Mike Evans is a Corridor of Fame expertise. His 1,255 receiving yards final season makes him the one participant in NFL historical past to document 1,000 receiving yards in every of his first 10 NFL seasons. No matter whether or not the beginning quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is Tom Brady, Jameis Winston, Baker Mayfield, Ryan Fitzgerald, Josh McCown, or Mike Glennon, Evans places up numbers.
His constant manufacturing is why the Bucs not providing him a contract extension previous to the beginning of the 2023 season was puzzling. He turned 30 previous to Week 1, however had proven no indicators of slowing down the final time that he took the sphere. With the group’s future in flux after going all in for a number of years of Brady, the logical play can be to lock up the most effective offensive playmaker on the roster.
After 1,000-yard season No. 10, and a playoff victory, the Buccaneers got here to their senses and re-signed Evans. In accordance with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the two sides agreed on a two-year, $52 million deal, $35 million of which is assured. ESPN’s Bucs reporter Jenna Laine wrote in September that Evans was extra involved with the assured cash than the variety of years. He’s a person who’s clearly conversant in the best way that the NFL does enterprise.
He put up fairly the contract 12 months as Tampa took benefit of a weak NFC South and the floundering Philadelphia Eagles in a playoff victory. The season ended with a loss to the Detroit Lions within the divisional spherical, but, the Buccaneers had been aggressive all recreation. Evans had the most effective playoff efficiency of his profession with eight catches for 147 yards and a landing.
A choice nonetheless needs to be made on Mayfield, which ought to be a no brainer. The Buccaneers have almost $40 million in cap area. Mayfield simply performed the most effective season of his profession. Sure, if he returns to Tampa in 2024 he might be working with a brand new offensive coordinator for the fifth time in three years. That is a matter he should take care of no matter the place he performs. The franchise is attempting to make the offensive transition as seamless as potential by hiring Liam Coen, who runs an offensive just like earlier OC, Dave Caneles. A change in playcaller is all of the extra purpose to convey again Evans.
The thought that they wanted a full-scale rebuild was a logical one for the Bucs following the retirement of Brady. Quarterbacks are troublesome to search out outdoors of the early first spherical of the draft. But when the group did stink in 2023, what sense wouldn’t it have made to draft a rookie and let Evans stroll?
Skills like Evans are usually not straightforward to search out. Broad receiver play would possibly at present be the most effective within the historical past of the NFL, however nobody at present within the league has performed as nicely and constantly as Evans. He caught 68 passes for 1,051 yards and 12 touchdowns as a rookie with McCown and Glennon as his quarterbacks. Solely father time is stopping Evans, as a result of defensive backs have been attempting for 10 years and failed.
What NFL groups are all the time dreading is protecting a participant one 12 months too lengthy versus letting him go one 12 months too early. Nobody desires to should do what the Denver Broncos are about to do and get hit with a huge deadcap blow as a result of expertise didn’t produce.
In a tough wage cap sport, these issues are comprehensible. Evans, although, had not proven any indicators of his play diminishing. It was not his fault that Brady was eliminating the ball almost as quickly because it was snapped, and he nonetheless averaged a shade beneath 15 yards per reception.
The Buccaneers will seemingly by no means make use of one other vast receiver as proficient as Evans. He has mentioned that he desires to retire with the group. That ought to be the franchise’s plan for him so long as he’s maintaining this 1,000-yard tempo.
