750997']
Best one yet!

Long article, but VERY good read. Makes me feel even better about this trade.

http://www.ravens24x7.com/columns/Talkin-Smack-Guest-Columnists/Lee-Evans-Overcomes-His-Own-Poor-Decision
[/quote]
He made some pretty good points, but there is one big issue which was mentioned in the first paragraph: "if you can get your offensive line together..."

I'm a bit worried about that part. Evans won't get much done if his qb is on his back, or worse, all game long. Then there's last year... Donte' Stallworth was a speedster too and we all know how well that worked out.

With the Ravens offensive history it's really difficult for me to imagine them having a receiver who reaches the author's prediction of 1,400 yards and 12 or so tds.

[scrock]

[quote name='darklight1216' timestamp='1313377698' post='751226']
He made some pretty good points, but there is one big issue which was mentioned in the first paragraph: "if you can get your offensive line together..."

I'm a bit worried about that part. Evans won't get much done if his qb is on his back, or worse, all game long. Then there's last year... Donte' Stallworth was a speedster too and we all know how well that worked out.

With the Ravens offensive history it's really difficult for me to imagine them having a receiver who reaches the author's prediction of 1,400 yards and 12 or so tds.
[/quote]

yeah the OL needs to take shape or all our offensive fire power could be wasted...instead of functioning at 100% we'd be handicapped

[PWNEDbyDEANO]

Good article, but like has already been mentioned I don't expect that fixing the offensive line will be as easy as clicking our fingers. We do have a seriously potent offense if we do sort the OL, but I don't buy the yardage/TD predictions.

[Whitty Hutton]

That idiot Mike Preston said Evans was a problem causer, mean and a diva. Numerous people from Buffalo fans to Bills media coverage people called in to 105.7 The Fan and said that is nowhere close to being the truth

[PuRock]

[quote name='Whitty Hutton' timestamp='1313424326' post='751481']
That idiot Mike Preston said Evans was a problem causer, mean and a diva. Numerous people from Buffalo fans to Bills media coverage people called in to 105.7 The Fan and said that is nowhere close to being the truth
[/quote]

I don't know where Preston is getting that information from. You don't have to have insider information to know that Evans never raised a stink with anything in Buffalo publicly. That would entail Diva status. If he did have any issues, he did it internally.

[berad]

[quote name='Whitty Hutton' timestamp='1313424326' post='751481']
That idiot Mike Preston said Evans was a problem causer, mean and a diva. Numerous people from Buffalo fans to Bills media coverage people called in to 105.7 The Fan and said that is nowhere close to being the truth
[/quote]

Everything I've heard is that Evans was a consummate pro, rarely spoke to the media, and was just a blue-collar guy. Sometimes I think Preston makes things up just for giggles.

[dpatrickguy]

[quote name='berad' timestamp='1313431524' post='751606']
Everything I've heard is that Evans was a consummate pro, rarely spoke to the media, and was just a blue-collar guy. Sometimes [b]I think Preston makes things up just for giggles.[/b]
[/quote]
or donuts

[*kid_chaos100*]

Yeess!!

[True]

In terms of Pass Action plays attempted--under the John Harbaugh era the Ravens have been 1st, 3rd, and 1st in the entire league. This is where Lee Evans fits in because while he isn't a burner, he still has top notch speed and is also a very good route runner.

With a strengthened running game opposing defenses will have to be very careful when stacking the box to try and stop Ray Rice because now the Safety has to keep an eye on Evans who can get down field and create a big play. The OL will also have to get much better at pass protection for this to be optimal.

I'd like to see the Ravens try what the Philadelphia Eagles do with Mike Vick & DeSean Jackson where they run the Play Action and the QB boot legs about 10-12 yards behind the LOS with a couple blockers protecting him so Joe Flacco can launch the ball and create a big play down the field.

[Natty Boh]

Great deal by Ozzie. I prefer Lee Evans over Derrick Mason and Malcom Floyd.

[AwakenTheDemon]

Seems Evans will get his number 83 after all. Starting tomorrow, Dickson will give his #83 to Evans, Dickson will in turn get #84, and rookie tight end Johdrick Morris will end up with Mason's #85.

[url="https://twitter.com/#!/1WinningDrive/status/103488699836276736"]Source: Official Ravens Twitter[/url]

[scrock]

[quote name='Whitty Hutton' timestamp='1313424326' post='751481']
That idiot Mike Preston said Evans was a problem causer, mean and a diva. Numerous people from Buffalo fans to Bills media coverage people called in to 105.7 The Fan and said that is nowhere close to being the truth
[/quote]

Preston is horrible, he says every WR is a diva, he's always got a negative viewpoint on everything Ravens....I seriously wish the Baltimore Sun would kick him to the curb, he should go write for another team.

[FerrariFan87]

[quote name='AwakenTheDemon' timestamp='1313508926' post='752438']
Seems Evans will get his number 83 after all. Starting tomorrow, Dickson will give his #83 to Evans, Dickson will in turn get #84, and rookie tight end Johdrick Morris will end up with Mason's #85.

[url="https://twitter.com/#!/1WinningDrive/status/103488699836276736"]Source: Official Ravens Twitter[/url]
[/quote]

Nice. Evans just didn't look right wearing 85.

[BadgerVid]

[quote name='berad' timestamp='1313431524' post='751606']
Everything I've heard is that Evans was a consummate pro, rarely spoke to the media, and was just a blue-collar guy. Sometimes I think Preston makes things up just for giggles.
[/quote]
Lee is one of those guys who only talks to the press when he has good things to say about his team, his QB and his OL...obviously, he didn't have much to talk about the past couple of years in Buffalo.

IIRC, this will be the first year since his rookie year he wasn't chosen as a team captain by his teammates, and I expect that by '12 it will be the same in Baltimore.

As an Evans fan (I've been a fan since late in his freshman year in college), I am pretty excited for this season...the last time he had QB that I would say should be playing in the NFL was his rookie year with an aging Drew Bledsoe. With what I consider one of the better young QBs in the league and the other weapons around him, I think this is going to be an exciting season and, after 7 years in the league, I foresee the chance to watch him play in January for the first time in his pro career.

In spite of your OL problems, this is most likely also the best OL he has seen in the NFL...

[Militant X 1]

Lee Evans is a great addition to the Ravens. can't wait to see him on the field blowing the top off of defenses.

~Mili

[scrock]

Militant, I like the signature graphic

nice

[Militant X 1]

[quote name='scrock' timestamp='1313523443' post='752663']
Militant, I like the signature graphic

nice
[/quote]

thanks Scrock!

~Mili

[wilshade]

Getting Lee Evans may turn out to be the best move the Ravens made. He is fast and has pretty good hands. Giving Joe Flacco this guy to throw to is akin to getting Roger Carr for Bert Jones.

Roger had really only one route to run . . . "Haul ***". He wasn't anything more than a pair of ears sticking out of the ear holes of his helmet as he was streaking down the field.

Evans could easily fill that tole with the Ravens and Flacco. Just "haul ***" and catch the ball. Don't think he has Roger's ears though.

Gonna be fun to watch.

[AsianRice]

[quote name='scrock' timestamp='1313509506' post='752453']
Preston is horrible, he says every WR is a diva, he's always got a negative viewpoint on everything Ravens....I seriously wish the Baltimore Sun would kick him to the curb, he should go write for another team.
[/quote]
I wonder how does he still keep his job in B-More when all he said is negative toward the team. Is he trying to be unbiased or neutral? if so he's better applied for ESPN....

At worse, he pulled out his facts from a donkey's butt....


Basically, I hear nothing good about him from the fanbase...

[berad]

[quote name='AsianRice' timestamp='1313524446' post='752678']
I wonder how does he still keep his job in B-More when all he said is negative toward the team. Is he trying to be unbiased or neutral? if so he's better applied for ESPN....

At worse, he pulled out his facts from a donkey's butt....


Basically, I hear nothing good about him from the fanbase...
[/quote]

He gives a good alternate opinion a lot of the time. Some of the things he says carry merit but people should always take it with a grain of salt. He's a columnist, so he can write whatever he wants as long as it gets hits and he's done that - he's distinguished himself from the other writers at the Sun, at least.