Eleven straight 1,000-yard seasons, one Lombardi trophy, and countless memories have made wide receiver Mike Evans one of the most beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Could Mike Evans Leave the Buccaneers?
There is a chance that Evans could leave the team. As tough as that might be for Buccaneers fans to hear, there are some reasons that he could find a new home. “I hope I’m wrong, but I get the feeling that legendary Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans could be leaving in free agency,” Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report stated.
Even though it might seem weird to not see Evans play in the Bay Area, it does make sense. For starters, the Buccaneers are not in a good spot right now. The team last year had a great start and looked like they could make a deep playoff run, starting the season 6-2. However, after a strong start, the team went 2-7 to finish 8-9.
Another reason is that the Buccaneers did not perform well on the NFL Players Association Report Card. They had many low scores, including turf, locker rooms, and family treatment. So, the poor organizational grades could play a role in the legendary Bucs star wanting a new scenery.
However, this is not the first time that Bucs fans have feared Evans could leave, but it does seem more real. As Reynolds says, “But that he’s closer to leaving Tampa Bay this year than he was in 2024.”
However, Evans stated that the reason could have been “2024, the arrow was pointing up, especially with new offensive coordinator Liam Coen…(and brought his) successful Rams-based offense with him.”
For this off-season cycle, the Bucs hired Zac Robinson to be their new offensive coordinator. Under Robinson, the Falcons’ offense received a C from PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric, which isn’t super inspiring for a veteran receiver looking to add another ring to his resume.
The Buccaneers have a lot of talented receivers, including Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson, and Jalen McMillan. This sounds like a good thing, but it could actually be a reason Evans wants to leave. As Reynolds put it, “At this stage of his career, Evans wants…as many as he can get to help him climb the all-time receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns… to bolster his case as a..Hall of Famer.”
So, with the Buccaneers team that fell apart last year, grading out poorly, making a meh coaching hire, and having a lot of mouths to feed, it makes sense why Evans could depart from the Buccaneers.
Where Could Mike Evans Go Next?
“Possibly playing with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City” was the first idea that Reynolds mentioned. As great as Baker Mayfield is in the Buccaneers, Mahomes’ resume of two MVPs and three Super Bowl victories is outstanding.
Another team Reynolds mentioned is “playing for Houston, which is an hour away from Galveston, his hometown in Texas.” Evans played college at Texas A&M and seems to love the state. Additionally, the Texans have an amazing defense. Their defense ranked second in the Defense Impact score for PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric. Also, pairing Evans up with superstar Nico Collins could be a great duo.
A third option could be the Buffalo Bills. The Bills do have a need at receiver, and Evans could bring stability to that role. Evans’ great tough catching ability, paired with Bills Quarterback Josh Allen’s arm, could create something truly special.
Overall, while it would be odd to see Evans in a non-Bucs uniform, there are a lot of reasons that it could happen.
