The seventh overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft has 866 receptions for 13,052 receiving yards and 108 touchdowns over his Buccaneers career. He is Tampa Bay’s all-time leader in each category by a wide margin.
In season no. Perhaps not coincidentally, the Bucs had their four-season winning streak in the NFC South coincided with five consecutive playoff berths.
In the spring of 2024, Evans appeared poised to hit real estate before signing a two-year deal. Including his rookie deal, this was his third contract with the Bucs. Tampa currently has $23.4 million in salary cap space, per Over the Cap, and has a relatively solid wide receiver room with Evans’ veteran and longtime teammate Chris Godwin, along with youngsters Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson.
If Evans were to move on, it would represent a big moment in Bucs team history.
Licht remains hopeful No. 13 will be a lifelong adventurer, even with a well-deserved look on the open market.
“We have a great relationship with his agent,” he said. “We’ve dealt with him a couple of times and it’s been awesome. It’s been great meetings, phone calls and a lot of talking. So, yeah, hopefully we will. We want Mike back. Mike has meant a lot to us. Ultimately, we want to have him retire as a Buc.”