"Lee Evans recalled a conversation he had with Eric Moulds back in 2005. It was Moulds' 10th year in the NFL, and he wondered where all the time went.

Now entering his seventh season, Evans is thinking the same thing. He laughed at being called a grizzled veteran, but that's what he is given the youth on the Buffalo Bills' roster.

That's not to say his career is in decline. There is still plenty of good football left in the youthful-looking 29-year-old wide receiver.

Evans is blessed with tremendous speed, athleticism and hands that make difficult catches look routine. But as talented as he is, he has never received recognition as one of the NFL's elite receivers. Despite being one of the game's best deep threats, he has never been to a Pro Bowl, a status that separates him from the exalted company of Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Randy Moss and fellow 2004 draft classmate Larry Fitzgerald.

Evans' career averages of 56 catches and 889 yards are good, but far from great. He has topped 1,000 yards only twice and has just one season with more than 70 catches. And he's coming off the worst season of his career in catches (44) and yards (612).

But those numbers are not reflective of Evans' talent. What it does show is he has faced disadvantages his more accomplished peers haven't.

Since replacing Moulds as the Bills' top receiver, Evans has never had a consistently effective No. 2 wideout on the other end of the line. Terrell Owens was supposed to pull coverage away from Evans, therefore creating more explosive plays. But Evans spent most of last season playing second fiddle to T.O., who ended up as the Bills' leading receiver."