Buffalo traded veteran receiver Stevie Johnson to San…
Buffalo traded veteran receiver Stevie Johnson to San Francisco for a conditional 2015 selection that became a fourth-round pick. Johnson caught 35 passes for 435 yards and three touchdowns in his lone 49ers season before his release. Buffalo later used the acquired draft asset within another transaction, creating flexibility without producing a major long-term Bills contributor from the original return.
Buffalo Bills Received
- pick 2015 4th round pick (113th overall subsequently traded, Gabe Wright )
San Francisco 49ers Received
- player Steve Johnson
Trade Analysis
Why the Deal Happened
Buffalo was reshaping its receiver room after adding Sammy Watkins and was willing to move Stevie Johnson, a productive veteran with a sizeable role in the previous offense. San Francisco wanted another experienced target for a contender and agreed to send a conditional 2015 selection that ultimately became a fourth-round pick.
What Each Side Actually Got
Johnson appeared in 13 games for the 49ers in 2014 and caught 35 passes for 435 yards and three touchdowns. He provided useful depth behind Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree, but San Francisco released him the following offseason. Buffalo received the future fourth-rounder, No. 113 in 2015. The Bills later sent that selection away as part of the Bryce Brown transaction chain, so the pick did not become a direct long-term Bills player.
How the Value Aged
This is a good example of a trade in which both sides received something real but neither captured a major advantage. San Francisco obtained immediate receiver production for a playoff-caliber roster, although only for one season. Buffalo converted a veteran it was prepared to replace into meaningful draft capital, even though subsequent decisions reduced the value the franchise ultimately realized from that asset.
Why the Margin Matters
It would overstate the result to credit Buffalo with every later possibility attached to the fourth-round pick, just as it would overstate Johnson’s impact to treat one moderate receiving season as a major acquisition. The direct outcomes are closely matched.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Buffalo and San Francisco each receive a C+. The Bills gained a useful future asset, while the 49ers received one serviceable season from Johnson; neither side produced enough lasting value to establish a clear winner.
Johnson's useful 2014 season and Buffalo's fourth-round asset produced similarly modest overall returns without creating a durable long-term advantage.