Earlier this offseason, Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan took a shot at the Bucs after quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement. While he aimed at the organization as a whole, there is at least one player in Tampa Bay he respects enough to praise and defend.

That player is receiver Mike Evans.

Saints DE Cameron Jordan Defends Bucs WR Mike Evans

Earlier this week on Twitter, Cameron Jordan defended Mike Evans against the notion of him being overhyped as a player.

This is an instance of game respecting game.

Although they are bitter division rivals, even Jordan had to admit that Evans’ play has been more slept on than acknowledged across the league.

That is often the case for Bucs who carve out a long career on the team. Just ask Lavonte David, the criminally underrated inside linebacker who shockingly has only one Pro Bowl nod, way back in 2015.

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

For Mike Evans, he has received more recognition with four selections but still has not found himself in many conversations as one of the NFL’s best receivers throughout his career. Ahead of the 2023 season, PFF.com recently ranked the position, placing Evans at No. 11.

As Jordan stated in his tweet, “men lie women lie #’s don’t mike evans a 10k wr has produced 1k+ every season,” capped off with a sleeping emoji. 

Numbers surely do not lie, and it is hard to find someone who pads the stat sheet and aids an aerial attack as much as Evans does on Sundays.

Just turning 30 ahead of the season, Evans has been on a torrid pace in climbing up the receiving yards ladder. While he ranks 45th all-time now in that category, five more seasons of his usual 1,000-yard floor would put him fourth. It is not unrealistic to think he can get there.

With 81 touchdowns to his name, along with four 10+ receiving touchdown seasons, another big upcoming milestone for him will be No. 100.

Even in a new offensive scheme that may see him lined up in different positions out wide, there will be plenty of opportunities for him to continue making plays and producing for the Bucs this season and in the future.

Saints DE Cameron Jordan on Bucs WR Mike Evans: “He Goes Off 15/17 Games A Yr”

Although he is one for making controversial statements about various players across the league, including a quarterback that “may or may not be down in Tampa Bay,” Cameron Jordan doubled down on his praise of Mike Evans in a follow-up tweet.

Saints DE Cameron Jordan and ex-Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: USA Today

An educated guess on the two games Jordan is referring to Evans not going off is when the Bucs and Saints face each other.

The hope is that Evans can prove him wrong and instead put up big numbers.

Last season, it got chippy between the teams in Week 2 when Evans threw cornerback (and long-time rival) Marshon Lattimore to the ground into what turned into a scuffle and one-game suspension.

But for all of the “beef” that certain Bucs and Saints players have against each other, Cameron Jordan has nothing but respect for the game of Mike Evans and wanted to give him the flowers that he deserves.