The Evans Watch has ramped up to full speed. Now that the coaching situation has been solidified, that's the next item on the agenda of the fans and probably the team.
I criticized the resigning of Godwin and called for trading Baker. Both are because of the injury factor. I won't go that far for Evans. He's the heart and soul of the Bucs. But in the unlikely but not impossible event that he goes to another team it wouldn't be the end of the world. There will be a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth around here, but it won't be that bad. It might be a blessing.
Evans really took a beating last year. His desire is as strong as ever, but his body has a lot of miles on it. I want Evans to retire as a Buc, but I hope he doesn't keep playing longer than he should like Julio Jones. Wide receivers start to decline at 30 and Evans will be 33 in August. If Evans wants to give it one more year to try to go out on a good note that's fine, but it doesn't always work out that way.
Do we really think his body will hold up under the rigors of another 17 game season? Or will he be the next Julio Jones?
I think he comes back and has a solid year. Maybe misses some time with a hamstring, but still performs as a key part of the offense.
Since you mentioned them, Godwin and Mayfield should have a strong 2026.
Ride off into the sunset, Mike.
Team isn’t a contender and you have nothing left to prove.
Future HoF’er. TRUE WR1.
I think he can get one more ring here, i feel it...
I think he can get one more ring here, i feel it...
He's got one more season in him (maybe two).
He if wants to get one more ring, he'll need to do it elsewhere.
I'm not going to disagree with you. What will the Bucs do to respond to the collapse of 2025? Lets look at the Eagles of 2023 info from AI:Ride off into the sunset, Mike.
Team isn’t a contender and you have nothing left to prove.
Future HoF’er. TRUE WR1.
Following their 2023 collapse, where they lost five of their final six regular-season games, the Philadelphia Eagles successfully turned their team around by overhauling their coaching staff, signing superstar running back Saquon Barkley, and retooling their defense with young talent. These moves culminated in the Eagles winning Super Bowl LIX in February 2025.
Coaching Staff Overhaul
The Eagles replaced both coordinators following the 2023 season to provide more experienced leadership under head coach Nick Sirianni:
Offensive Coordinator: Kellen Moore was hired to replace Brian Johnson. He modernized the offense by significantly increasing the use of pre-snap motion (from a league-low 35% in 2023 to over 65% in 2024) and emphasizing a faster tempo.
Defensive Coordinator: Vic Fangio replaced Sean Desai and Matt Patricia. Fangio transformed the unit into the NFL’s top-ranked defense in 2024, utilizing a system that minimized big plays and prioritized takeaways.
CEO Role: Nick Sirianni transitioned to a "CEO-style" head coach role, stepping back from play-calling to focus on overall team culture and game management.
The offseason is early, but what have the Bucs done? They did hire a new OC - on the level of Moore and Fangio? We have yet to see what players will be brought in. Maxx Crosby would be big. Bowles declined to transition to a CEO-style coach. It's still early, and the Bucs have been known to make some very interesting offseason moves from time to time. We'll see. But as of right now what reason do we have to believe the Bucs will transform into a contending team next year? None. Evans has no reason to believe that either.
But as of right now what reason do we have to believe the Bucs will transform into a contending team next year? None. Evans has no reason to believe that either.
Agreed and your comparison really falls apart immediately because you chose the Eagles as an example.
The Bucs have spent that past few years in a self-chosen, fiscally-discipline path to clear dead money. T
he Eagles went the OPPOSITE direction by taking on $400 million in void year contracts. So aggressive was their plan that it led to questions around the league of whether the Eagles were violating the INTENT of the salary cap:
"NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said owners had a lengthy discussion at the league meetings about the salary cap system — how well it’s working, whether teams are operating within its intended spirit, and what changes might be needed in the next round of collective bargaining with the players’ union.
In short: Owners are already looking ahead to potential changes to keep the system fair, competitive, and free of loopholes."
You could argue that one reason the Bucs kept Bowles is precisely because they are the opposite of the Eagles and do not believe (for all the hype with fans) that they are some team on the verge of winning it all and even less so a team at the top trying to stay on top (the Eagles self-described motivation).
No comparison is perfect, But early last season the Bucs believed, and the fans believed as well, that we were a contending team. Not just another season of slowly building through the draft. And anyway that "slowly building" plan got blown out of the water last year with the losing streak. So what do we do now? Just go back to slowly building through the draft again? OK fine, but in that case don't try to convince Mike Evans we're a contending team.But as of right now what reason do we have to believe the Bucs will transform into a contending team next year? None. Evans has no reason to believe that either.
Agreed and your comparison really falls apart immediately because you chose the Eagles as an example.
The Bucs have spent that past few years in a self-chosen, fiscally-discipline path to clear dead money. T
he Eagles went the OPPOSITE direction by taking on $400 million in void year contracts. So aggressive was their plan that it led to questions around the league of whether the Eagles were violating the INTENT of the salary cap:
"NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said owners had a lengthy discussion at the league meetings about the salary cap system — how well it’s working, whether teams are operating within its intended spirit, and what changes might be needed in the next round of collective bargaining with the players’ union.
In short: Owners are already looking ahead to potential changes to keep the system fair, competitive, and free of loopholes."
You could argue that one reason the Bucs kept Bowles is precisely because they are the opposite of the Eagles and do not believe (for all the hype with fans) that they are some team on the verge of winning it all and even less so a team at the top trying to stay on top (the Eagles self-described motivation).
But early last season the Bucs believed, and the fans believed as well, that we were a contending team.
Fans for sure and Bucs certainly sold it, but ask yourself if a team that TRULY thought it was a Super Bowl contender would go with a try out 5th round pick at LB and a 1 or 2 sack reclamation of Reddick and a "never called plays before" OC? They probably dont even go with LVD as the centerpiece of the defense
I just think the hype is/was NOT reality, especially when you had 2023 and 2024 to see the defense in action. For example, in 2024 there was substandard play in the DBs and in the LBs. We fixed ONE . . the DBs . . through the draft. Nothing at LB. There was also substandard pass rush. We added a one year prove it guy who had 1 or 2 sacks the season prior.
Just go back to slowly building through the draft again? OK fine, but in that case don't try to convince Mike Evans we're a contending team.
This is one reason I wondered if he might retire. In fact, if the 2025 season doesn't play out as it did for him (not the team) he's almost certainly retiring.
He's coming back in 2026 (if he does) because he doesn't want it to end as it did for him. He put in all that work for nothing. No one wnats to go out like that. So IF he came back in 2026 he'd be hoping to make it to the playoffs and then whatever happens from there. Thats not that far fetched. Thinking a team that didn't make the playoffs in the NFCS is suddenly a SB contender NOW? Nope. They may turn out to be, but that is not the thought you would have now.
What will the Bucs do to respond to the collapse of 2025?
The Glazers decided to keep the biggest losing aspect of the team in Bowles.
Perfectly content on trying to back-door into the playoffs via one of the weakest divisions in the NFL over the past 4 years.
ZERO intent on being a legitimate contender.
Does Evans want to spend perhaps his last good year hanging with his guys here in Tampa Bay fighting for a division championship or go somewhere where he can have a legitimate chance at another Superbowl ring? Of course only he knows the answer to that. There could always be a flurry of moves by the Bucs this offseason to change everything, but Evans can only look at what we have done so far when he makes his decision. And no midround draft pick is going to change anything much. And as you said the Reddick signing was not a game changer. It was just hoping to find a diamond in the rough. And that kind of hopeful move isn't going to fool anybody this time, not Mike or anybody else.But early last season the Bucs believed, and the fans believed as well, that we were a contending team.
Fans for sure and Bucs certainly sold it, but ask yourself if a team that TRULY thought it was a Super Bowl contender would go with a try out 5th round pick at LB and a 1 or 2 sack reclamation of Reddick and a "never called plays before" OC? They probably dont even go with LVD as the centerpiece of the defense
I just think the hype is/was NOT reality, especially when you had 2023 and 2024 to see the defense in action. For example, in 2024 there was substandard play in the DBs and in the LBs. We fixed ONE . . the DBs . . through the draft. Nothing at LB. There was also substandard pass rush. We added a one year prove it guy who had 1 or 2 sacks the season prior.
Just go back to slowly building through the draft again? OK fine, but in that case don't try to convince Mike Evans we're a contending team.
This is one reason I wondered if he might retire. In fact, if the 2025 season doesn't play out as it did for him (not the team) he's almost certainly retiring.
He's coming back in 2026 (if he does) because he doesn't want it to end as it did for him. He put in all that work for nothing. No one wnats to go out like that. So IF he came back in 2026 he'd be hoping to make it to the playoffs and then whatever happens from there. Thats not that far fetched. Thinking a team that didn't make the playoffs in the NFCS is suddenly a SB contender NOW? Nope. They may turn out to be, but that is not the thought you would have now.
I think he can get one more ring here, i feel it...
if that isn't the most homer take lol
i honestly dont think Mike cares about another ring. Sure he wants to win, but if he plays, it will be to pad stats in his Hall of Fame career
the hope is he does it here so he doesn't blemish his resume
wonder given the crowded WR room and inept front office/management if we even want him back
boy would that be the icing on the cake for me with this regime.
I think he can get one more ring here, i feel it...
if that isn't the most homer take lol
i honestly dont think Mike cares about another ring. Sure he wants to win, but if he plays, it will be to pad stats in his Hall of Fame career
the hope is he does it here so he doesn't blemish his resume
wonder given the crowded WR room and inept front office/management if we even want him back
boy would that be the icing on the cake for me with this regime.
this ^^ is like covering all the bases on bad.
most would say he would only come back if he thought the Bucs had a chance, so out comes the it would only be about padding stats . . not winning because . . . well, Bowles
and the FO might not even want him .. . because Light doesnt know HOFers . . or WRs . .. he just got lucky drafting him . . and Godwin
wow Badabing, 2025 just ended it for you as a fan? lmao
Sounds like both Evans and David were gone if Bowles was gone.