Though the focus around training camp has been on the holdout by Jason Peters and his desires for a contract extension, Lee Evans and the Bills have had dialogue on a new deal for the wide receiver.
Though Evans stated on more than one occasion in the spring that there was nothing new concerning a contract extension, the two sides have recently made strides toward striking an accord.
"There has been some dialogue back and forth and that is certainly good news," said Evans. "We are moving in the right direction on that so hopefully we can get a deal done. Last time there was some stuff out there, but there wasn't a lot of dialogue. So there definitely has been some progress."
Evans is much further along in his contract than Peters, as the receiver has two years remaining on his rookie contract, but he can void the final year of his contract and is expected to become a free agent after the 2008 season. But the Bills have long considered signing him to an extension a top priority.
Entering a contract year for a player can be a stressful time. There's often a fear of getting injured heading into an offseason where your production on the field will directly impact what kind of contract one can command. But Evans is committed to focusing on his game and nothing else if a new agreement can't be reached before the season opener.
"The contract year is always… business-wise it's a little bit different, but as far as your mentality goes you still have to be consistent in doing what you're doing," he said.
Evans admits a new deal would bring peace of mind, but isn't going to spend time worrying if it's going to happen before the 2008 season begins.
"It would be big, to get that behind you and to move forward," said Evans. "All that stuff is somewhat out of my hands so I just try and control the things I can and go from there."
