Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is prepared to play out the final year of his contract if the franchise doesn’t sign him to a contract extension by Saturday. If a deal isn’t reached by that point, NFL trade rumors involving Evans could ramp up.
Evans, age 30, is poised to become a free agent in 2024 after completing the final season of a five-year, $82.5 million contract extension he previously signed with the Buccaneers. Having spent his entire career in Tampa Bay, the former first-round pick wants to finish his career where it began.
- Mike Evans contract: $23.698 million cap hit in 2023, 2024 free agent
Related: Unique NFL rule could incentive Mike Evans trade
However, the Buccaneers are a team in transition. Projected to finish near the bottom of the NFL standings, Tampa Bay is closer to rebuilding than it is to contention. It’s fueled speculation that the All-Pro wideout could be a viable trade candidate, with the Buccaneers obtaining much-needed draft picks and a Super Bowl contender adding a No. 1 receiver. However, that might not even be under consideration.
ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler wrote on Thursday that the Buccaneers are opposed to trading Evans, even after the Pro Bowl wideout said he’d break off contract talks beginning on Sunday. However, Fowler left the door open to a trade later this year.
“The Bucs do not want to trade Mike Evans. His agent, Deryk Gilmore, set a Saturday deadline for extending his contract, but Evans, a 2024 free agent, would have strong value on the trade market around the deadline, according to multiple execs I asked. He just turned 30 but is still considered elite. He’s a name to watch if Saturday comes and goes without a deal. Both sides want to see Evans retire a Buccaneer, but this is a team in transition, and Tampa Bay has young core players to sign, including safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and left tackle Tristan Wirfs.”
Jeremy Fowler on the likelihood of Tampa Bay Buccaneers making a Mike Evans trade
For the time being, trading Evans doesn’t make sense to the Buccaneers’ front office. Both sides want to come to terms on a long-term deal, especially since Evans isn’t insisting on being one of the highest-paid NFL players. However, things could change dramatically in a matter of weeks.
- Mike Evans stats (2022): 77 receptions, 1,124 receiving yards, 14.6 yards per catch
If Evans isn’t signed to an extension before Sunday, September 10, he will end all contract talks with Tampa Bay. A slow start for the Buccaneers could then prompt the organization to consider trading Evans, while giving him some input in the decision.
There would be even more incentive to trade Evans. NFL rules regarding draft-pick compensation for veteran players who sign with another team works against the Buccaneers’ favor. As a result, it’s extremely likely Tampa Bay could get more by trading him than they would through compensatory picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Ultimately, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Buccaneers’ front office changed its mindset with Evans and began floating him around the league in October. Still viewed as a viable No. 1 receiver, there would be significant interest around the league in Evans.