Recent NFL free agency rumor on Mike Evans would leave many Bucs fans hopping mad if it came to pass
One plugged in NFL writer reveals rumor on stance by Bucs’ front office with Evans, and Tampa Bay fans would not be pleased.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plenty of decisions to consider and moves to make in free agency, which gets underway in less than a week.
However, two decisions that are primarily on the mind of many Bucs fans are what happens with franchise legends and likely future Hall of Famers Mike Evans and Lavonte David. For David, per himself a few weeks ago, it’s either retirement or a return to Tampa Bay for his fifteenth season.
Things are far more unknown with Evans, who will have a solid market in free agency entering season thirteen. Evans would like to win one more Super Bowl, and there are a handful of contending teams that would make sense for him.
If Evans leaves for another opportunity, I think fans would certainly understand. Evans will be in the Bucs Ring of Honor and Pro Football Hall of Fame one day and fans will cheer him on at every turn.
That all being said, NBC Sports NFL insider and writer Matthew Berry attended the NFL Combine last week in Indianapolis, and he put out the rumors that he heard on Tuesday morning, which includes the Bucs and Evans.
And according to Berry, the Bucs would be “okay letting him go elsewhere” due to re-signing Chris Godwin and with their young and talented wide receiver room.
NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry says the Bucs would be ‘okay’ letting Evans go in free agency
“Speaking of Mike Evans, I truly believe he’ll be in a new uniform next year,” Berry wrote. “The Buccaneers love him, but given the commitment they made to Chris Godwin last year and a deep young WR room, Tampa Bay is okay letting him go elsewhere. I heard Buffalo as a potential landing spot for Evans and possibly Philly if the Eagles decide to move A.J. Brown.”
Naturally, as Berry himself acknowledges, these are rumors, and a grain or two of salt should be on hand when considering them. But if there’s any significant level of truth to them, that would be a mistake by the Bucs’ front office.
Evans suffered a collarbone break that shelved him for the better part of two months last season, and the Bucs’ wide receiver group struggled to help pick up the slack in his absence.
Once-red-hot rookie Emeka Egbuka slammed into a proverbial wall around Week 10, Chris Godwin dealt with a nagging fibula injury all season, and Jalen McMillan missed most of the year with a neck injury. It’s tough to know if the Bucs can count on all three to stay healthy and produce at a high level. Evans also brings the jump ball/red zone threat that none of the others match.
Of course, money is always a significant factor, and if the Bucs make a fair and competitive offer, and Evans leaves, fans will likely be ok with that.
But if the Bucs are good with letting him walk for anything less than that, that would be a tough pill to swallow for the fan base as it relates to Jason Licht and the Bucs front office in 2026 and beyond.
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