Mike Evans’ contract details with 49ers are a bad look for Bucs and makes the decision to let him walk sting even more
Evans clearly thinks the 49ers are a better situation.
Mike Evans has agreed to terms with the San Francisco 49ers and will head to the western version of The Bay Area once free agency officially starts on Wednesday.
It’s a sad situation for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise, as it has to watch one of the best players of all-time go to a team the Bucs could face at some point down the road, especially in the playoffs.
But, when looking at the contract details, the decision to let Evans walk stings even more.
Evans’ new deal with the 49ers is rather affordable
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers plan to give Evans a three-year, $60.4 million deal, which comes out to a little more than $20 million per year. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported it’s a front-loaded deal a little later on The Insiders.
That’s less than Evans made with the Buccaneers in 2025. Let that sink in.
It’s honestly not the best look for the Bucs. As we’ve discussed, they could’ve easily constructed a contract that could make the cash and cap hits affordable in both the short- and long-term. Especially with this kind of deal.
But what really stings is the fact he took less to go to a contender also reflects the state of the Bucs, as a whole. Evans clearly thinks the 49ers are the better team and have a better shot of getting him a second ring, which was a big part of his wishlist.
Now, whether or not he views the Buccaneers as fringe playoff contenders, a losing team, or a bottom feeder is unknown, but it’s clear he views the 49ers as a better situation.
Either way, Evans deserves to make his own decisions and go to a team that’s better than the Buccaneers and provides him a clearer path to the Super Bowl. He’s done so much for both the Tampa Bay community and franchise, plus he stuck with the Bucs during some of their worst years – he’s paid his dues and now it’s time for him to move on and keep winning.
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