Selling Mike Evans
February 18th, 2026
Losing is hateful to Mike Evans.
Look, Joe isn’t sweating.
Yesterday it was learned that Bucs legend Mike Evans wants to play football in 2025. Somewhere.
Evans’ agent, Deryk Gilmore, a known fearmonger, said his agent will give the Bucs a chance to re-sign him but his client will test the free agent waters.
Yeah. Remember when Gilmore had Evans with one foot out the door before?
The only thing that is going to chase Evans to the Chiefs or the Texans or the Bills or the Eagles or the Commandos is if he thinks the Bucs have no shot of getting back to the playoffs.
Evans, even a couple of years ago, said he had zero desire to return to the Lost Decade ways of the Bucs. If he thought that was happening two years ago he would have likely signed with the Chiefs.
So the best way to keep Evans is that the Bucs are going to have to sell him that they are going back to the playoffs. If the Bucs can stay healthy, they have the offense to do this, no doubt.
But the defense? Well, that’s going to be a tough sell.
You saw the clips of Evans melting down on the sidelines during the defense’s choke job against Atlanta. You should have seen Evans crash out in the tunnel after the game.
Joe was standing across the tunnel from the Bucs’ locker room entrance and just about 20 feet from Joe, Evans blew up. Joe thought for a second, Evans was about to collapse as he doubled over in rage, hollering as if someone kicked him squarely in the groin.
Bucs fans can sympathize because that’s what the Bucs’ defense was good forlast year.
That reaction from Evans was both genuine and demonstrated how much he loathes losing. If Evans thinks how the Bucs tanked against Atlanta may repeat itself a few times this fall, then the Bucs better start bracing now for life after Evans.
Why would Mike Evans return to the Buccaneers? Legacy & Family. @TheChrisMathis is 95.7% sure Mike Evans will play in Tampa next season. Are you?#WeAreTheKrewe pic.twitter.com/GTfDAnGrFU
— 95.3 WDAE & AM620 – coming soon to 95.7 FM (@957WDAE) February 18, 2026
February 18th, 2026 at 5:41 am
Time to face the facts that this team is nowhere close to a SB contender and is in rebuild territory. If Mike leaves or stays the Bucs are still aiming for a top 10 pick. Mike can still play and has some left in the tank but they shouldn’t break the bank for him at this stage of his career. Time to think about the future and the Bucs will need as much cap room as they can get for the new HC next season.
February 18th, 2026 at 5:53 am
I think his reaction to the end of the Atlanta game debacle was pretty obvious. All he has to do is watch that on repeat and it should make his decision for him.
February 18th, 2026 at 6:06 am
Evans will get offers because he is not one of the wide receiver divas. A class act will get offers from teams in need. As opposed to the head cases that rule that position.
February 18th, 2026 at 6:23 am
Every article, it’s always something. It might be the wrong name, unsightly missed spaces, or the wrong year. It’s like with each article, Joe takes turns with which thing goes wrong. There’s no accountability for it—as if Joe is just saying “we gotta type better, proof-read better, to make sure letters and numbers are where they’re supposed to be,” but it continues to be a problem—for years now.
Maybe the articles are too complex and need to be simplified to allow the Joes to type fast without having to think. Maybe it’s a good idea to bring in an outside voice—someone from the Roy Cummings tree—to help shake up the product on the interwebs. Something.
February 18th, 2026 at 6:33 am
ME13 has earned the right to test free agency. Some team will probably offer more $ than the Bucs will. It won’t be strictly about the money. Texans have a good receiving group along with Jaden Higgins who will be a second year player and is similar to, younger than, and much cheaper than Mike. I see KC and Buffalo as only real threats. Either way it goes Bucs win because he’s either here or opens significant cap space. No one can blame him for exploring all opportunities.
February 18th, 2026 at 6:41 am
buffalo jacksonville, Mike go to somebody close, the bucs are not close. the thing about losing mike is the defense will be playing with one more db bc they don’t have to account for him or double him so it will be even harder for our offense to move. i’m not at all sold on EE he disappeared when we needed him most. Tez could make more impact than EE as a long ball threat but the bucs don’t know how to use him. i would love to see Mike get another ring- patriots an obvious choice… EE stinks
February 18th, 2026 at 6:42 am
Seeing Jerry Rice play for Raiders has shown us it is 100% possible.
Would love for Mike to be a lifelong Buc as I am a longtime A&M Aggie fan, but can’t blame him if he feels another team is better fit
February 18th, 2026 at 6:50 am
Mike Evans will go down as one of the all time great Buccaneers!! That being said he had just over 300 yards receiving and 3 TD’s. Are you going to gamble on him not getting injured and spend $25-30Million? I’d like to see him retire a Buc, but the Texans might break the bank to sign him. Don’t think the Chiefs have the cap space as some other teams.
February 18th, 2026 at 6:50 am
Jacksonville would make the most sense.
February 18th, 2026 at 6:56 am
Tag him.
February 18th, 2026 at 7:20 am
If the Glazers and Licht are honest with themselves, they need to realize this team is in rebuilding the entire defense mode, thanks in part to JL draft pick duds on defense and the Mediocre HC. Bucs have lost plenty even with a healthy Evans bc of the horrible defense and no depth.
February 18th, 2026 at 7:30 am
Without Evans and a healthy OLine, Bucs aren’t going to playoffs
February 18th, 2026 at 7:31 am
Even if Evans has some more in the tank, I said let him walk. We have plenty of talent on offense. Some other club signs him the Bucs will get a 3rd round compensatory pick the following year. Evans will miss games again next year. Use that money and sign Hendrickson.
February 18th, 2026 at 7:56 am
Emotional outbreaks happen with super competitive athletes. Then the dust settle. They take some time off, spend time with family and realize the end is near for their career. This team is better with Evans, but the Bucs did nothing to fix the defense with leaving Bowles in charge. Had the Bucs fired Bowles and brought in a new staff, I’d say sign Evans and let’s fix the defense. But this coming year will get ugly with Bowles running the defense and the team.
Offer Mike a cap friendly deal and let him decide if he wants to go elsewhere for more money. If that happens, I’d go full Dolphins and get rid of all the overpriced players. Aw jr,, Zyon, let Dean walk in FA, restructure anyone who’s contract is too much. Tank and let the rebuild begin in now! We’ve already have seen the ceiling with Bowles and a great offense.
February 18th, 2026 at 8:27 am
I’d hate to see ME13 leave but if he did, as long as he wasn’t in the NFC South I would root for this young man still. He’s been nothing but a class act while here. If he don’t think we are SB contenders then he should go play for one his maybe last year.