He was pretty irritated and upset down the stretch of the season with the losses and seemingly some of the decision-making (even caught on camera in one of those games heading back to the locker room mumbling under his breath about the down and distance). I think he finds the best place that could get him another ring and he jumps. He isn't getting another ring here before he hangs his cleats up - that much is a reality.
I do believe the agent who says that Evans has a strong desire to win and that's part of the motivation for him to look around. If he took a job elsewhere his family might move or not move. It's only a couple years. John Lynch moved his whole family to Denver and never looked back. I just don't think family will be the deciding factor.It was one of those conversations where people will hear what they want to hear.
We will all get to see soon enough. They've always worked it out min the past and the Evans family is pretty settled here.
Patrick Mahomes took a restructure to clear cap space. Guess why. That doesn't mean it's a done deal, but there will certainly be a good offer on the table. Where's Mike going to have a chance to win a Superbowl? That's going to be the deciding factor. It's about winning for him, even more than it is for other players. That's the biggest takeaway I had from the agent's interview. Signing with a team with a great QB who can compete for the Superbowl.
iirc the chiefs were something like 61 mil over the cap. His restructure freed up about 47.
they may even have to move on from Chris jones honestly. Tyreek an option as well.
despite mahomes they are also a team that is not a player away from a sb. Last year was brutal for them.
I think Evans is gone and I think he ends up in San Francisco
What we got going for us is that we certainly all still view Mike as the guy as does Licht and the Bucs
other teams may view him as guy who had injury riddled year entering age 33 season and when healthy was on pace for like 700 yard season
he will likely get most money with Tampa
Buccaneers WR1, Mike Evans.
SR's Fab 5 says the most likely reason Evans would leave is because he is not WR1 for the Bucs:
"But having that talented trio, plus Godwin, who turned 30 on February 27, for at least another season could actually work against the Bucs when it comes to trying to retain free agent Mike Evans.
At this stage of his career Evans wants targets – as many as he can get to help him climb the all-time receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns lists to bolster his case as a potential first-ballot Hall of Famer. There are a lot of mouths that Baker Mayfield must feed in the Bucs’ passing game and only one football to go around."
It’s one thing to back-burner Johnson given his seventh-round status. But with Godwin making $22 million this year, Egbuka and his first-round draft status and the sheer talent of McMillan, Evans won’t be the primary receiver in Tampa Bay with Mayfield primarily throwing to the guy who’s open.
and this little reminder about Coen's offense:
"Robinson’s offensive approach is going to be much more akin to that of Coen from the 2024 season. That would be great news for the offense in general, as Coen’s offense averaged nearly 30 points per game.
But remember the hot start that Chris Godwin Jr. got off to that season with 50 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns? That came at the expense of Evans, as Coen’s offense ran through the slot receiver position.
Evans had just 335 yards and six touchdowns on 26 catches before suffering a hamstring injury against Baltimore in Week 7"
and closes with this:
"As Pewter Report leaves the Combine on Saturday evening, I believe there is a less than 50% chance that Evans returns to Tampa Bay in free agency – let’s say 45%. I get the sense that the Bucs might also be feeling the same way right now."
(I think SR's read could be off because the Bucs are maybe the one team that would TRY to make him a #1 receiver, but I guess that also depends on what teams like the 49ers, Chargers and Patriots have going on)
and this:
"The Bucs might also be prepping for losing Mike Evans in free agency with the wide receivers they have interviewed at the Combine. On Friday, Tampa Bay had a formal interview with 6-foot-3, 195-pound Georgia State receiver Ted Hurst, who had a great showing at the Senior Bowl. Hurst, a projected Day 3 receiver, is a big X (split end) receiver, which is the position Evans has primarily played for the past 12 years
The Bucs also had informal interviews at the Combine with other X receivers, such as BYU’s 6-foot-4, 210-pound receiver Chase Roberts, Texas Tech’s 6-foot-3, 190-pound Reggie Virgil, Indiana’s 6-foot-2, 213-pound Elijah Sarratt and Ole Miss’ 6-foot-2, 210-pound De’Zhaun Stribling."
if mike decides to go elsewhere, then for me it means only one thing … someting‘s rotten in the bay
Well, it would be a sad day for the Bucs if he leaves, but if he went for the reasons SR claims he might, I'd get it. It would be less about the Bucs and more about him trying to achieve something special for himself and he deserves to be able to do that. The guy is throughout his entire BUC career a true TEAM player, so if he thinks he can go to another team and get more targets then he deserves that chance. Zero fault to him or the Bucs if that is the reason.
Bucs would have some serious cap space to land two quality defensive starters via FA in the event Evans leaves along with Dean, Otton and LVD retires.
This is why the idea the Bucs don't have cap space isn't logical. You can't keep them all and after last season's collapse why would you try to keep them all? Furthermore, why would Evans want to come back to a team that constantly has mid season slumps?
They restructured Mahomes contract, which reduces the cap hit this year but pushes it into future years. So the Chefs are planning on doing something. If they were going to bite the bullet and try to deal with cap problems they wouldn't have done this restructure. They have Mahomes and when you have one of the best QBs of all time you have to try to take advantage of it while you can. So whatever you and I believe is irrelevant. The Chefs believe, and all they have to do is convince Mike Evans.I do believe the agent who says that Evans has a strong desire to win and that's part of the motivation for him to look around. If he took a job elsewhere his family might move or not move. It's only a couple years. John Lynch moved his whole family to Denver and never looked back. I just don't think family will be the deciding factor.It was one of those conversations where people will hear what they want to hear.
We will all get to see soon enough. They've always worked it out min the past and the Evans family is pretty settled here.
Patrick Mahomes took a restructure to clear cap space. Guess why. That doesn't mean it's a done deal, but there will certainly be a good offer on the table. Where's Mike going to have a chance to win a Superbowl? That's going to be the deciding factor. It's about winning for him, even more than it is for other players. That's the biggest takeaway I had from the agent's interview. Signing with a team with a great QB who can compete for the Superbowl.
iirc the chiefs were something like 61 mil over the cap. His restructure freed up about 47.
they may even have to move on from Chris jones honestly. Tyreek an option as well.
despite mahomes they are also a team that is not a player away from a sb. Last year was brutal for them.
