Report: Mike Evans' agents inform Buccaneers they will end contract discussions by September 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is apparently done waiting on negotiations with his long-time franchise. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, his agents have reportedly put an ultimatum to the Bucs that contract discussions will end by Sept. 9, which is the day before the first big NFL Sunday of the season.
Evans is entering the final year of his deal and is set to make well below the market value for a receiver of his caliber at $13 million. For comparison, the wide receiver leading the league in average annual salary, Tyreek Hill, is making $30 million a year. The Bucs are even paying their younger receiver Chris Godwin several million more a year than Evans.
Evans’ agents also issued a lengthy statement.
“Despite our efforts over the past two years, and the professionalism of Bucs General Manager, Jason Licht, and Assistant General Manager, Mike Greenberg, we have not received an offer to stay in Tampa,” the statement reads. “This is disappointing to Mike as he sees other teams step up to keep key pieces and players that are important to their organizations. Many players with his status would have held out of camp to not risk injury, but Mike has continued practicing hard, as always, because he puts his team first. When you have a player that will be a Hall of Famer and still has four to six more years to make an impact in the league, you move Heaven and Earth to keep him on your team, and we would hope ownership feels the same way.
“We have been working on extending Mike’s career with the Bucs for over a year, and we want the fans to know this is not a tactic and the ball is in the owner’s court. That said, we are giving the Bucs until the start of the regular season to make him a Buc for Life, and if that cannot happen, 100 percent of Mike’s focus will be on football and his future and where he can continue to make an impact.”
With nine-straight 1,000-yard seasons, Evans is two seasons from tying Jerry Rice’s record for consecutive 1,000-yard seasons at 11. Last season, he posted 1,124 yards on 77 catches with six touchdowns.
Bucs GM: ‘Can’t see Mike playing anywhere else’
Mike Evans might already be solidified as the best receiver in the history of Tampa Bay’s franchise. That’s why, with the former Top-10 pick entering year ten with the team, GM Jason Licht wants to find a way to make him a Buccaneer for life.
Licht recently spoke about Evans’ overall career with Dan Pompei for an article at The Athletic. In doing so, he shared that he hopes to find a way to keep him in Tampa Bay for good so that he’ll only have ever played for the Bucs upon his eventual retirement.
“I can’t see Mike playing anywhere else,” said Licht. “I hope and think we can figure something out so he can retire a Buc. We want Mike to be here long term.”
For this season, Licht knows Tampa Bay needs Evans. The Bucs are starting Baker Mayfield over Kyle Trask, but either quarterback greatly benefits from the former Aggie being on the field.
“I expect him to get a lot of targets. His production could go up in terms of volume,” Licht said. “I can tell these quarterbacks both really like Mike a lot.”
On3’s Sam Gillenwater contributed to this report.