5 realistic landing spots for Mike Evans after his ‘probable’ exit from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

For the first time in 10 years, Mike Evans is thinking about exploring free agency. Evans has donned the bright red jersey of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his entire NFL career. While the Buccaneers are keeping in touch with the veteran wide receiver for an extension, they will not stop in his way of choosing a new destination.

During the NFL Combine on Tuesday, Bucs general manager Jason Licht revealed that he has massive respect and admiration for Evans. They are trying their best to strike a deal before the start of the next league year.

He's [Mike Evans] an unprecedented player. We want him to be a Buc for life. We're working towards that. Obviously, it takes two sides. I [Jason Licht] know he wants to be a Buc. We'll probably have to strain a little bit, but we're working towards that.

Licht told ESPN‘s Jenna Laine

5 potential landing spots for Mike Evans

Evans completed his 5-year, $82.5 million deal at the end of last season. He became the first player in league history to record 1,000 receiving yards per season in his first 10 years in the NFL. In 2023, with Baker Mayfield throwing to him, the 30-year-old registered 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns, which was tied for the most in the league.

With Mayfield seemingly set for a blockbuster $40 million extension, the Bucs would love to keep Evans in Florida. Last year, they finished 9-8 and reached postseason football, losing to the Detroit Lions in the NFC divisional round. However, if he does decide to leave, there won’t be a scarcity of potential suitors.

The 2024 free agency will open on March 13 at 4:00 EST. But there is a short period during which franchises can hold talks with potential players about a deal before officially going forward with negotiations. The ‘legal tampering period’ as it’s known, usually starts 48 years before the free agency slots open.

Per Spotrac, Evans could bag a massive deal after the recent salary cap increase. In current market value, the Super Bowl winner could get $95.3 million over four years with an average annual salary of $23.8 million. With that in mind, here are possible 5 landing spots that would suit Mike Evans’ skill set the best.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It’s a special feeling to play out an entire career with one franchise, becoming a legendary figure. There’s no doubt Mike Evans has already achieved that status, but staying with the Buccaneers would only increase the respect he has earned from the fans in his decade-long career.

As Licht mentioned, they would love to have Evans back at Raymond James Stadium, where he received five Pro Bowl nods and two second-team All-Pros. Evans is in his 30s, but unlike running backs, receivers have longer career spans. They need an experienced head in the locker room to keep the team’s morale high. If the Buccaneers lose both Mayfield and Evans in the same offseason, it will mean losing more than half of their last season’s output.

4. New York Jets

The optimism in the New York Jets is slowly coming back as little by little Aaron Rodgers returns to full fitness. Rodgers will be undeniably the starter for the Gang Green, with Zach Wilson rumored to be traded. 

Presently, the Jets have Garrett Wilson, who, on his day, could rival the best in the league. But he alone can’t be the answer, and no matter how accurate Rodgers is, he can’t find Wilson every single time. So adding Evans won’t be the worst move. Rather, it would benefit from having another Super Bowl winner on the team.

Owner Woody Johnson wants to end the Jets 13-year playoff drought. General manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh are entering their 6th and 4th years in the Big Apple, respectively. It’s a very long time for a franchise to employ individuals in two important positions without any positive results. So if both Saleh and Douglas’s primary goal is to take the Jets to the pinnacle of football, Evans might come in handy.

3. Dallas Cowboys

Hailing from Texas, Mike Evans grew up supporting the Dallas Cowboys. So it won’t be surprising to see a homecoming for the former Texas A&M player. The Cowboys once again faltered in the wild-card round last season. Dak Prescott dominated the NFC in the regular season, but his post-season woes came back to haunt him.

Prescott had the help of CeeDee Lamb, who became the Cowboys single-season receptions and receiving yards holder in 2023. But the Cowboys’ other receivers were inconsistent throughout the campaign. Whether Michael Gallup or Brandin Cooks, neither could come close to replicating Lamb’s numbers.

Gallup will leave in the offseason, leaving the door open for the Cowboys to nab one elite player, whether through a draft or free agency. Evans fits the bill, and knowing Jerry Jones, he would pounce on the chance to sign a Super Bowl winner.

2. Baltimore Ravens

If his time with the Buccaneers is truly up, then a move to the AFC’s best team in the regular season sounds good. The Baltimore Ravens have All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews and a standout rookie receiver in the shape of Zay Flowers. However, what they lack is a proven receiver like Mike Evans. 

Although the Ravens still have Odell Beckham Jr. on the team, constant injuries have taken a toll on the player. He showed flashes of brilliance in patches, but that’s about it. On the other hand, Evans doesn’t seem to miss a beat and remains injury-free.

The Ravens secured the #1 seed in the conference by a 13-4 season, with Lamar Jackson pulling the strings from behind center. Jackson had to rely a lot on his run game because there were not enough targets near the endzone. That problem will be solved if they acquire Evans. The only tricky part about the deal is that the Ravens themselves have several free agents to handle.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are the obvious destination post-Buccaneers for Evans. Despite dropping the league-high 44 catches in the regular season, the Chiefs still managed to win the Super Bowl. Every football analyst and fan knows that Clark Hunt is on the lookout for a quality receiver to help ease Patrick Mahomes’ workload.

They recently generated a good chunk of cap space after releasing Marquez Valdes-Scantling. With Rashee Rice‘s emergence last year, the Chiefs have one less headache to deal with. But asking a second-year receiver to be the de facto No. 1 in the franchise is a bit much. 

If the Chiefs go ahead and sign Mike Evans, then he will undisputedly be the No. 1 since Tyreek Hill left. Financially, they have $28 million in cap space, which could increase in the coming days.

In case you missed it:

• Steelers GM Omar Khan makes his intention clear about wanting Mason Rudolph next season amid Kenny Pickett saga
• Caleb Williams, who made $10 million through NIL deals in college, claims making money is not his motivation behind playing football