After adding a new wide receiver Thursday night, the Buffalo Bills shipped one out of town Friday.
The Bills have traded wideout Stevie Johnson to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a mid-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
Schefter, the first to break news of the trade, quotes sources as saying the pick Buffalo will receive is a conditional fourth-round selection that could become a third-rounder.
Johnson racked up just 597 receiving yards on 52 catches in 2013 after surpassing 1,000 yards in each of the previous seasons, but his total still was enough to lead all Bills wide receivers. He’ll now join a 49ers receiving corps that features Michael Crabtree, Anquan Boldin, Jon Baldwin and Brandon Lloyd.
The Bills traded up in this year’s draft to select Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins fourth overall, sending the No. 9 pick, along with their first- and fourth-round picks in next year’s draft, to the Cleveland Browns in return.
UPDATE (8:40 p.m.): The Bills confirmed the trade shortly before the second day of the NFL draft started.
“Stevie was a great contributor during his career with our organization,” Bills general manager Doug Whaley said in a team-issued statement. “Today’s decision was not an easy one to make, especially involving a player like Stevie who leaves everything he has on the field and is an emotional leader in our locker room. All of the decisions we make are done so in the best interest of our team. We wish him the best of luck in San Francisco and throughout the rest of his NFL career. We also want to thank Stevie and his family for their commitment to the Buffalo Bills and the community over the last six years.”
