Mike Evans has been Mr. Consistent for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ever since he arrived in the NFL a decade ago. But his days with the Buccaneers appear to be counted, with the NFL free agency coming right up in March. But there is still a chance for the Buccaneers and Evans to work out a new contract that would keep the future Hall of Famer in the team’s fold.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers And Mike Evans Continue To Have Mutural Desire
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers know they will have to dig deep into their pocket to satisfy Evans and convince him to stay, with general manager Jason Licht painting an honest picture of where Tampa Bay and Evans stand at the moment.
Via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times:
#Bucs GM Jason Licht said the team will probably have to “strain,” a little, but called Mike Evans “an unprecedented player” and wants to make him a Buc for life. “That was obviously out there and Mike decided to focus on the year and man, did he focus on the year.
He had a helluva a year. And I’m happy for him. He bet on himself, you. He an unprecedented player that we want him to be a Bucs for life. We’re working towards that. It takes two sides. I know he wants to be a Buc, but to get the deal done, we’ll probably have to strain a little bit but we’re working towards that right now. But a good deal always takes some time for both sides.”
According to Spotrac, Evans has a current market value of over $95 million over the course of four years.
Evans has grounds to ask for a big extension from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, considering the fact that he has recorded no fewer than 1,000 receiving yards in any of his seasons so far as a pro. In 2023, he recorded 1,255 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on 79 receptions and 136 targets.