ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) - Having stuck it out through the tough
times in Buffalo, receiver Lee Evans had no intention of leaving
now that the Bills have begun to turn the corner with their fast
start.
Looks like Evans will be around for quite a while longer after
Thursday, when he signed a four-year, $37.25 million contract
extension that locks him up through 2012 and prevents the Bills
from losing him to free agency this offseason.
Under terms of the deal, Evans is guaranteed $18.25 million,
representing a significant raise over the $2.25 million base salary
he'll make this season, the final year of the rookie contract.
"It's really hard to put into words. I'm very excited," Evans
told The Associated Press. "I really wanted to stay here. We have
a great group of guys and a great organization to be a part of."
The deal is a renewed indication of the Bills' commitment to
securing their core stars, and was struck at a time when AFC
East-leading Buffalo (4-0) is off to its best start in 16 years in
an attempt to end an eight-year playoff drought, the longest in
franchise history.
The Bills were not available for comment except to announce the
contract in a press release issued hours after the team completed
practice in preparing for Sunday's game at Arizona. The Bills had
previously maintained that re-signing Evans was their top priority
this year.
The Bills 2004 first-round pick out of Wisconsin, Evans had
enjoyed only one winning season in Buffalo, his first, when the
Bills finished 9-7 but missed the playoffs with a season-ending
loss to Pittsburgh.
And yet, he was so eager to stay in Buffalo that he refused to
establish a deadline even as negotiations dragged on into the
season. Evans also shrugged off speculation that he had the
opportunity to cash in as one of the NFL's more high-profile free
agents this offseason or, at the very least, force the Bills to
retain his rights for one more year by designating him as their
franchise player.
"It took a lot of patience on both sides," Evans said, in
regards to talks which opened last spring. "But they were men of
their words. They told me they were going to get this deal done and
that's what happened."
Evans certainly didn't play as if he was distracted because he's
off to the hottest start of his career this season with 14 catches,
a team-leading 332 yards receiving and one touchdown. He ranks
second among AFC receivers in yards and has six catches of 25 yards
or longer, tying Green Bay's Greg Jennings for most in the NFL.
Evans already ranks seventh on the Bills' career list with 4,059
yards receiving, and fifth with 30 career touchdowns receiving.
His best season came in 2006, when he finished sixth in the NFL
with 1,292 yards receiving. Evans' production, though, tailed off
last year when he finished with 849 yards and a career low five
touchdowns.
The drop in numbers were in part a reflection of the Bills'
carousel at quarterback. Starter J.P. Losman was benched twice and
eventually lost the job for good to current starter Trent Edwards
last November. It didn't help that Buffalo also lacked a secondary
receiving threat to draw attention away from Evans.
Things have changed this season as the Bills offense is clicking
under first-year coordinator Turk Schonert. The offense has already
produced 10 touchdowns (not including returns) after managing just
20 last year.
"He always believed this was going to be a good team," Evans'
agent Ben Dogra told The AP. "He's very comfortable with the
leadership at the top. And the winning this year was the icing on
the cake."
With Evans signed, the Bills secured another core player after
they extended the contracts of defensive tackle Kyle Williams and
guard Brad Butler this past summer. The Bills, last year, also
extended the deals of defensive ends Aaron Schobel and Chris
Kelsay, and punter Brian Moorman.
Next on the Bills' to-do list is negotiating a contract
extension with left tackle Jason Peters, who ended an
offseason-long holdout when he reported to the team early last
month. Peters reported only after he received certain assurances
from the Bills that they would open talks to restructure the final
two years the Pro Bowl player has left on his contract after this
season.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)