Weak Free Agent Receiver Class Could Change Draft, Enhance Trade Market

January 27th, 2023

“Alex, I can’t wait to see my new bag.”

It’s hard to believe Mike Evans turns 30 in August. Where has the time gone?

Evans also is entering the final year of his contract. So one could say the Bucs are at a crossroads when it comes to Evans’ future.

A happily-ever-after Bucs ending for Evans would be sweet — another five years, a ring and a pending trip to Canton, for example. But the NFL rarely provides those storybook finishes to careers.

Joe brings up Evans because this year’s free agent crop of receivers is very weak, relatively speaking.

Here are the bigger names:

JuJu Smith-Schuster
DJ Chark
Allen Lazard
Jarvis Landry
Julio Jones
Nelson Agholor
Darius Slayton
Mack Hollins
Marvin Jones Jr.
A.J. Green
Sterling Shepard
Jakobi Meyers
Mecole Hardman
Michael Thomas
Parris Campbell

That’s not exactly a list of franchise-changing guys.

Joe wonders how the weakness of that group could enhance the trade value of Evans, if the Bucs are thinking of rebuilding for the long haul with a new quarterback and younger receivers in a new offensive system. No, Joe is not calling for an Evans trade, only wondering if Evans could fetch a late first-round draft pick.

Under a similar line of thinking, is there a team out there that would part with a third-round pick for Bucs receiver Russell Gage, who has two years remaining on his contract?

Joe has yet to study this year’s crop of receivers in the draft, but there are always projected gems and Joe is wondering how early they might be targeted/selected given the middling group of 2023 free agents. Maybe that opens doors for the Bucs to trade down successfully.

Lotta decisions forthcoming at One Buc Palace.

93 Responses to “Weak Free Agent Receiver Class Could Change Draft, Enhance Trade Market”

  1. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    We might get a mid 9th round pick for Huggable, Muggable, Scotty Miller.

  2. Goatfarmer Says:

    Evans is not being traded. and, no, he won’t fetch a first rounder from anyone at his age.

    Now, after the 2023 season, what kind of contract will he want becomes a question and much depends on the coaches and QB that will be in place for 2024.

    Bloweszo may be unconsciously suicidal about his pro coaching career but won’t overtly put the gun to his head and pull the trigger. That’s what trading Mike would be.

    Quite simply, he and Godwin are the offense right now. With the two of them there is hope.

  3. ocala Says:

    Mike is one of the three best offensive players in Buc history, but if the Bucs don’t resign Brady and are in re-build mode they should do him a favor and trade him.

  4. Bucsfan13 Says:

    Mike has lost a step. He admitted he struggled with separation and the numbers back it up. I love Mike, but my biggest issues with him is that he can get lazy. He’ll give up on his routes and leave the QB out to dry. He did it with Winston. Some of those picks were on Mike and not Winston. The same with Brady. His football IQ is also lacking. I still love Mike, but I have to be honest. Mike isn’t going anywhere. The team will take care of him.

  5. Edward Kerber Says:

    Tampa Bay Bucs Fan—Scotty Miller is a Free Agent, you can’t trade a free agent!

  6. NutterBuccer Says:

    Mike isn’t going anywhere. He is still playing at a high Level and has plenty of years left in the tank. Let’s get a damn run game to help this offense out. No matter who the coordinator is, I think this offense gets better because leftwich was atrocious.

  7. Locked In Says:

    Julio Jones might be a good signing as another weapon for Brady

  8. zzbuc Says:

    If we trade ME13 most of the fan base will get really pissed…..

  9. Your Mom Says:

    You always have to keep fighting, and trying to build a winner.

    Consider Seattle:
    – lost their Hall of Fame level quarterback
    – went with a not-considered-good quarterback
    – KEPT their two stud receivers (DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett)
    – won a fair share of games
    – made the playoffs

    In the NFC South or AFC South, Seattle would have clinched the division easily.

    So… we should not have a fire sale on our receivers right now before the season has even started. You never know how things will line up.

  10. Goatfarmer Says:

    Thank Your Mom for some wisdom.

  11. DoooshLaRue Says:

    I’d be happy trading ME for the right compensation.
    Too many fans get too attached to players.
    It’s a business remember?

  12. BA’s Red Pen Says:

    I would go bye the Bucs facility and drop a Duce on their driveway daily for the rest of my life if the Bucs traded Mike.

  13. SB~LV Says:

    Any and ALL players should be available for trade …listen Jason…listen !
    Rebuild !!!!!!
    Of course the offer for whomever the player is needs to benefit the Bucs…ANY and ALL are open to offers !

  14. YucsBall Says:

    Evans probably gets an extension. Bucs should draft a WR in rd 1-3.

  15. SB~LV Says:

    Flush the sentiment

  16. Chris@Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa Says:

    Speaking of Seattle, they sure fleeced the Denver Bronco’s in the trade for their old QB Russell Wilson!
    LOL, Seattle not only dumped Wilson at the right time, but they also got a ton of high draft picks for him to boot!
    Because of Denver’s bad record, the draft picks they got are very high!
    Seattle needs them to keep pace with the 49ers.

  17. Chris@Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa Says:

    Speaking of Seattle, they sure fleeced the Denver Bronco’s in the trade for their old QB Russell Wilson!
    LOL, Seattle not only dumped Wilson at the right time, but they also got a ton of high draft picks for him to boot!
    Because of Denver’s bad record, the draft picks they got are very high!
    Seattle needs them to keep pace with the 49ers.

    I triggered the duplicate content filter again!

  18. D-Rok Says:

    Hmmm. Whilst NOT advocating it by any means because I selfishly want Evans on our team; BUT, I’d be intrigued if Evans went to the Chargers. Can you imagine the trio of Mike Evans, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams? Just purely as a football fan, that would be a sick trio, full of fades and jump-balls in the RZ.

    *SNAPS BACK TO REALITY*

    Please stay a Buc, Mr. Evans!

  19. Bucs56 Says:

    Rebuild doesn’t mean drain the veteran talent. Especially if you want to develop a QB. Mike will sign a team friendly extension and retire a buc. I want to see a trask year and know what you got.

  20. Goatfarmer Says:

    Rebuilders and pretend general manager tough guys are cute. Also wrong.

    Bucs attempted rebuild after McKay retired and were the laughing stock of the league until Dungy arrived. Then Glazersons thought they were smart, fired Gruden and cut the vets, went full rebuild. Bucs were again the laughing stock of the league until Tom came along. That was 12 seasons, capons.

    But sure, yeah, do the purge and then wait at least 15 years to have a playoff appearance again.

    I didn’t know that a glue sniffing epidemic had emerged again, but apparently it has. Put down the solvents and get some fresh air.

  21. PSL Bob Says:

    I’d love to see Evans and David re-sign with the Bucs. They need to go out with this team. Obviously the price has to be right, but those two players represent the strengths of the offense and defense over the years. With that said, the team let Brooks go. So I guess there is no such thing as loyalty in this league.

  22. BucsFan81 Says:

    We would be better off just trading Gage and his 10 million dollar a year salary. Evans is fan favorite and probably still has another 4 years left in him.

  23. sasquatch Says:

    Let’s not start this crap. Trading franchise icons and hall of famers ought to be a last resort or at the player’s request.

    This must be part of D3Klemperer’s c0llapse plan.

  24. D-Rok Says:

    Agree, sasquatch. Evans needs to be a Buc.

  25. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Bucs56 Says:
    January 27th, 2023 at 11:34 am
    Rebuild doesn’t mean drain the veteran talent. Especially if you want to develop a QB. Mike will sign a team friendly extension and retire a buc. I want to see a trask year and know what you got.
    ^^^^^^^^^^
    You lost me on “Trask year”.

  26. Frank Pillow Says:

    Extending for immediate cap relief is certainly an option—but the rogues gallery or OCs reportedly being considered + retaining Bowles has me leaning towards using ‘23 as a retooling opportunity…one that includes objectively assessing a talent like Mike against the prospect of a fair return. There are plenty of teams itching for what he brings to the table. At the same time, a high 2nd rounder, and/or a combo of lower picks absolutely should be considered. I’d say the same for almost every player on the roster— except 14, 31 and 78.

  27. JBBucs_06 Says:

    Mike Evans retires a Buc, we do NOT trade ME13. He has reworked his contract many times for the Bucs. He’s been realistic and unselfish. WE NEED those players around until they retire.

  28. D-Rome Says:

    I’d hate for Mike Evans to finish his career with another team but if Jerry Rice, Tim Brown, Cris Carter, and Randy Moss can finish their careers with a different team so could Evans. If the greatest Buc can finish his career with another team (Sapp) so could Evans.

    His best years are behind him. If you can get a good trade for him then the Bucs should pull the trigger and get his name in the Ring of Honor ASAP.

  29. Will Says:

    We aren’t trading Mike. I hope our new OC does more than run him on streaks. I thought they could’ve used Mike in the Gronk role with the seam routes when Julio was healthy. Mike could’ve played the TE in certain formations and would’ve been a match up nightmare.

  30. CrackWise Says:

    Have to say, some of you make a good point for trading Mike.

    Her is my only reason for not considering a Mike trade.

    WHOEVER you QB is next year, Mike will make him look good. Thats just what Mike does.

    Trask throws an AMAZING deep ball and wont be as reluctant as Brady to throw it.

    Add in CG and RG in the slot. And I think we are in for a HUGE surprise from Trask.

    Mike put up excellent numbers this year and Brady MISSED him on SEVERAL opportunities because he had to throw the ball away vs side stepping the rush to gain an extra second to hit Mike.

    I think that is why Mike gave up on some of the longer pass plays. He figured Brady would give up on him because thats what Brady was doing ALL YEAR.

  31. Brandon Says:

    I’m not sure why people keep insisting that overpaid (Gage) players that are only worth their contract value, can fetch high draft picks. Overpaid players are WORTHLESS in terms of pick value and players that are only worth their contract are worth ONLY their contract. That being said, Evans is better than his contract but he wouldn’t likely fetch a whole lot due to his current salary and the team would in turn, be expected to turn around and spend top of the market money on him in an extension.

    Trading high picks for players and then signing them to top of the market free agent deals is one of the quickest ways to ruin a franchise. But hey, yall keep armchair GMing, maybe one day you can get a chance to run a Madden franchise. You’ve obviously learned nothing from Revis, Mack, and even going back as far as Herschel Walker (when there was no salary cap but the draft pick bounty was ridiculous).

  32. Dusthty Rhothdes Says:

    Mike is moving to top 5 buc of all time as a player on the field and in the community top 2; please do not trade him unless the bucs plan on turning into a 2-15 team, but I think Trask would benefit having ME13 as a weapon. That being said there are a couple of teams off the top of my head that would improve their offense immediately adding him, like the Cowboys, The Jets, Lions, and the Pats, all are basically playoff teams so he would still have a decent shot at getting more pub for the HOF and if Rodgers goes to NYC that would be a great target up there. BUt stay here and catch passes from TRASK

  33. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Edward Kerber Says:
    January 27th, 2023 at 11:08 am
    Tampa Bay Bucs Fan—Scotty Miller is a Free Agent, you can’t trade a free agent!

    You are correct, Sir…….I was fooled because he wasn’t on Joe’s list of FA WRs.

  34. Bucsfan13 Says:

    Trask Truthers are annoying. He has no velocity on his passes. Brady at his advanced age has more velocity on his passes, and Gabbert has always had a cannon. @Crackwise Stop making excuses for Mike. Why was he also running lazy routes with Winston?

    I’m also sick of people always railing on the passing game. I don’t know how you can honestly access the season without bringing up the fact that we had the worst running game in history. The awful running game played a direct role in the issues with the passing game. Always being behind the sticks because you can’t gain any yards on the ground is difficult. This team was living on third and longs, and that’s a recipe for disaster.

  35. The Anomaly Says:

    We are in rebuild mode

    Trade whomever you can for picks…including Evans

    He will be disgruntled all year. Trade him.

  36. sasquatch Says:

    That’s dumb.

  37. sasquatch Says:

    If Joe was the GM, we’d be collapsing every year.

  38. Bucsfan13 Says:

    People call Joe a “ hater” because he’s offering his informed opinion by actually witnessing Trask in practice. The game he played in ATL was bad. He had some poorly thrown passes, which is fine. Every QB has some bad passes. The problem is when Brady throws some poorly thrown passes it’s the end of the world. Trask is not the future. Blaine Gabbert is the solution

  39. 1#bucsfan Says:

    ME13 made Johnny football good so me would think that if brought in a unproven QB that the QB would benifit from having to all pro receivers to throw to and honestly ME13 is a HOFer. All anyone has to do is just throw the ball up and let him go get it.

  40. Yucs2Bucs Says:

    I guarantee they trade Mike ( my favorite Buc ) and hopefully to an up and coming team and remember it’s a business and if you can a first or 2nd then do it !! Maybe a third for Gage and Mike will always be a Buc and gave us great years, but no need to keep him around !!! Start the build now

  41. NEfan Says:

    Dallas would scoff Evan’s in a heart beat. Meyers is a sleeper, he’s a very good versatile wr.

  42. sasquatch Says:

    Yucs2Bucs Says:
    January 27th, 2023 at 12:41 pm

    I guarantee they trade Mike

    Really? Do you have some inside information that would allow you to make this guarantee? I have not heard or seen anything to indicate this is even on the table other than random speculation from disgruntled fans and the Joes.

  43. mark2001 Says:

    Your mom. One big difference between here and Seattle. And it is two words…Head Coach.

  44. Allbuccedup Says:

    Godwin you could get a low 1st, Evans a second but Gage a third no way maybe a low 4th or 5th he only had 426 yards receiving the lowest since his rookie year. Would not even think about trading Chris or Mike but Gage would not be a great loss.

  45. stpetebucfan Says:

    30 is a WR in his prime! ME never made his bones blowing past DB’s and getting tons of separation. ME13 plays more like an NBA power forward because of his impressive size and ability to go up and rebound….er…grab the ball away from defenders. IE for the right QB…Brady’s first year here..ME13 is always open because he’s a “possession” target not an AB or guy who earns his money blowing by defenders.

    Can we just stop with all the foolish talk about tanking for a freaking QB. AGAIN how did that work out for the Bucs the last time. All that draft capital with the top pick of the draft? IT WAS A DISASTER!!!

    The #1 pick in the entire draft and that head case set the Bucs back 3 years. Luckily Licht did some good drafting and TB12 rode in to save the day. Head case Jameis was such a moron off the field the Bucs couldn’t even put the pic of their starting QB on the outside of RayJay. Old FHITP…reprised his FSU behavior his very first off season after the Bucs rolled the dice and lost on a head case. He divided the fan base and was…just check your sheets.
    Oh and the guy folks were debating to take instead of JW…Marcus Mariota..a first round pick who also has never paid off!

    I GET the challenge! 54% of the NFL’s current starting QB’s were selected in the First Round. HOWEVER over the past 25 years a whopping 40%were busts!

    Again back to the Bucs! The Bucs have won two SB’s…the first with a freaking 9th round pick in Brad Johnson the second with a 6th round pick in Tom Brady!

    I have to agree with Rita Moreno on this one…just keep an open mind. As the Bucs themselves have proved you do NOT need a first round draft pick at QB to win the SB.

    At least get a 1st rounder who has already had success in the league! Get Baker Mayfield and a solid OC and provide a little more supervision for Todd Bowles!

  46. Letsbucinggo Says:

    Would not give you two cents for Trask or Gabbert. Gabbert was unemployed in 2019 no team wanted him. So if Gabbert is that much better than Trask then Joe is right Trask is trash.

  47. Marine Buc Says:

    Just like a stock – you buy low and sell high…

    The Bucs are done.

    Mike Evans is close to being done…

    If the Bucs can get fair compensation and dump his enormous salary as he is entering the “twilight” years – why not?

    Sadly – Mike Evans wasted his best seasons catching passes from “Americas QB -LOL” J. Winston.

    If Tom Brady is done in Tampa – why not unload a few players that have declining value (production divided by cost)…

  48. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Goatfarmer Says
    “Evans is not being traded. and, no, he won’t fetch a first rounder from anyone at his age.”

    You are so wrong.

    Seriously, WRs last into mid-to-late 30s these days. Mike Evans has never had less than a 1000 yards in a season. He is considered one of the best WRs in history already.

    We could easily get a 1st plus a late rounder for him. And now is the time to do it.

  49. SB~LV Says:

    JBF is a rare respite from the crazy world where no two people can get along or agree on the simplest things

  50. Peco Says:

    Its a shame our two 1000 yard wide receivers will not be 1000 yards receivers under Bowles no quarterback offense.

  51. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Letsbucinggo Says
    “So if Gabbert is that much better than Trask then Joe is right Trask is trash.”

    Who says Gabbert is better than Trask? Traditionally, the Buccaneers have gone with seniority when it comes to backups. Plus, Bowles is a low risk guy when it comes to offense.

    So Gabbert would have gotten the #2 whether Trask is good or not.

  52. Letsbucinggo Says:

    Joe said it! I really don’t know never seen him play only with the gators.

  53. Nicholas Carlson Says:

    Keep Mike Evans Forever.

  54. KC Buc Says:

    I think it’s important to know what Mike Evans wants. Players around the league I have to imagine talk a lot and if a franchise is willing to just trade you for assets whenever they feel necessary, that could hurt your chances of landing future FAs and trade prospects. If Evans wants to leave and not be a part of a rebuild, I will shed a tear but we should trade him. But if he a franchise fixture wants to stay, we gotta keep him at a reasonable price. The Cards kept Fitz forever and he his contributions dropped off later in his career. But there’s always room for a respected vet that wants to be there even if he’s a #2 or #3 guy down the road. Good for culture, good for recruiting more talent.

  55. Redeemer Says:

    Don’t get fooled by the fake QB depth chart. If Trask was good enough, he would’ve been the backup. Hes dressed in what, one game? That should tell you all your need to know.

    On Evans, depends on what they do at QB. If they roll with Gabby or Trask, you might as well trade him. I bet the right team would cough up a second rounder. No need for him to waste his last couple productive years with a rebuilding franchise. The. Bucs owe him more than that.

  56. Hodad Says:

    If the next move is indeed to rebuild, all players should be on the table.

  57. Buc50 Says:

    I’d be really pissed if we traded Mike. Show him the money and I don’t care if it’s above his market value. He’s taken one for the team several times and he deserves the respect of this fanbase and franchise.

  58. Redeemer Says:

    Bucs50, they could respect him by sending him to a contender.

  59. Letsbucinggo Says:

    I agree 100% with Buc50 I would put anyone on the table but not Evans.

  60. Bucs56 Says:

    Trask behind Gabbert had more to do with brady wanting Gabbert on the sideline. I don’t know if Trask is going to be good. But they used a 2 on him so he has to be given a chance to win the job. Worse case is he sucks, Bowles is fired next season and they bring in a new coach and get a QB in draft or free agency in 2024.

  61. Rob Says:

    If Mike doesn’t retire a Buc we riot.

  62. sasquatch Says:

    I really can’t stand that view players as fungible and to be unsentimental about players. If it was just a bunch of players who were interchangeable pieces where you didn’t have any loyalty, I’d have about zero interest in the sport. You draft and develop guys, they become part of the community, they become part of team lore, and they fight through the lean years to get you over the top, and then you unload them. That’s a garbage approach. I mean, if he couldn’t play anymore, I certainly understand.

    I’m perfectly willing to trade a guy like Devin White. He’s not a franchise icon like Evans. And White is just not going to be worth the money he’s going to want next year. In his case, I say unload him while we still can, because paying him $20 mil per year is a terrible idea.

  63. Bucs Guy Says:

    This year’s WR class as a whole is less than recent years. Less first round picks. I know the Bucs have a number of holes, but I would love to see the Bucs draft the Pitt/USC WR or ND TE with their first round pick.

  64. DoooshLaRue Says:

    SPBF,

    You’re only agreeing with Rita Moreno because you went to high school together.
    😀

    Please keep ME13 until he goes bald.
    Ummmm……

  65. THOMAS PFALZ Says:

    Doesn’t hurt to listen to any & all offers.

  66. Goatfarmer Says:

    More pretend GMs.

    Let’s say you get a 1st for Mike (hahaha). There’s a 50/50 shot that player is a bust. So your risk-adjusted value is worth about as much as a wet turd or a head coach named Bowels. Too many Madden Franchise pretenders around here.

  67. Bucamania Says:

    The Bucs should be open to a conversation about every player except Wirfs and Winfield.

  68. Goatfarmer Says:

    The Bucs should be open to missing the playoffs for the next decade eh?

    Great thinking.

  69. Goatfarmer Says:

    It’s the coaching, stupid.

  70. DoooshLaRue Says:

    Goatfarmer Says:
    January 27th, 2023 at 3:49 pm
    More pretend GMs.

    Let’s say you get a 1st for Mike (hahaha). There’s a 50/50 shot that player is a bust. So your risk-adjusted value is worth about as much as a wet turd or a head coach named Bowels. Too many Madden Franchise pretenders around here.
    ________

    Not necessarily true, depends what position you’re drafting.
    QB, WR, TE ……high bust rate

    S, LB, interior OL …… much better odds.

    I suppose I’m one of those pretend GMs you’re talking about, but a very brief internet search yielded those results.

    Maybe give it a shot GF?

    #trademike

  71. Marine Buc Says:

    @ Dooosh

    Exactly right…

    As we both said – it’s all about the compensation the Bucs could receive in return for a good (not great) WR who is turning 30+ years old who is making $20M+…

    If all Evans is worth is a 3rd or 4th round pick then it’s not worth trading him.

    But if he can be traded for a 1st or 2nd round pick I would pull the trigger on that deal.

  72. unbelievable Says:

    LOL Doosh has been asking to trade Evans for like 5 years now.

    Unfortunately, he’s STILL playing at a high level. Heck I watched him blow past DBs at least 15 – 20 times this year. Sadly him and Brady only connected on like 5 of those.

    He’s not going anywhere. He’s taken team friendly deals and restructured to make cap room every single time he’s been asked. He wants to retire as a Buc, and I think he will.

  73. Goatfarmer Says:

    Glad you boys are excited to get rid of Mike for a draft pick, who would need some coaching in order to develop. Who on the Bowels staff is going to be able to discern an offensive tackle from a tackle box?

    I’m glad you guys want to trade Mike, and that you hold the positions of authority that you hold in One Buc Place to make it happen.

  74. Weston Says:

    Lets keep MK13 in pewter till he calls it a day. He deserves it and so do we!

  75. Davenport Says:

    Love Mike, but it’s time to move on.
    Probably could get a 3rd — take it

  76. Goatfarmer Says:

    A 3rd for Mike.

    How about a couple pounds of rancid fish for your car?

  77. firethecannons Says:

    no Brady is just as this team don’t deserve it–dump donovan smith for a bag of chips or whatever he was awful he has no motivation to be good–he got a ring and now he sucks anything for this penalty magnet yeah gage was awful dump him for anything and get a new player in the draft he sucked for us Evans–send him specifically to the Chargers–I like that team and would love to see them get more players that are decent

  78. I’m not tired anymore because we just won the Super Bowl! Says:

    Never Evan’s!

  79. Kidfloflo Says:

    Bucs new O..C …..welcome aboard, oh btw we are gonna trade Mike Evans for a 3rd rd pick!! And Russel Gage for a 6th! U people are nuts

  80. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Bucamania Says:
    January 27th, 2023 at 3:53 pm
    The Bucs should be open to a conversation about every player except Wirfs and Winfield.
    ^^^^^^^^
    The 2 guys that won a Super Bowl in their first year in the league…The 2 guys that have made the playoffs all 3 of their years in the league…Do you think these 2 want to tank this year? No? Me either.

  81. sasquatch Says:

    Genius GMs trade away their best players so they can get a draft pick that may or may not pan out. Dumbasses.

  82. Goatfarmer Says:

    I’m with you, ‘quatch. I mean that tactic certainly succeeds at the “tearing it down” part. But making the team better in the long run, especially under current circumstances?

    That’s why Jason does what he does and these dudes play with themselves on Madden Franchise mode.

  83. Infomeplease Says:

    A rebuild should start with a new head coach. The one the Bucs have is a defensive coordinator. He has got to go first!!!

  84. Yucs2Bucs Says:

    Sasquatch I actually do and he and others are my neighbors and been lucky that our families have become very close. We haven’t personally talked about it and wouldn’t tell you if I did. I will give you 4 to 1 odds and bet $500 and you could lose $500 or make $2000 ?? Mike ( my favorite Buc and person who’s one of the nicest guys around ) will be traded and from what I’ve heard Chicago will cough up a first round pick and the others are offering a 2nd and 3rd round. Don’t shoot the messenger or be mad because he will always be a BUC and doesn’t deserve another waisted couple of years. Don’t be surprised if he heads up north to Jacksonville and hopefully the GM is giving him his choice to finish the next couple of years.

  85. Yucs2Bucs Says:

    The Bears are looking to trade out of that spot and could land a lot of picks for number 3

  86. SOEbuc Says:

    Yeah that’s the way you pick up a solid OC. You hire him then trade FHOF wr1. If they are trying to do a total rebuild Bowles would have been gone the day after Dallas. Resign Lavonte to a one year deal and him and Mike could retire together.

  87. David Says:

    They do not need to go after a veteran, free agent. They have Evans, Godwin, Gage. Thompkins is looking good as a fourth option and return man. What they need is to draft someone in round two or three, who is fast and quick. Some youthful speed and elusiveness.

  88. Elita Vita Says:

    Do right by Mike. He has done right towards you. Retire Mike a buccaneer!

  89. stpetebucfan Says:

    @Doosh

    LMAO If Rita Moreno was the real Rita I’d be hitting on her. She is on the cover of my AARP mag this month at the age of 91. I get the plastic surgery but she also has a dancers physical background and a complete joy of living that I find sexy.

    As for our “Rita Moreno” I find her/him? fascinating because this is a sports blog and she/he remains calm, measured and doesn’t need to us ad hom and hyperbole to make her point. WOW what a major difference from the rest of us.

  90. Crickett Baker Says:

    Rita was Goatfarmer’s alter ego.

    I don’t believe that there is any round draft pick worth gambling Mike for the possibility of acquiring someone better than he is. He did not have his best year, but very few of our players did. Most of us are not blaming the players, but the coaches, anyway. The thought of the Bucs trading Evans makes my stomach feel like a black hole.

  91. TampaBayBucsFanSince1976 Says:

    You do not trade maybe your best asset and a sure hOF’er , unless the value exceeds that player value by a lot. Other team has to pay a “Blue Sky” premium due to Evans durability and quality. So for me a #1 is not nearly enough , unless it was a high #1 say Top 8.

  92. Lovely rose Says:

    We must retired Mike in Tampa, if not many fans will not be happy at all!!!!!

  93. Ben Harvey Says:

    Evans is a Buc 4 life just like LD. They wont trade him, they will sign him to a reasonable contract next year.