“That’s What’s Kind Of Keeping Me Balanced”
November 30th, 2023
Mike Evans
Daily fantasy football gurus are always looking for trends when it comes to which receivers are being targeted. “This Joe” is no exception.
Over the past three games, only five receivers have more targets than Mike Evans.
Yes, the Bucs love looking to Evans. In fact, Evans ranks 18th in the NFL when it comes to total targets, but five receivers with more targets have played an additional game, so that ranking is more impressive than it appears.
Evans, however, isn’t into the selfishness of personal stats. He told the Tampa Bay media throng this week that still being very much alive in the playoff chase, even with a 4-7 record, is what gives him some inner peace.
“Our goals are still there. So they still can be accomplished. So that’s what’s kind of keeping me balanced right now,” Evans said.
Joe is glad Evans is “balanced” mentally. The last thing the Bucs need is to fall apart and turn Evans’ focus to free agency, where he could end up if the Bucs don’t pay him a fat contract or slap the franchise tag on him.
Evans 30, has proven this season that he remains in his prime and Joe is sure he would be an asset to the 2024 Bucs quarterback, whomever that might be.
As for those goals Evans referenced, the Bucs absoutely have to win their next two games to achieve them, Joe believes. Beating Carolina on Sunday and Atlanta the following week likely puts the Bucs into a three-way tie at 6-7 with the Falcons and Saints with four games to play.
November 30th, 2023 at 4:51 pm
Glad he’s balanced. Watching the Bucs this year makes me drink till I stumble, and fall down!
November 30th, 2023 at 5:02 pm
YOU BE THE GM:
Mike Evanns wants a 4 year $100M deal with $75M guaranteed.
YES
or
NO
November 30th, 2023 at 5:12 pm
I say pay the man. After all the under market deals he has signed with the Bucs they should open up their wallets to a man who has continued to play at an elite level throughout his career. Save some money by letting White walk in the offseason. I have the feeling that Dennis will be just as good if not better than White is now. White hasn’t improved during his career. He is headed on a downward trajectory and runs his mouth like an idiot
November 30th, 2023 at 5:14 pm
The GM had the opportunity to trade him this year and failed to do so. His best years are behind him, and he should have been traded for a draft pick. Going forward this team will be rebuilding for years to come. The whole coaching staff should be fired.
November 30th, 2023 at 6:31 pm
Evans is a Buc!!
November 30th, 2023 at 7:01 pm
What Bojim said☝️
November 30th, 2023 at 7:36 pm
Yessir lets get it!! Going to be a dog fight looking forward to it!! LFG BUCS!!
November 30th, 2023 at 7:36 pm
Still our most productive and reliable offensive player. Even with a bit of dropsies at times this year.
I’d be comfortable giving him $20/m per year, maybe even a little more that are incentive based.
Problem is- by time this season is over, he might have had his most productive season of his career from a touchdown standpoint. Which gives him the upper hand in negotiations.
Even if rebuilding, you need some weapons for the next QB / HC.
As for this week, another 3 TD 200+ yard day against Carolina sure would be nice.
November 30th, 2023 at 7:39 pm
Esay texas /\ /\
November 30th, 2023 at 7:46 pm
Pay him what he wants. He more than deserves it and to the so called fans who think he’s washed up or be traded sorry you don’t know anything. He’s still elite. He hasn’t lost a step. Y’all a bunch of bellyaching cry baby’s
November 30th, 2023 at 7:54 pm
This is just getting funny. To be a Buc Fan you must have a sense of humor now. Posithink is a gas. Let them play and enjoy if they clunk give em the Biz. Bowles Is dropping clunkers all over the sideline. Slip and Slide.
November 30th, 2023 at 8:13 pm
I, personally, do not see the 3-way tie after next week’s game, assuming the Bucs would actually beat both Carolina and Atlanta.
I fully believe that both the Saints and the Falcons will lose this week. The Saints are playing Detroit and although Atlanta is playing the lowly Jets, they have lost to teams with far worse defenses (Vikings, Commanders, Cardinals and Titans). Yes, the Falcons blew out the Saints – a team with a solid defense – but so did the Bucs, so what’s that saying?
Remember, the Bucs have had to play a first place schedule this year. The Saints are playing the third worst team in the same divisions the Bucs are playing and the Falcons have gotten to play the very worst team from last year in each of those divisions. The Bucs had to play the Bills, 49ers and Eagles. The Saints got to play the Patriots, Rams and Giants whereas the Falcons schedule was the Jets, Cardinals and Commanders. With that much weaker a schedule, it’s pretty amazing that there is only one game of separation (or none) considering the disparity in competition. In other words, the Saints and Falcons are far worse than their record indicates when compared to the Bucs, so don’t be surprised at all if those teams lose a couple more games to some real clunkers.
Anyway, if I’m right and the Bucs somehow win two in a row, I see them in first place in the South. That’s a HUGE “IF”, though!
November 30th, 2023 at 8:17 pm
Unbelievable. “Don’t pay Evans. His best seasons are behind him.”
Now he’s having a record year and they say “don’t pay him because all years after this year will be worse.”
November 30th, 2023 at 8:20 pm
I’d rather overpay him and keep him, than let him walk. Tbh. But if this was Madden, you can’t pay him.
November 30th, 2023 at 8:30 pm
MarineBuc says: “YOU BE THE GM: Mike Evans wants a 4 year $100M deal with $75M guaranteed. YES or NO”.
Well, clearly I have to say no, just as in the free market, there is no team at all that will say yes to that.
Mike Evans WILL be a Buc next year. The Bucs may let him test the market to prove that no team is going to offer him that or they could franchise tag him, which would mean coughing up more than $28 million for just one year. Either way, he’s not going anywhere.
November 30th, 2023 at 9:01 pm
players salaries run hot with inflation year over year, 100 mill for four now may seem cheap in a couple of years out. Pay him now and save money later.
November 30th, 2023 at 9:13 pm
He is a large part of the yards and scoring on this team. He is doing it with Baker Mayfield, some guy who never called plays before, AND he is 30 and looking better than we have seen in a while. Most of us still think he can catch more passes that he drops, and that he should be targeted more. He is a known contributor. You pay the guy and look to acquire more like him.
November 30th, 2023 at 9:33 pm
Ok maybe it’s just me but why are people saying to not pay him or get a new QB? Apparently some of the fans having been watching the games dudes on his way to having his best season yet and the bucs would have a much better record and probably 1st place if not for some horrible dropped passes dumb penalties and the defense going to sleep at crucial time that’s not on him or the QB I say keep both work on that chemistry and go from there 🤷🏾♂️ it’s better than starting all over imo
November 30th, 2023 at 9:35 pm
ScottyMack Says:
November 30th, 2023 at 8:30 pm
MarineBuc says: “YOU BE THE GM: Mike Evans wants a 4 year $100M deal with $75M guaranteed. YES or NO”.
Well, clearly I have to say no, just as in the free market, there is no team at all that will say yes to that.
————-
Right, but Christian Kirk gets $20-million a year.
You need to update your salary chart so you actually have a clue what you’re talking about.
November 30th, 2023 at 9:38 pm
Does Evans think that the Saints will beat the Lions or the Panthers?
Are the Falcons gonna beat the Jets or the Bucs? Couldn’t be the Bucs if they are going to win the next two.
You would think wins would be over Panthers and Jets based on their records and offensive output but when a team has a defense that is 6th in yards allowed and a QB that has got to be getting sick of losing there could be a couple upsets in the last six weeks.
November 30th, 2023 at 10:12 pm
Evans has produced with scrubs to dubs as qbs. Who thinks he won’t hit at least 400 more yards and 4 tds over the last 6 games as long as he’s healthy??? He might hit half that just off Carolina alone. Sure he should have 600 yards and 6 more tds he’s dropped over the years but he will enter the 100 td echelon and no way the Glazers or Licht want him to obtain that with another team. They saved money with Thrift Store Bakerboi so they can afford to pay him. He’s paying as well as his 13 & 14 td seasons and has at least 3 left in him. You pay the man until he can’t play anymore and let him retire as the only receiver in Bucs history to be drafted, played his entire career here, part of the 100 td club AND hopefully a 1st ballot hall of famer!
November 30th, 2023 at 10:32 pm
The Bucs next win happens in October of 2024.
Thanks, Todd.
November 30th, 2023 at 11:00 pm
Mikey will unfortunately join the Texans in 2024. Come home to a great young head coach with an exciting team on the rise. Hate it but that’s gonna happen.
November 30th, 2023 at 11:08 pm
Up on the tightrope
December 1st, 2023 at 2:59 am
Todd tried hard but wrecked the Bucs. Time for Licht to fix it.
December 1st, 2023 at 4:02 am
Dave pear hits the nail on the head. Evans goes home to play for Houston next year.
December 1st, 2023 at 9:03 am
Licht has to resign Evans; otherwise, he’ll look foolish for not trading him.
Evans to Houston would be a cool story, though.
December 1st, 2023 at 10:31 am
No
December 1st, 2023 at 11:48 am
Mike Evans deserves his asking price. He is a team player, and always reconstructs his contract to .pay other players to build a winning team. He wants to beat Jerry Rices stat for most 1000 in consecutive years and hopes for most 1000 in total career. He wants that. He will not sit back on his butt to ride out a contract. He is hungry, and will not slow down. He is the player who want to win at everything that crosses his path. He already will be first year HOF, but he has not reached all of his goals. He has earned the honor of getting that contract. He knows he won’t get paid more than 75, because he has shown he is a team oriented man. That is less than 20k per season. He needs other players to reach his personal goals. He recognizes that. Every season his contract will get adjusted to get a better Oline, or who ever else is needed. He just wants respect from the front office.
December 2nd, 2023 at 2:54 am
Screw all the trade him or let him walk talk. Mike Evans has done more for this team than any other Buc with the exception of Lavonte David. But when you talk about Evans you have to talk about how many times the Bucs were up against the salary cap and Evans reworked his deal so we could have more money to sign other players. He has always been ultra loyal to this organization. Guys like that should be rewarded so others can see what happens when you are a team first guy. Re-sign him and give him his money. Nuff said.