September 9: Confirming the expectations set up yesterday afternoon, Adam Schefter of ESPN has reported that the Buccaneers will officially not be meeting Evans’ player-imposed deadline for a contract extension. Several reports, including those of ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, indicate that Tampa Bay is not expected to trade Evans and will let him play out his contract year and head for free agency in the offseason.
Even at age 31, Evans is set to be a priority free agent after topping 1,000 yards receiving in every single season of his nine-year career in Tampa Bay. If he can deliver another strong outing catching passes from the arms of Mayfield and, potentially, Kyle Trask, it should secure at least one more strong contract for the Bucs’ all-time leading receiver.
September 8: Mike Evans gave the Buccaneers a Saturday deadline to finalize an extension, but after a multiyear stretch without a known offer coming the Pro Bowl wide receiver’s way, it never looked like the team would meet that deadline. It does not appear the Bucs will.
The team does not have plans to extend Evans at this time, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets. This could bring a quicker-than-expected end to Evans’ tenure with the franchise. While Evans has expressed hope of staying in Tampa throughout his career, the Bucs’ all-time leading receiver certainly could become a trade candidate. It would be unlikely the team would cuff him with the franchise tag ahead of his age-31 season.
[RELATED: Evans Addresses Buccaneers Future]
Although Russini notes the Bucs still value Evans — their all-time receiving leader by a wide margin — the team would have until October 31 to unload him in a trade. The Bucs will use Evans to see if Baker Mayfield can bounce back from two forgettable seasons, but his name seems all but certain to come up in trade rumors. Evans is going into his age-30 season and holds a record no one else has approached. Evans’ nine 1,000-yard seasons are two more than any other pass catcher has ripped off to start a career. Evans’ consistency aside, it does not look like he will collect a third contract from the Bucs.
Tampa Bay extended Evans on a five-year, $82.5MM deal in 2018; the receiver market has changed substantially since that point. Evans’ AAV came in behind only Antonio Brown‘s second Steelers extension at the time of signing; it has dropped to 17th. Far less accomplished receivers have passed Evans, including his own teammate. The Bucs extended Chris Godwin on a three-year, $60MM deal in 2022, doing so after applying a second franchise tag. At 27, Godwin is three years younger than Evans. While Godwin’s long-term place with the post-Tom Brady Bucs is uncertain as well, he is a much better bet to be back in 2024 compared to Evans.
Prior to landing Evans with the No. 7 overall pick, the Bucs had not had much luck finding a long-term wide receiver staple. Veterans like Vincent Jackson, Keenan McCardell and Joey Galloway helped the cause during stretches earlier this century, but Evans checked in as a reliable outside target from the jump. Brady and Jameis Winston utilized Evans as a go-to target, and the Texas A&M alum will enter this season with 10,425 receiving yards. No one else has topped 6,000 as a Buccaneer.
Evans stands to be a big name in free agency, potentially on his way to the market after this year featured a modest class. A team that trades for Evans would have exclusive negotiating rights until next year’s legal tampering period. Despite GM Jason Licht saying he wanted Evans around long term earlier this summer, the Bucs’ exclusive negotiating rights have not produced an agreement. The Bucs also lost Russell Gage, moving sixth-round rookie Trey Palmer into a more prominent spot. UDFAs Rakim Jarrett and Deven Thompkins are the only other wideouts on Tampa Bay’s roster.
The Jets could make sense as an Evans suitor, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes. New York losing Corey Davis to a mid-training camp retirement and having some questions behind WR1 Garrett Wilson could make them an interested party. Other teams will surely call the Bucs as well in what could be one of the more interesting receiver trade markets in recent memory.
He shares a border with the Dutch.
Bucs should have traded for Jonathon Taylor MVP and helped out both Evans and Mayfield
After Thursday nights butterfinger fest I think chiefs are prime candidates to sign him to a one or two year deal. Also I’d put my money on Steelers, Bears, Commanders and Cowboys to sign him too
I would like the Bears to acquire him for anything reasonable except future firsts
There’s no point acquiring expensive offensive weapons if you can’t get them on the field. Fixing that 29th ranked defense has to be the top priority.
Like I said a bunch of times should’ve used him as a trade chip for Jonathan Taylor.
Mike Evans and a 4th rounder for JT.
For the Buccs you can’t trust Baker to win you enough games through the season even with two good WRers. They needed to steer away from running the offence through the passing game and get a ball carrier that can provide 1500 yards a season. Enter Jonathan Taylor who requested a trade and was granted the right to find something by his team.
The colts have a rookie QB that is a good ball carrier and lack hood WR options and if they were to add someone experienced like Mike Evans then he’d really help them in the passing game. Richardson Evans and Pitman.
Buccs would have a work horse RB to do the bulk of the work and when needed Baker still has Godwin as his WR1 and could make things happen. Similar to the Titans with Derrick Henry doing most the work and then Ryan Tannehill having a WR or two to throw to occasionally.
JT would demand a near top of the market RB deal but even that at say 15mil is going to be cheaper than a Mike Evans extension which would likely be around 20mil. Not to mention Evans is 30 and JT is like 25….
Buccs would be better for it and Colts would be better for it
A 4th and a 30 year old WR on an expiring contract for one of the top 3 RBs in the game in his prime? What kind of glue are you sniffing? It’s certainly not children’s craft glue. You got yourself some high grade top of the line industrial strength glue! Good for you bud…..keep on sniffing!
Good rb’s are much easier to find than good wr’s. I also think that’s a good trade for both teams. Evans probably has at least 2 good years left. The Colts can easily find a good rb in a year.
I feel like a lot of what you said makes sense, Russ. The logic is there for both sides. That said, I don’t think Indy would do it. That organization is such a mess that they won’t value Taylor enough to pay him, but they’ll want a king’s ransom in a trade for him.
The Lions and Bucs had agreed on a 3rd in 2024 and a 5th round pick in 2025 but Evans wanted a 4 year extension and Brad Holmes would only go 2 years. So it fell through. Evans is gonna want top dollar but being a 31 year old next off-season with a lot of miles is gonna work against him. Too bad though, he would’ve got nicely with this improving Lions squad!
The Lions could’ve easily gave him a 4 year deal but have half the contract guaranteed giving them an out after 2 years.. I’m a Lions fan and I ultimately believe that’s where he’ll end up either at the trade deadline or offseason. Almost everyone is saying the same thing if TB wants to move on.
Said it before – WR life in the nfl is tenuous after 28. Evans has put up good numbers but that’s likely to not happen this season with the teams offense in transition.
If the team gave a crap for the ‘man’ they’d trade him to a team that’d extend him yet like all greedy NFL organizations he’ll be kept in a dismal situation as he’s the lone bright spot!