Forked Thread: TD Lee Evans!...errrr...Marcus Easley!!

[YardRat]

Forked from: TD Lee Evans! (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showpost.php?postid=3511821)


oh wait...

Nice game for Easley...Should be a confidence booster.

[better days]

If Easley can continue to play like that TERRIFIC. That still does not excuse a 4th for Evans however.

[Buffalogic]

People need to understand we wanted to trade Evans for several reasons and as a favor to him and all his loyalty and hard work the bills made sure he landed in a successful franchise and set him up the best they possibly could. I actually commend the bills for doing that. Yeah a fourth rounder is pretty garbage, especially from a good team, but I like our young talent and I'm happy for Lee. Win/win in my mind.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

considering the bills got hairston and searcy and easley in the 4th, i dont think nix considers that garbage. all evans has was the 9 route. we need more than that. hell you saw easley get deep in practice and go over the middle vs the jags. evans time was out. plus he had no chemistry with fitz. trade made perfect sense.

[better days]

People need to understand we wanted to trade Evans for several reasons and as a favor to him and all his loyalty and hard work the bills made sure he landed in a successful franchise and set him up the best they possibly could. I actually commend the bills for doing that. Yeah a fourth rounder is pretty garbage, especially from a good team, but I like our young talent and I'm happy for Lee. Win/win in my mind.

Yeah the Bills wanted to trade Evans for several reasons, several $$$ million reasons.

[better days]

considering the bills got hairston and searcy and easley in the 4th, i dont think nix considers that garbage. all evans has was the 9 route. we need more than that. hell you saw easley get deep in practice and go over the middle vs the jags. evans time was out. plus he had no chemistry with fitz. trade made perfect sense.

If the Bills got a 2nd or a 3rd for Evans, the trade would have made sense, but not for a 4th. It was a salary dump & nothing more.

I hope the Bills don't miss him, but they still should have received value for him rather than just give him away.

[YardRat]

If they got at least a fourth from a contender, they were going that direction. If nobody bit, they would have moved him for the best offer from whoever.

[better days]

If they got at least a fourth from a contender, they were going that direction. If nobody bit, they would have moved him for the best offer from whoever.

Yeah, because they wanted to dump his salary. The trade makes the Bills worse, not better.

[alohabillsfan]

With Evans here, who do you cut?

[Extremebillsfan247]

With Evans here, who do you cut?Parish maybe? always getting injured. JMO

[better days]

With Evans here, who do you cut?

The preseason is not even over, injuries happen. A Bill could get injured or a receiver from another team could be injured. a 4th rnd pick is what you get when you have an accountant making trades.

[Beebe's Kid]

I liked Evans as much as the next guy, but there are factors that people are over looking for why to trade him...

1. Last year was the first year I really recall Evans dropping balls. He did it on more than one occasion, but I think there are very few people that noticed. He was just the poor under-utilized guy in Buffalo. How many times have you heard "the hands are the first thing to go?"

2. He is no spring-chicken, and he is nearing the end of his contract. I thought he was done at the end of this year, but I read somewhere that he has two left...either way, players with expiring contracts that you don't want to overpay are worth nothing. They walk.

I really don't think this was the salary move that all of the experts on here do. I don't think Lee was Chan's kind of WR, and they got something before they were left with nothing. It is not a move that would resonate well with fans, because he had been our only deep threat for a long time, and he was a class act, so why even get into it?

I think it is kind of funny that people that rant and rave want sane explanations, when they prove time and time again that the explanation will never be good enough.

If we are truly rebuilding, it was a good move. I would have liked to see more for Lee, and if he were a few years younger with more time on a reasonable deal, we would have gotten it. I am as big of a homer as anybody here, but we are over valuing Lee.

I am sure there will be a thread for every catch he makes this year, but they will be from all of the same people that cried Lee was no good the entire time he was here, only to piss and moan when the team moved on. How many times did people say we wouldn't get a high pick for him, only to cry when we didn't?

We now have a big physical receiving core, with Parrish as a small burner. Parrish is also not scared to go across the middle.

Then there is also the fact that incessant whining is really an unattractive quality, and that Lee is gone, and we have a fourth regardless of the tears shed.

[YardRat]

Yeah, because they wanted to dump his salary. The trade makes the Bills worse, not better.

Prove it.

[better days]

I liked Evans as much as the next guy, but there are factors that people are over looking for why to trade him...

1. Last year was the first year I really recall Evans dropping balls. He did it on more than one occasion, but I think there are very few people that noticed. He was just the poor under-utilized guy in Buffalo. How many times have you heard "the hands are the first thing to go?"

2. He is no spring-chicken, and he is nearing the end of his contract. I thought he was done at the end of this year, but I read somewhere that he has two left...either way, players with expiring contracts that you don't want to overpay are worth nothing. They walk.

I really don't think this was the salary move that all of the experts on here do. I don't think Lee was Chan's kind of WR, and they got something before they were left with nothing. It is not a move that would resonate well with fans, because he had been our only deep threat for a long time, and he was a class act, so why even get into it?

I think it is kind of funny that people that rant and rave want sane explanations, when they prove time and time again that the explanation will never be good enough.

If we are truly rebuilding, it was a good move. I would have liked to see more for Lee, and if he were a few years younger with more time on a reasonable deal, we would have gotten it. I am as big of a homer as anybody here, but we are over valuing Lee.

I am sure there will be a thread for every catch he makes this year, but they will be from all of the same people that cried Lee was no good the entire time he was here, only to piss and moan when the team moved on. How many times did people say we wouldn't get a high pick for him, only to cry when we didn't?

We now have a big physical receiving core, with Parrish as a small burner. Parrish is also not scared to go across the middle.

Then there is also the fact that incessant whining is really an unattractive quality, and that Lee is gone, and we have a fourth regardless of the tears shed.

Well, as I have been saying we will see this year Evans worth. He is THIRTY years old not thirtyfour. He has 5 or 6 years left.

[CoolBreeze]

The fact of the matter is the Evans doesn't put the Ravens over the top. They will still not win the Super Bowl, because they are getting old. Lee doesn't make them better than the Steelers, Jets, Patriots or Chargers. The Bills are not SB bound, so they get xtra draft pick, and younger guys who can run more than a go route, gain experience.

[better days]

Prove it.

The proof is in the pudding. Tell me how this trade improves the team in any way. It doesn't, all it does is clear salary.

[better days]

The fact of the matter is the Evans doesn't put the Ravens over the top. They will still not win the Super Bowl, because they are getting old. Lee doesn't make them better than the Steelers, Jets, Patriots or Chargers. The Bills are not SB bound, so they get xtra draft pick, and younger guys who can run more than a go route, gain experience.

Well, Brady is as old as Evans. I don't know or care if the Ravens can win the Super Bowl but I expect them to make the playoffs with Evans help which will make the draft pick all the lower.

[YardRat]

The proof is in the pudding. Tell me how this trade improves the team in any way. It doesn't, all it does is clear salary.

You're assuming you know something you don't.
We'll have to wait and see if the team is improved or not.
Of course, as with any myopic/moronic viewpoint even if Evans fails in Baltimore and our WR's flourish, there are always the fallback positions to avoid being wrong.

[better days]

You're assuming you know something you don't.
We'll have to wait and see if the team is improved or not.
Of course, as with any myopic/moronic viewpoint even if Evans fails in Baltimore and our WR's flourish, there are always the fallback positions to avoid being wrong.

What would that fall back position be? I may need it............but I doubt it.

I do know the Bills dumped Evans salary.

I do know that Overdorf is in charge of trades because it was reported.

I do know all the Bills received was a 4th rnd pick which most likely will be near the botom of the rnd.

I do know that few players drafted that low become starters.

I do know Evans was considered one of the best deep threats in the NFL before that trade was made.

Explain to me how the Bills have improved THIS YEAR by that trade.

[madness]

That $1.5m roster bonus obviously pushed the FO over the edge. :rolleyes:

[Goobylal]

If the traded him just to dump his salary, they'd have done it before paying the $1.1M bonus. Moreover they gave a bunch of $4M/year contracts to backups like Thigpen and Smith, and Evans was costing less the next 2 years (after paying the bonus). So that also doesn't make sense.

Beebe's kid had it right. Evans wasn't Gailey's kind of player (note he was also 2nd in the team in receptions in 2009, the year before Gailey arrived), Gailey called him out for his lack of toughness in going over the middle, he was on the wrong side of 30, many people say he's lost a step, and he wasn't a missing piece of the puzzle for the Bills and would have been gone next year, if not the year after. Getting a 4th is pretty much all you could ask for, given what other WR's have garnered.

[Philagape]

If the traded him just to dump his salary, they'd have done it before paying the $1.1M bonus. Moreover they gave a bunch of $4M/year contracts to backups like Thigpen and Smith, and Evans was costing less the next 2 years (after paying the bonus). So that also doesn't make sense.

Beebe's kid had it right. Evans wasn't Gailey's kind of player (note he was also 2nd in the team in receptions in 2009, the year before Gailey arrived), Gailey called him out for his lack of toughness in going over the middle, he was on the wrong side of 30, many people say he's lost a step, and he wasn't a missing piece of the puzzle for the Bills and would have been gone next year, if not the year after. Getting a 4th is pretty much all you could ask for, given what other WR's have garnered.

Best post on the topic by far.

[YardRat]

What would that fall back position be? I may need it............but I doubt it.

I do know the Bills dumped Evans salary.

Cutting, trading, not re-signing, etc...of course there are salary ramifications, but they are not necessarily 'dumping'. Unless you have proof that the move was strictly motivated by saving money, you don't 'know' anything.


I do know that Overdorf is in charge of trades because it was reported.


A talking head on the intraweb said it, so it must be true. LOL...OK.


I do know all the Bills received was a 4th rnd pick which most likely will be near the botom of the rnd.

Probably. Did anybody offer them a higher fourth, or a third?


I do know that few players drafted that low become starters.

Meh...the draft is a crapshoot regardless of pick or round. Doesn't mean you should shy away from making deals. Would you rather have a fourth, a player that doesn't want to be here, or nothing?


I do know Evans was considered one of the best deep threats in the NFL before that trade was made.

His production doesn't back that up.


Explain to me how the Bills have improved THIS YEAR by that trade.

That remains to be seen. If we win more games, and/or the new #2 outperforms Evans or puts up better numbers than he has that would be an improvement. Nobody will know that until the games are actually played, now will they?

Look...I'm not real happy about the trade either, but just labeling it as a salary dump is conjecture and not necessarily the truth.

[Philagape]

Every single time a player is traded for a pick, it doesn't help THIS year. :insane: If they traded Ed Wang for five first-round picks, it doesn't help THIS year.

[better days]

Every single time a player is traded for a pick, it doesn't help THIS year. :insane: If they traded Ed Wang for five first-round picks, it doesn't help THIS year.

Agreed, But if they traded Wang for even a 4th next year, I would be fine with that because Wang will likely never start for the Bills.

[mysticsoto]

If the traded him just to dump his salary, they'd have done it before paying the $1.1M bonus. Moreover they gave a bunch of $4M/year contracts to backups like Thigpen and Smith, and Evans was costing less the next 2 years (after paying the bonus). So that also doesn't make sense.

Beebe's kid had it right. Evans wasn't Gailey's kind of player (note he was also 2nd in the team in receptions in 2009, the year before Gailey arrived), Gailey called him out for his lack of toughness in going over the middle, he was on the wrong side of 30, many people say he's lost a step, and he wasn't a missing piece of the puzzle for the Bills and would have been gone next year, if not the year after. Getting a 4th is pretty much all you could ask for, given what other WR's have garnered.

If they were really dissatisfied with Evans, then just wait until WRs start getting hurt in practice and preseason games. Someone will eventually be desperate enough that they will consider paying higher (atleast a 3rd) for him. You don't take the 1st lowly offer you get. That smacks of no business sense at all. The WRs on our roster can all get playing time if Evans is sat after a few plays in the preseason games. At the very least, it should have been a conditional 4th becoming a possible 3rd if he performs well.

There's just no excuse for just giving up so quickly and accepting a 4th for Evans. No excuse at all!!!

[El Guapo]

If they were really dissatisfied with Evans, then just wait until WRs start getting hurt in practice and preseason games. Someone will eventually be desperate enough that they will consider paying higher (atleast a 3rd) for him. You don't take the 1st lowly offer you get. That smacks of no business sense at all. The WRs on our roster can all get playing time if Evans is sat after a few plays in the preseason games. At the very least, it should have been a conditional 4th becoming a possible 3rd if he performs well.

There's just no excuse for just giving up so quickly and accepting a 4th for Evans. No excuse at all!!!

But then you are giving Evans the finger by not seeking a good team for him.

I have no problem with this trade. Everyone thinks we should have gotten a 2nd or 3rd round pick, but if the Bills traded for a receiver with Evans' stats for the past two years and gave a 2nd or 3rd round pick for that receiver, this board would be blowing up. I know everyone likes Evans, and I am one of those people. However, this trade made sense for a rebuilding team.

[mysticsoto]

But then you are giving Evans the finger by not seeking a good team for him.

I have no problem with this trade. Everyone thinks we should have gotten a 2nd or 3rd round pick, but if the Bills traded for a receiver with Evans' stats for the past two years and gave a 2nd or 3rd round pick for that receiver, this board would be blowing up. I know everyone likes Evans, and I am one of those people. However, this trade made sense for a rebuilding team.

I like Evans too, but it doesn't mean I will sacrifice what is best for the franchise to see him placed on a favorable team. And that's me - a Bills homer. The FO that didn't draft him, train him or have any alliance whatsoever with him and who doesn't like him enough to feel he's worth keeping on our team should not suddenly develop special feelings for him and coddle him unto a favorable team that does nothing to benefit the team.

[better days]

If the traded him just to dump his salary, they'd have done it before paying the $1.1M bonus. Moreover they gave a bunch of $4M/year contracts to backups like Thigpen and Smith, and Evans was costing less the next 2 years (after paying the bonus). So that also doesn't make sense.

Beebe's kid had it right. Evans wasn't Gailey's kind of player (note he was also 2nd in the team in receptions in 2009, the year before Gailey arrived), Gailey called him out for his lack of toughness in going over the middle, he was on the wrong side of 30, many people say he's lost a step, and he wasn't a missing piece of the puzzle for the Bills and would have been gone next year, if not the year after. Getting a 4th is pretty much all you could ask for, given what other WR's have garnered.

The people saying he lost a step are just wrong & will be proven to be so this year. Evans can only run the route that the OC calls.

The lockout probably played a part in Evans not being traded before the bonus came due.

[DraftBoy]

Not to take this thread back to Easley but his hands still worry me. He has what 2-3 drops this preseason in as many games? That's not a good number for a guy many think should be our #2.

[mysticsoto]

Not to take this thread back to Easley but his hands still worry me. He has what 2-3 drops this preseason in as many games? That's not a good number for a guy many think should be our #2.

Stevie had alot of drops early in his career also. I think Easley can work on that to improve. It's likely due to nervousness or over-excitement. Once he settles down (like he seem to last game) he should do better.

[psubills62]

Not to take this thread back to Easley but his hands still worry me. He has what 2-3 drops this preseason in as many games? That's not a good number for a guy many think should be our #2.
My degree of concern about Easley's drops will depend on a couple of things: 1) when they occur (i.e. not on game-winning TD catches), and 2) how many passes he drops relative to his production. If his receptions are equal to the number of drops...not good. If he has 100 receptions (I know, just using it as an example) with 15 drops over the season, it will help to lessen my concern.

Let's hope it's partially a mental thing that he's overcoming as he gets more PT.

[Historian]

Easley dropped a few at the beginning of the game, and I thought...oh boy, here we go again.

But he rebounded nicely. Had a good game.

I'm very confident he has the skills to be a very good wideout in the NFL.

The hitch, if there is one, is within his mind. He has to have confidence in his doctors, and his own knee.

It takes time, even though you are medically cleared to play, a lot of things go through your mind....Will It hold up...how hard can I cut, etc.

Trust me, I've been there.

He had a solid game against the Jags. Hopefully it will go a long way to clearing out the cobwebs...or ghosts...or whatever you call them mentally.

Good luck to him.

:up:

[acehole]

Been saying all this for a while....

It is good to see light come on for easley though....

Again he just is taking steve johnson place not Lee Evans place.

Steve Johnson can replace Lee Evans...and we got the pick.

Loved you Lee but move along...we loved Moulds also.

Wheel in the sky keeps on turning.


If the traded him just to dump his salary, they'd have done it before paying the $1.1M bonus. Moreover they gave a bunch of $4M/year contracts to backups like Thigpen and Smith, and Evans was costing less the next 2 years (after paying the bonus). So that also doesn't make sense.

Beebe's kid had it right. Evans wasn't Gailey's kind of player (note he was also 2nd in the team in receptions in 2009, the year before Gailey arrived), Gailey called him out for his lack of toughness in going over the middle, he was on the wrong side of 30, many people say he's lost a step, and he wasn't a missing piece of the puzzle for the Bills and would have been gone next year, if not the year after. Getting a 4th is pretty much all you could ask for, given what other WR's have garnered.

[justasportsfan]

IMO opinion this is why he's dropping balls. The confidence is not there 100% . THe sooner he gets confidence with his knee, the sooner he can concntrate in catching the ball.


“Marcus the big thing with him is confidence,” Fitzpatrick said. “He tweaked his knee at the beginning of camp and lost some of the confidence he had gained in the offseason. As he got more confidence in his knee you could see his confidence in practice, his route running ability, the way he was catching the ball. So it was a good day for him to show everybody what he’s been doing. To have a game like this where we targeted him several times and for him to come down with them it was good for him.”



http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/Easley-beginning-to-blossom/2bd8ddf0-24fc-4138-9588-df522f3c684d

[DraftBoy]

Stevie had alot of drops early in his career also. I think Easley can work on that to improve. It's likely due to nervousness or over-excitement. Once he settles down (like he seem to last game) he should do better.

Stevie still has an issue with drops as recently as last year. Let's not just assume that's suddenly vanished either.

You know he had a drop last game?

[DraftBoy]

IMO opinion this is why he's dropping balls. The confidence is not there 100% . THe sooner he gets confidence with his knee, the sooner he can concntrate in catching the ball.



http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/Easley-beginning-to-blossom/2bd8ddf0-24fc-4138-9588-df522f3c684d

Well that's far more concerning than him just having the drops quite frankly. I dont need or want a WR whose confidence is shaken by a tweak.

I understand the response will be "but that's the knee that had surgery..." yes I understand that. Still my point remains the same.

[justasportsfan]

Well that's far more concerning than him just having the drops quite frankly. I dont need or want a WR whose confidence is shaken by a tweak.

I understand the response will be "but that's the knee that had surgery..." yes I understand that. Still my point remains the same.


Never disagreed with your point. No matter what the cause or reason, dropping balls do concern me as well. Just stating or more like hoping that it's the knee and not that he has hands of stone.

[mysticsoto]

Stevie still has an issue with drops as recently as last year. Let's not just assume that's suddenly vanished either.

You know he had a drop last game?

No, but it proves a point that despite having lots of drops...you can work at it and succeed. All WRs - even the best ones have drops also. You have to hone your focus. What I like about Easley is that he catches w/his hands - not his body. If he can increase his focus level on catching and not thinking about what's coming or what he wants to do next, he should improve. Like I used to say about Stevie, I think Easley has it within him to be a great WR for us.

[Historian]

Wheel in the sky keeps on turning.

Rat's gonna get you for the Journey reference in his thread.

Just sayin!

:D

[DraftBoy]

Never disagreed with your point. No matter what the cause or reason, dropping balls do concern me as well. Just stating or more like hoping that it's the knee and not that he has hands of stone.

I would rather he have hands of stone than have confidence that is shaken so easily.

[DraftBoy]

No, but it proves a point that despite having lots of drops...you can work at it and succeed. All WRs - even the best ones have drops also. You have to hone your focus. What I like about Easley is that he catches w/his hands - not his body. If he can increase his focus level on catching and not thinking about what's coming or what he wants to do next, he should improve. Like I used to say about Stevie, I think Easley has it within him to be a great WR for us.
Can you suceed? Sure, TO and Ocho Cinco both had drop issues throughout their career but the big difference is they dropped more routine passes and rarely if ever dropped the big ones.

We've seen the kind of passes Stevie has been known to drop, can he get over that and can Easley get his confidence back and keep it?

Huge questions heading in 2011.

[justasportsfan]

"As he got more confidence in his knee, you could see confidence in him in practice," Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "His route-running ability, the way he was catching the ball, so today was a good day for him to get out there and show everybody what he's been doing. To have a game like this where we targeted him several times and for him to come down with them, it was good for him."
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article537570.ece

[mysticsoto]

I would rather he have hands of stone than have confidence that is shaken so easily.

I'm really surprised you would feel this way...it's shocking to you that a young kid got his confidence shaken before he was really able to do anything on the field ?

And you would prefer he have hands of stone (something not easily correctable) vs having his confidence shaken that is easily correctable by giving him play time and letting his own talents and skills shine?

Really?

[justasportsfan]

I would rather he have hands of stone than have confidence that is shaken so easily.


Huh? Have you ever blown your knee? I'm still in rehab myself and it's hard to concentrate doing anything when you're worried about whether or not your knee will hold up and I'm not even doing anything like football where someone is waiting to hit you. I Disagree with you 100% on this.

Even Eric wood struggled when he didn't have confidence in his knee .you can gain your confidence back. But hands of stone .

[methos4ever]

Can you suceed? Sure, TO and Ocho Cinco both had drop issues throughout their career but the big difference is they dropped more routine passes and rarely if ever dropped the big ones.

We've seen the kind of passes Stevie has been known to drop, can he get over that and can Easley get his confidence back and keep it?

Huge questions heading in 2011.
To be fair, no one mentions in that "big game drop" category (by Stevie's own words) the 4th and goal catch he made vs KC to keep the Bills in the game...

[DraftBoy]

I'm really surprised you would feel this way...it's shocking to you that a young kid got his confidence shaken before he was really able to do anything on the field ?

And you would prefer he have hands of stone (something not easily correctable) vs having his confidence shaken that is easily correctable by giving him play time and letting his own talents and skills shine?

Really?

I think you vastly under estimate how hard it actually is to overcome a lack of confidence. That is not just something that you can fix and make go away. its something that you have to deal with almost every day.

One bad route, one missed ball, one drop, one failure to do anything and boom its back. I want nothing to do with confidence issues ever.

[DraftBoy]

To be fair, no one mentions in that "big game drop" category (by Stevie's own words) the 4th and goal catch he made vs KC to keep the Bills in the game...

I dont recall but what was the score in that game when he made that catch? I just want to make sure the context is similar before calling it a big catch.

[DraftBoy]

Huh? Have you ever blown your knee? I'm still in rehab myself and it's hard to concentrate doing anything when you're worried about whether or not your knee will hold up and I'm not even doing anything like football where someone is waiting to hit you. I Disagree with you 100% on this.

Even Eric wood struggled when he didn't have confidence in his knee .you can gain your confidence back. But hands of stone .

You're not understanding me, I dont care about his knee, his knee is not my concern. His confidence and him allowing his mind to play with him hs. He's shown he's confident enough to make the cuts, the stops and starts with his knee (or else he wouldn't be playing) when that issue though goes from the knee to his hands, that's a different issue entirely.

[mysticsoto]

I think you vastly under estimate how hard it actually is to overcome a lack of confidence. That is not just something that you can fix and make go away. its something that you have to deal with almost every day.

One bad route, one missed ball, one drop, one failure to do anything and boom its back. I want nothing to do with confidence issues ever.

Confidence will return as he realizes and begins to do the things he could and used to do before. What are you going to do to improve hands of stone? He can work on it as much as he likes, if he doesn't have the ability to catch well after playing for so many years, someone is not going to all of a sudden develop it. If you are receiver, you need to be able to catch, it's as simple as that.

[justasportsfan]

You're not understanding me, I dont care about his knee, his knee is not my concern. His confidence and him allowing his mind to play with him hs. He's shown he's confident enough to make the cuts, the stops and starts with his knee (or else he wouldn't be playing) when that issue though goes from the knee to his hands, that's a different issue entirely.

but confidence in his knee is related to his ability to catch is what I'm saying and what Fitz was saying in the link I provided.

[better days]

Confidence will return as he realizes and begins to do the things he could and used to do before. What are you going to do to improve hands of stone? He can work on it as much as he likes, if he doesn't have the ability to catch well after playing for so many years, someone is not going to all of a sudden develop it. If you are receiver, you need to be able to catch, it's as simple as that.

You become George Wilson. guys with hands of stone either become DB's or they are out of the NFL.

[BuffaloBlitz83]

TO has dropped some big catches too besides make the big ones.

[DraftBoy]

but confidence in his knee is related to his ability to catch is what I'm saying and what Fitz was saying in the link I provided.

Please...tell me you're not buying that. You're smarter than that.

[DraftBoy]

Confidence will return as he realizes and begins to do the things he could and used to do before. What are you going to do to improve hands of stone? He can work on it as much as he likes, if he doesn't have the ability to catch well after playing for so many years, someone is not going to all of a sudden develop it. If you are receiver, you need to be able to catch, it's as simple as that.

Jugs machine, bent over one handed palming drills, and a number of other drills meant to improve hand eye coordination (cross train with baseball drills, like taking a wooden stick and hitting sunflower seeds is one of my favorite). Do you honestly think there isn't a drill to improve your ability to catch?

You're confusing natural hands (which can't be taught) with the simple ability to catch, which can be taught. Especially since we all have to learn it if you ever play a sport. It can be coached and developed.

As for your comment about confidence, if it returns as easily as you think it will then you have to allow for it to be able to go away as easily. That's a very scary situation for our #2 WR. Like I said, I want nothing to do with confidence issues, if we are to believe what Fitzpatrick says about him having his confidence shook.

Again this isn't me saying he has them, its off what Justa posted.

[justasportsfan]

Please...tell me you're not buying that. You're smarter than that.

Again, read this.
"As he got more confidence in his knee, you could see confidence in him in practice," Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "His route-running ability, the way he was catching the ball, so today was a good day for him to get out there and show everybody what he's been doing. To have a game like this where we targeted him several times and for him to come down with them, it was good for him."

I am experiencing the same problem . I can't go out there and do what I used to doing because my knee isn't 100% . Not knowing whether my knee can hold up from A SIMPLE JUMP affects my ability to conentrate on catching a ball and thats without anyone trying to hit me.

It takes time and several repetition before you gain confidence and forget that you even have an injury.

Even healthy people drop balls when they are anticipating a hit from behind. Happens all the time. All the more for those who are trying to feel out their injury.

[DraftBoy]

Again, read this.

I am experiencing the same problem . I can't go out there and do what I used to do because my knee isn't 100% . Not knowing whether my knee can hold up from A SIMPLE JUMP affects my ability to conentrate on catching a ball and thats without anyone trying to hit me.

It takes time and several repetition before you gain confidence and forget that you even have an injury.

You can't catch a football because your knee hurts? That's the logic you're applying through fitz's comment.

This isn't that he is rounding his cuts, because he's worried about his knee going, this isn't that he is not seeing the same speed because he's not sprinting fully. This is he is not catching footballs that hit his hands because he is worried about his knee...

So he can cut, sprint, and jump fine, but his catching ability is what is affected? Something that has nothing to do at all with the knee? Take a step back and look at that for a minute.

If it was anything related to cutting, running, or jumping then Im with you 100%, but don't give me this bull**** and tell me its something that makes no sense because we want to cover for a player.

That's an awful large leap of faith to take. When I had shoulder surgery I could still preform any task with my legs. My shoulder was a pain in the ass to come around but my legs worked fine.

Ill never forget I had an injury, and he may never either. Its not about forgetting, never was.

[YardRat]

Rat's gonna get you for the Journey reference in his thread.

Just sayin!

:D

I was this close to hitting the Thanks button on his post...

[justasportsfan]

You can't catch a football because your knee hurts? That's the logic you're applying through fitz's comment.
NO, you tend to not be able to concentrate because you are worried about it holding up not that it hurts.


This isn't that he is rounding his cuts, because he's worried about his knee going, this isn't that he is not seeing the same speed because he's not sprinting fully. This is he is not catching footballs that hit his hands because he is worried about his knee...

So he can cut, sprint, and jump fine, but his catching ability is what is affected? Something that has nothing to do at all with the knee? Take a step back and look at that for a minute..If you read the comment Fitz made, he is saying that EVRYTHING from cuts to catches is getting better the more Easely has confidence in his knee and I agree because I AM THERE.

When you're not sure if your knee is a 100%, it can affect your concentration to do other things. I don't have to think about that, I KNOW SO. I still try to throw/catch footballs and when a ball is not directly thrown at me, I have to baby my knee which can affect my concentration to catch the ball.



If it was anything related to cutting, running, or jumping then Im with you 100%, but don't give me this bull**** and tell me its something that makes no sense because we want to cover for a player. . worrying whether your knee cant take a hit or a fall will affect your ability to catch. Again, I'm not the only one who is going through that.





That's an awful large leap of faith to take. When I had shoulder surgery I could still preform any task with my legs. My shoulder was a pain in the ass to come around but my legs worked fine.

Ill never forget I had an injury, and he may never either. Its not about forgetting, never was.

Your shoulder injury is not the same as a knee injury. Your knee also comes into play when making a catch because you still have to land.

Until you blow your knee you won't understand. Ask anyone whos blown a knee. People who are into MMA can't punch right if they have a busted knee because they still have to put weight on that leg.

When you don't have con

[mysticsoto]

Jugs machine, bent over one handed palming drills, and a number of other drills meant to improve hand eye coordination (cross train with baseball drills, like taking a wooden stick and hitting sunflower seeds is one of my favorite). Do you honestly think there isn't a drill to improve your ability to catch?

You're confusing natural hands (which can't be taught) with the simple ability to catch, which can be taught. Especially since we all have to learn it if you ever play a sport. It can be coached and developed.

As for your comment about confidence, if it returns as easily as you think it will then you have to allow for it to be able to go away as easily. That's a very scary situation for our #2 WR. Like I said, I want nothing to do with confidence issues, if we are to believe what Fitzpatrick says about him having his confidence shook.

Again this isn't me saying he has them, its off what Justa posted.

And as a WR, you think he's never done any of those things before? What? Did he become a WR overnight? If at this stage in the game you have hands of stone, then you don't belong in the NFL and shouldn't have been drafted or even made a team - atleast as a WR. If you are on a team as a WR, that means you do (and should) have the ability to catch. Period. Stone hands don't just go away even with all those exercises you mentioned. You might get slight improvement but you don't develop into a WR out of the blue all of a sudden.

Again, you are assuming that b'cse confidence left due to injury that all of a sudden that makes him prone to losing his confidence on a whim. I see no reason to make that assumption. It was a serious injury that will require adjustments by him. No reason to assume that he can't do them however.

[better days]

Jugs machine, bent over one handed palming drills, and a number of other drills meant to improve hand eye coordination (cross train with baseball drills, like taking a wooden stick and hitting sunflower seeds is one of my favorite). Do you honestly think there isn't a drill to improve your ability to catch?

You're confusing natural hands (which can't be taught) with the simple ability to catch, which can be taught. Especially since we all have to learn it if you ever play a sport. It can be coached and developed.

As for your comment about confidence, if it returns as easily as you think it will then you have to allow for it to be able to go away as easily. That's a very scary situation for our #2 WR. Like I said, I want nothing to do with confidence issues, if we are to believe what Fitzpatrick says about him having his confidence shook.

Again this isn't me saying he has them, its off what Justa posted.

Why is George Wilson a safety & not a WR? Don't the Bills own any jugs machines?

[DraftBoy]

Why is George Wilson a safety & not a WR? Don't the Bills own any jugs machines?

Bad routes, bad hip flexibility, didn't make proper cuts.

If you think it was just a hands issue with Wilson you are mistaken. He just wasn't a very good WR.

[DraftBoy]

And as a WR, you think he's never done any of those things before? What? Did he become a WR overnight? If at this stage in the game you have hands of stone, then you don't belong in the NFL and shouldn't have been drafted or even made a team - atleast as a WR. If you are on a team as a WR, that means you do (and should) have the ability to catch. Period. Stone hands don't just go away even with all those exercises you mentioned. You might get slight improvement but you don't develop into a WR out of the blue all of a sudden.

Again, you are assuming that b'cse confidence left due to injury that all of a sudden that makes him prone to losing his confidence on a whim. I see no reason to make that assumption. It was a serious injury that will require adjustments by him. No reason to assume that he can't do them however.

Im glad you brough up that statement. What do you think made him go from buried on the depth chart fringe player at UConn at the end of his junior year to starting 1,000 yard plus WR the next? He always had the speed, his size was always there...so what do you think he busted his ass and worked on?

You're equating a knee injury to his hands no longer working. If he was that worried about the knee we'd see it in the cuts and jumps, not in his inability to catch.

Im assuming nothing, if you'll recall I never even brough up confidence till our QB mentioned how quickly he lost it early in camp.

[DraftBoy]

NO, you tend to not be able to concentrate because you are worried about it holding up not that it hurts.

If you read the comment Fitz made, he is saying that EVRYTHING from cuts to catches is getting better the more Easely has confidence in his knee and I agree because I AM THERE.

When you're not sure if your knee is a 100%, it can affect your concentration to do other things. I don't have to think about that, I KNOW SO. I still try to throw/catch footballs and when a ball is not directly thrown at me, I have to baby my knee which can affect my concentration to catch the ball.


worrying whether your knee cant take a hit or a fall will affect your ability to catch. Again, I'm not the only one who is going through that.





Your shoulder injury is not the same as a knee injury. Your knee also comes into play when making a catch because you still have to land.

Until you blow your knee you won't understand. Ask anyone whos blown a knee. People who are into MMA can't punch right if they have a busted knee because they still have to put weight on that leg.

When you don't have con

1. Bull****, Im sorry its bull****. If he was worried he wouldn't be able to cut and run like he is.

2. Your knee recovery is not comparable to his, you're not an athlete you don't have a team of trainers working on you, and you're not peak physical condition at only 24. So please stop equating you to him.

You are forgetting that he's dropping balls that he's not having to jump for that are thrown in stride. What now running is an issue you're going to make an excuse for him about?

Look I didnt bring up confidence issues you did, now you're backing away and saying the knee is the source of all of this. Its not a great secret Easley is having drops, its what held him back at UConn for three seasons. He's had one breakout year and then suffered a knee injury, so why is he dropping the ball now?

Is it the knee?
Is is his confidence?
Or is that he just can't catch consistently?

One of those three is an issue, and we (You, Me and Mystic) will never know which it is. Let's all just hope he gets over it and can become the #2 WR badly need.

[YardRat]

Athletes in all sports lose their confidence at some time or other, and some on a chronic basis, for a variety of reasons and it affects their performance. Pitchers can't find the strike zone, goalies fight the puck, golfers get the yips, etc. Almost universally the confidence comes back.

If Easley has lost any 'confidence' because he's a little twitttery about his injury and it's affecting his receiving ability, it really isn't a big deal and he should get over it. If he has hands of stone, and his lack of confidence stems from that, it's a little bit different story.

[justasportsfan]

1. Bull****, Im sorry its bull****. If he was worried he wouldn't be able to cut and run like he is.

2. Your knee recovery is not comparable to his, you're not an athlete you don't have a team of trainers working on you, and you're not peak physical condition at only 24. So please stop equating you to him.

You are forgetting that he's dropping balls that he's not having to jump for that are thrown in stride. What now running is an issue you're going to make an excuse for him about?

Look I didnt bring up confidence issues you did, now you're backing away and saying the knee is the source of all of this. Its not a great secret Easley is having drops, its what held him back at UConn for three seasons. He's had one breakout year and then suffered a knee injury, so why is he dropping the ball now?

Is it the knee?
Is is his confidence?Or is that he just can't catch consistently?

One of those three is an issue, and we (You, Me and Mystic) will never know which it is. Let's all just hope he gets over it and can become the #2 WR badly need.


I may not be a professional footbal player but I am an athlete and a former pro athlete in a different sport.

the confidence I speak of is the confidence if weather the knee is 100%. It will affect your concentration.

Here watch the video. Fast forward to 2:30. Thats the confidence I am talking about. and I agree that it can affect you game. Call it BS all you want . Never mind me you're arguing with professional football players.

http://www.buffalobills.com/media-center/videos/Ryan-Fitzpatrick-Postgame-Press-Conference/419a7c28-6c4e-4f93-9200-96ee2a5e4513#?id=419a7c28-6c4e-4f93-9200-96ee2a5e4513&channelName=Recent

[mysticsoto]

Im glad you brough up that statement. What do you think made him go from buried on the depth chart fringe player at UConn at the end of his junior year to starting 1,000 yard plus WR the next? He always had the speed, his size was always there...so what do you think he busted his ass and worked on?

You're equating a knee injury to his hands no longer working. If he was that worried about the knee we'd see it in the cuts and jumps, not in his inability to catch.

Im assuming nothing, if you'll recall I never even brough up confidence till our QB mentioned how quickly he lost it early in camp.

Route running is probably the hardest thing for a WR to learn and adept to coming into the NFL. It's no longer just using your athleticism against easier opponents, etc.

And how do you know his lack of confidence hasn't affected his running and/or cuts? He looks decent out there...Without the injury, would he be alot more open with faster speed and sharper cuts?

Far as I can tell, catching the ball and dropping it is usually a concentration issue. Especially for big WRs like Stevie and Easley. They are both 6'2"...they don't have tiny hands. And after watching Easley in camp last year a bit and this year, I love the way he hand catches vs body catches and can see how high a skill level he does have. It also becomes immediately apparently that he's route running and catching is much smoother than most of the other WRs on the roster with the exception of some of our veterans like Lee, Stevie and Parrish. But to see him catch receptions with the same smoothness as they did told me that "hands of stones" are not his problem.

And once again, having apparently not experienced a knee injury like Justa has, you apparently cannot contemplate how something like that might affect your psyche and make you lose concentration as you try to focus on making sure your knee isn't giving out all while cutting, changing directions, keeping track of who's around you...oh yeah, and catching the ball...

I've never had a knee injury, but I have had an ankle injury that has affected my confidence in relying on that ankle solely in highly physical situations. It happens and all you can do is work through it and keep doing it and as you find yourself performing without injury, your confidence returns automatically.