Both Wirfs and Baker make the top 100
Pete Prisco's Top 100 NFL Players of 2026: Myles Garrett tops rankings - CBS Sports
Wirfs at 22. Ranked #2 OT behind Detroits Penei Sewell
Baker at 80. Ranked #16 QB behind Stafford, Allen, Burrow, Mahomes, Jackson, Prescott, Love, Goff, Maye, Herbert, Lawrence, Daniels, Williams, Darnold, and Purdy.
no other Bucs or former Bucs on the list.
Would you change anything about the list?
Prisco is about as much a Bucs supporter as there is in media.
Wirfs at 22. Ranked #2 OT behind Detroits Penei Sewell
While Sewell is super solid, he's inferior to Wirfs.
Interesting stuff. a little palace intrigue hidden within:
This year Prisco brings Drake London on to the list and drops Mike Evans (82 in 2025). London was identified as a snub when he wasn't on the list in 2025. He is the 2nd to last WR on the list this year with this comment:
"Injuries limited him to 12 games last season, but he still caught 68 passes and seven touchdowns after posting 100 catches and nine touchdowns the year before. That's why he was rewarded with a new long-term deal. "
He got a $35 AAV deal.
Prisco said this when Evans went to the 49ers (March 9, 2026):
Speaking on CBS Sports HQ, longtime NFL insider Pete Prisco and analyst Logan Ryan (former Mike Evans teammate) both said they don't believe Evans received an offer from the Bucs that matched the 49ers'. Prisco was adamant that he doesn't believe anything Evans' agent said today in a statement.
The theme of the Evans' agent statement was that it was NOT about $ and that Evans wanted a new challenge etc.
Baker at 80. Ranked #16 QB behind Stafford, Allen, Burrow, Mahomes, Jackson, Prescott, Love, Goff, Maye, Herbert, Lawrence, Daniels, Williams, Darnold, and Purdy.
Mayfield is markedly better than Love, Goff, Maye, Herbert, Lawrence, Williams, Darnold, and Purdy. Prisco must not understand the tape he's evaluating to make these rankings. Also, when is Herbert going to live up to the hype? Darnold getting a nod because of the super bowl dub, he's in the good range but he's not as good as Mayfield. Daniels should be ranked higher. He's a menace.
both said they don't believe Evans received an offer from the Bucs that matched the 49ers'.
This is 100% accurate. There was some face saving that was part of the post San Fran signing but Tampa wasn't interested in reupping with Mike and both teams will be better for it.
Baker at 80. Ranked #16 QB behind Stafford, Allen, Burrow, Mahomes, Jackson, Prescott, Love, Goff, Maye, Herbert, Lawrence, Daniels, Williams, Darnold, and Purdy.
Mayfield is markedly better than Love, Goff, Maye, Herbert, Lawrence, Williams, Darnold, and Purdy. Prisco must not understand the tape he's evaluating to make these rankings. Also, when is Herbert going to live up to the hype? Darnold getting a nod because of the super bowl dub, he's in the good range but he's not as good as Mayfield. Daniels should be ranked higher. He's a menace.
i ask you to google Jared Goff numbers and ask yourself….would you prefer those numbers from baker?
I would suggest there is recency bias with Darnold, Maye and Lawrence
love is overrated
to say Baker is markedly better. Based off what? I could say he’s in their tier for sure but to place him ahead of some of the guys ahead of him.
id argue baker should be ranked higher than Daniels and Darnold but given recency bias, hard to suggest others unless you have something to back that up?
both said they don't believe Evans received an offer from the Bucs that matched the 49ers'.
This is 100% accurate. There was some face saving that was part of the post San Fran signing but Tampa wasn't interested in reupping with Mike and both teams will be better for it.
If true, what I don’t get is what does Evans have to gain by being perceived the bad guy by the Tampa fan base. It could have been “it’s a business” and “I would have loved to stay in Tampa” as opposed to “time to move on, ready for a new challenge”
Makes me think he decided to move on from Tampa than this suggestion that Bucs didn’t want him back because they have a bunch of injury prone WRs 🤷♂️
both said they don't believe Evans received an offer from the Bucs that matched the 49ers'.
This is 100% accurate. There was some face saving that was part of the post San Fran signing but Tampa wasn't interested in reupping with Mike and both teams will be better for it.
If true
It's not true. What Prisco and Co. "reported" on March 9th was blown up by Licht on March 18th when he admitted the Bucs first offer was "significantly" more money than Evans signed for in SF:
Bucs general manager Jason Licht said of the team trying to keep Mike Evans: “We made a significantly higher offer [than the 49ers] and that was just the first offer." He added, "I feel like we did everything we could."
3rd & 28. But the usual leghumpers love a false narrative.
It's not true. What Prisco and Co. "reported" on March 9th was blown up by Licht on March 18th when he admitted the Bucs first offer was "significantly" more money than Evans signed for in SF:
This is all press PR stuff. We were never re-signing Evans. Too many young mouths to feed. There was a lot of info inside one Buc to support Evans was never truly offered by the Bucs. Here’s the good news. It’s not your fault…
It's not true. What Prisco and Co. "reported" on March 9th was blown up by Licht on March 18th when he admitted the Bucs first offer was "significantly" more money than Evans signed for in SF:
This is all press PR stuff. We were never re-signing Evans. Too many young mouths to feed. There was a lot of info inside one Buc to support Evans was never truly offered by the Bucs. Here’s the good news. It’s not your fault…
Its interesting. We spent a 1st round pick on WR and a 3rd in the prior 2 years (2024, 2025) so it did raise my eye brows as soon as Egbuka was drafted that Evans was likely gone. Only other thought was that maybe Godwin was a goner.
but.....why does everyone but you think it was Evans decision to leave and that the Bucs tried to keep him.
Evans was rather cold when leaving and jumped on the first day to 49ers. It did seem more like his choice
i also feel Licht loved Evans and is more a fan at times than a GM. I like to think Bucs offered Evans a contract.
I also think Mike Evans was given the opportunity to sign, but there could be something to how the offer was structured. As you said, there was a connection between Licht & Evans, so if he said the offer was significantly better than what Evans signed in San Fran, I tend to believe it. Maybe the offer wasn’t what Mike thought he should get, but it wouldn’t have had to be a record setter to beat what San Fran actually spent to sign him…and then to lose 8 to 10% more in state taxes…whoa.It's not true. What Prisco and Co. "reported" on March 9th was blown up by Licht on March 18th when he admitted the Bucs first offer was "significantly" more money than Evans signed for in SF:
This is all press PR stuff. We were never re-signing Evans. Too many young mouths to feed. There was a lot of info inside one Buc to support Evans was never truly offered by the Bucs. Here’s the good news. It’s not your fault…
Its interesting. We spent a 1st round pick on WR and a 3rd in the prior 2 years (2024, 2025) so it did raise my eye brows as soon as Egbuka was drafted that Evans was likely gone. Only other thought was that maybe Godwin was a goner.
but.....why does everyone but you think it was Evans decision to leave and that the Bucs tried to keep him.
Evans was rather cold when leaving and jumped on the first day to 49ers. It did seem more like his choice
i also feel Licht loved Evans and is more a fan at times than a GM. I like to think Bucs offered Evans a contract.
Somewhere in between is likely the truth, but I think Licht told the truth.
I also think Mike Evans was given the opportunity to sign, but there could be something to how the offer was structured. As you said, there was a connection between Licht & Evans, so if he said the offer was significantly better than what Evans signed in San Fran, I tend to believe it. Maybe the offer wasn’t what Mike thought he should get, but it wouldn’t have had to be a record setter to beat what San Fran actually spent to sign him…and then to lose 8 to 10% more in state taxes…whoa.It's not true. What Prisco and Co. "reported" on March 9th was blown up by Licht on March 18th when he admitted the Bucs first offer was "significantly" more money than Evans signed for in SF:
This is all press PR stuff. We were never re-signing Evans. Too many young mouths to feed. There was a lot of info inside one Buc to support Evans was never truly offered by the Bucs. Here’s the good news. It’s not your fault…
Its interesting. We spent a 1st round pick on WR and a 3rd in the prior 2 years (2024, 2025) so it did raise my eye brows as soon as Egbuka was drafted that Evans was likely gone. Only other thought was that maybe Godwin was a goner.
but.....why does everyone but you think it was Evans decision to leave and that the Bucs tried to keep him.
Evans was rather cold when leaving and jumped on the first day to 49ers. It did seem more like his choice
i also feel Licht loved Evans and is more a fan at times than a GM. I like to think Bucs offered Evans a contract.
Somewhere in between is likely the truth, but I think Licht told the truth.
Mike Evans is one of the brightest players we have ever had in Tampa. I am sure that intelligence transfers to business sense. He was Licht's first pick, so naturally he wanted to keep him but the people behind the scenes pointed to let's say, JSN in Seattle flourishing once Metcalf moved on. There are similarities to McMillan and Egbuka from a chance to break out perspective. We have an embarrassment of riches in the WR room (top 5 WR room in the league) it was time to move on.
Both parties handled it with class.
Mike Evans was all class on and off the field!!
I also think Mike Evans was given the opportunity to sign, but there could be something to how the offer was structured. As you said, there was a connection between Licht & Evans, so if he said the offer was significantly better than what Evans signed in San Fran, I tend to believe it. Maybe the offer wasn’t what Mike thought he should get, but it wouldn’t have had to be a record setter to beat what San Fran actually spent to sign him…and then to lose 8 to 10% more in state taxes…whoa.It's not true. What Prisco and Co. "reported" on March 9th was blown up by Licht on March 18th when he admitted the Bucs first offer was "significantly" more money than Evans signed for in SF:
This is all press PR stuff. We were never re-signing Evans. Too many young mouths to feed. There was a lot of info inside one Buc to support Evans was never truly offered by the Bucs. Here’s the good news. It’s not your fault…
Its interesting. We spent a 1st round pick on WR and a 3rd in the prior 2 years (2024, 2025) so it did raise my eye brows as soon as Egbuka was drafted that Evans was likely gone. Only other thought was that maybe Godwin was a goner.
but.....why does everyone but you think it was Evans decision to leave and that the Bucs tried to keep him.
Evans was rather cold when leaving and jumped on the first day to 49ers. It did seem more like his choice
i also feel Licht loved Evans and is more a fan at times than a GM. I like to think Bucs offered Evans a contract.
Somewhere in between is likely the truth, but I think Licht told the truth.
yes I think its interesting only because of the "battle for hearts and minds" side and all carefully chosen words ie "significantly better." I also trust Licht. I think Prisco and Ryan were more focused on Evans camp suggesting that an anonymous team had offered $27m APY
