BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bills traded veteran receiver Lee Evans to the Baltimore Ravens on Friday in a move that frees up salary and allows Buffalo to concentrate on developing its young group of receivers.
In exchange, the Bills received a fourth-round pick, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because neither team disclosed the round of the draft pick sent to Buffalo.
David Duprey, File, Associated Press
FILE - This July 30, 2011, file photo shows Buffalo Bills receiver Lee Evans during an NFL football training camp walk-through in Pittsford, N.Y. A person familiar with trade talks has told The Associated Press that the Bills have dealt Evans to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. The deal was completed on Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because neither team has announced the deal.
For the Bills, they lose a seven-year veteran who's been their most productive receiver on what's been a popgun offense for much of the past decade. He has two years left on his contract and was scheduled to make about $3.25 million this season.
The Ravens immediately improve their receiving attack around established veteran Anquan Boldin. Baltimore cut both receiver Derrick Mason and tight end Todd Heap last month.
"He's a quality veteran receiver who stretches the field and gives us significant downfield presence," Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "He's the type of person you want on your team. He brings leadership and maturity to the locker room."
Evans' best game last season came against the Ravens, when he had 105 yards receiving and three touchdowns in Buffalo's 37-34 overtime loss.
The Bills were not available for comment as they were traveling to Chicago in preparation for their preseason-opener on Saturday.
The trade was not well received by at least one Bills veteran, cornerback Drayton Florence, who questioned the deal in several posts made on his Twitter account.
"Sad day for the bills," Florence wrote. "Are we trying to win now or later????"
Bills general manager Buddy Nix had previously sidestepped questions as to whether Evans was being shopped around.
Evans had been blindsided in reading reports of him being mentioned in trade talks. He eventually became resigned to being traded and informed several teammates of that likelihood after practice on Thursday, a person close to Evans told the AP. The second person also spoke on the condition of anonymity because Evans' conversations were considered private.
Selected by Buffalo in the first-round of the 2004 draft out of Wisconsin, Evans enjoyed two 1,000-yard seasons, but his numbers have tailed off over the past two years in part because of the Bills offensive struggles.
His best season came in 2006, when he had 82 catches for 1,292 yards and eight touchdowns.
Evans ranks third on the Bills' career list with 5,934 yards receiving. He's also fourth with 377 receptions and fifth with 43 touchdowns.
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