Buccaneers Land Major New Mike Evans Update Before Free Agency

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and star wide receiver Mike Evans are facing an uncertain future ahead of NFL free agency.

Evans, who has been one of the faces of the franchise since being drafted with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, is set to become a free agent. There has been wide speculation that he could choose to leave the Buccaneers this offseason.

Plenty of teams around the league would love to have a chance to sign him. However, Tampa Bay is still working hard to bring him back.

That being said, a new update has been provided about Evans from ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler.

---

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Still Working to Bring Mike Evans Back

With free agency about to open, the Buccaneers are doing everything they can to keep the star wide receiver in town. Whether or not they will get something done remains to be seen.

“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain aggressive in attempting to re-sign Mike Evans,” Fowler wrote.

Fowler also named two teams to watch closely in free agency if Evans does reach the market. He also suggested that Tampa Bay is in a good position when it comes to potentially re-signing the star 32-year-old wideout.

“Buffalo would have been an ideal fit for Evans before the D.J. Moore trade occupied some of its available cash. The Commanders could emerge as a sleeper for Evans. Remember, he wants a quarterback and targets. Tampa remains in a good spot with Evans but is not a lock to sign him.”

It will be interesting to see what the coming days have in store for Evans. He has played 12 seasons with the Buccaneers, racking up 866 total receptions for 13,052 yards and 108 touchdowns.

---

What Kind of Market Value Does Mike Evans Have This Offseason?

Heading into free agency, assuming he gets there, Spotrac has projected that Evans will receive a new deal worth around $13.3 million per year. They have suggested a contract worth $26.6 million over the course of two years for his eventual suitor.

Looking at the teams Fowler mentioned outside of Tampa Bay, the Bills would offer Evans a chance to play with Josh Allen and be a clear-cut Super Bowl contender. They acquired D.J. Moore in a trade with the Chicago Bears, but are clearly looking to be aggressive and add another weapon for their superstar quarterback.

Joining the Commanders would come with much less of a Super Bowl chance. Washington isn’t far off from being a contender in the NFC, but there are many questions still surrounding the franchise.

Hopefully, the Buccaneers find a way to retain their longtime star wide receiver. Seeing Evans play anywhere else but Tampa Bay would just seem wrong.

Expect to hear more news about Evans in the near future. For now, the Buccaneers still are trying hard to work out a new deal to keep him in town.

Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey