Evans could be next Bills’ wideout voters hate for some reason

By Anthony Bialy  |   Thursday, February 05, 2009  |  Comments( 77 )

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What else would voters like Andre Reed to do? The exclusion of the former Buffalo Bills wideout from the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a laughable crime that gets committed every year, which is also bad future news for the team’s only accomplished current receiver. Unlike Reed, Lee Evans can still do something to affect his legacy, and, based on their uncannily alike numbers, the current No. 83 is on track for an outside chance of getting cheated by selectors after he’s retired for three years, too.

Both the all-time and rising great, respectively, put forth a fine first half-decade. Evans stands with 296 receptions for 4,744 yards through five seasons, averaging 16 yards every catch. Meanwhile, Reed hauled in a similarly impressive 317 passes during his first five years, picking up an utterly comparable 4,408 yards from 1985 to ’89; that’s 13.9 yards per grab. They’re even closer regarding points: Reed got to the end zone 31 times in those five seasons, while Evans stands ahead of him by exactly one, with 32 touchdowns as of now.

Of course, all players' circumstances are unique. By 1989, the Bills had already assembled most components necessary for an ominously devastating passing attack; meanwhile, Evans is waiting along with Bills fans to see if Trent Edwards will ever be truly special or merely settle for being better than Dennis Shaw. Further, Reed got to 88 catches and 1,312 yards playing alongside James Lofton in ‘89, while Evans has largely and sadly become a solo artist after spending his earliest two seasons with Eric Moulds by his side.

On the other hand, much has changed in pass defense terms since 1985, as cornerbacks are closer to neutral observers than active combatants thanks to rules designed to let offenses cruise so touchdowns may multiply exponentially. That’s helped Evans, along with everyone else who catches footballs for a living.

Plus, they’re different sorts of good wideouts. Reed was known for his precise routes, ability to keep going after fielding short throws, and tenacious willingness to head between the hashes. Meanwhile, Evans leans on speed, not to mention sharp technique that allows him to achieve said speed: Every cornerback he faces knows he’s owns the double-clutch move, and every cornerback is nonetheless unable to stop him when he performs it. It’s the main reason why Evans gains so much per every catch, and why it’s unfair to measure him against most players in that category, even Reed.

It’s not to say that Evans will ever match Reed’s totally, utterly Hall of Fame-worthy career numbers of 951 catches or 13,198 yards. And it’s also not to say that he would match Reed’s accomplishments even if he did so, especially as the league does everything possible to favor offenses. But it’s fair to note that, despite suffering on a squad that’s often been more Coy and Vance than Bo and Luke, Evans’ numbers offer a promising resemblance to Reed’s.

Even considering differing eras, Evans holds up well at this point by comparison to the franchise’s best ever, a player who also remains one of the NFL’s most embarrassing current enshrinement omissions. Do voters realize he’s not positioned to further pad his fantastic numbers?
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