The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and star wide receiver Mike Evans seem to be at an impasse with a contract extension, and his days playing in the NFC South seem numbered at this point. This recent development does not surprise me one bit. Mike Evans has built himself a Hall of Fame career and surely does not want to waste the last few years he has left in Tampa Bay, where the Buccaneers appear to be heading towards a huge rebuild.
Evans, only 30 years old, has been in the NFL since 2014 and has played all nine years with the Bucs. He's also never had less than 1,000 yards in each season and is the epitome of consistency. During his nine-year career, Mike Evans has caught 683 passes for 10,425 yards and 81 touchdowns. He's made four Pro Bowls and has averaged 76.1 yards a game over his career.
He's won a Super Bowl in 2020 and has missed just nine games during his career. According to Rick Stroud, Evans looks to be in his last year in Tampa Bay:
"TAMPA — It appears Mike Evans will leave the Bucs much the same way he’s played for them: a bit undervalued but without much fuss.Rick Stroud
With talks about a contract extension at an impasse, the greatest offensive weapon in club history is playing what likely will be his final season in Tampa Bay.
Evans is in the last season of a five-year, $82 million deal he signed in 2018.
Having turned 30 only 10 days ago, Evans and his representatives have made no progress with the Bucs on a new contract.
Evans is believed to be seeking a deal similar to the three-year, $80.1 million contract signed by Rams receiver Cooper Kupp that included $75 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus."
This is interesting, and the best path forward for both parties should be a trade. Evans is 30 years old, so he isn't young anymore, and the Buccaneers are most definitely going to be picking high in the 2024 NFL Draft and are likely heading toward a full rebuild.
Mike Evans definitely has some value in a trade, and the Denver Broncos are a wide receiver-needy team. Do you see where I'm going with this? I'm not saying the Broncos should run toward this trade and do what it takes to get him, but the Broncos should at least monitor this situation. Denver's offense has typically featured two big-bodied targets on offense in Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick, but with Patrick out for the year yet again, the offense does have a need for another big target.
Sure, it could be someone like Greg Dulcich, but why not Mike Evans? I'm sure since Evans is in the last year of his current contract, the asking price won't be outrageously high. Perhaps a second or third round pick is what it would take to land the future HOF player.
Denver should keep tabs on this.