No Lavonte David Or Mike Evans? Graham Barton Says “New Year, New Team”
April 20th, 2026
Graham Barton (right) lifts Tristan Wirfs into the air.
The Bucs lost a couple of legends last month.
Lavonte David retired and Mike Evans ran off to the 49ers for less money and dreams of Brock Purdy and high taxes.
Bucs center Graham Barton was asked about that today at One Buc Palace. Players reported for medical checks and the start of offseason training this morning.
Barton said David and Evans were incredible teammates but life goes on.
“It’s a new year, right?” Barton began. “It’s a new team and you’ve got to learn to adjust, figure out where your strengths are, figure out where you need to get better and kind of go from there. Obviously, everyone who got to the chance play with [Mike Evans and Lavonte David] and chance to know them is grateful for their time and couldn’t appreciate those guys more. … New year, new team, and we got to figure out how we’re going to put this thing together.”
It is a new year.
David’s retirement was no shock. This was no Ali Marpet situation.
Evans bailing, however, represents a stunning change. With Evans bailing and a new playcaller on board, it very much is a new offense.
Barton today talked about how new offensive coordinator will be introducing “different schemes” and “different principles.”
April 20th, 2026 at 3:40 pm
I agree…time to move on….
I understand the extreme displeasure at Bowles being retained….but the whining is getting very old and nauseatingly repetitive….
April 20th, 2026 at 3:46 pm
I have a Lavonte David jersey
And Mike Evans is a Buc legend
But last year they wasn’t great, they wasn’t good
It won’t be difficult replacing the 2025 version of them
If we get less from their replacements
Then we have a problem
April 20th, 2026 at 3:47 pm
I agree as well. Time to put last year behind us and look forward to a new season with new faces and names.
April 20th, 2026 at 3:58 pm
Yep. New team. Go Bucs!!
April 20th, 2026 at 4:04 pm
Will be an even newer team by end of day Sat.
Our average team age will go down tremendously… tho a couple DTs and LBs we’ll keep that number from getting real low. LOL
April 20th, 2026 at 4:37 pm
They can never really be replaced. Both are generational players.
That said…I think it will be harder to find replacement for Lavonte David than Mike Evans. We already have some great WRs.
The only sure thing I see is Sonny Styles so far as LB.
April 20th, 2026 at 4:48 pm
I like WR Malachi Fields out of ND to replace Evans. We can get him in the 3rd round.
LVD can be replaced by getting J-Rod in round two. If you have to trade up, do it.
Round one has to be a can’t miss defender. Bain Jr might be a risk, but his production and availability make him the obvious choice if he’s there at 15.
This draft might decide the next ten years of Buc football.
April 20th, 2026 at 4:49 pm
If Styles falls, I don’t see him dropping lower than 10 (Dallas)…so to get him, we’d have to trade up at least 6 spots…unless Dallas is willing to trade…but they’ll ask a very high price knowing Jones.
April 20th, 2026 at 5:04 pm
Like Barton’s mindset.
April 20th, 2026 at 5:04 pm
Hopefully “New Team, New Year” means Barton has hit the weight room and won’t get rag dolled like he did the last 2 years. Seriously, it was embarrassing at times.
April 20th, 2026 at 5:13 pm
Lots of unknowns with the Bucs in 2026. It seems like a mystery which direction the Bucs are going. Replacing two Hall of Famers would disrupt most teams. We will have an answer soon with the upcoming draft.
It’ll be interesting to watch and more importantly will the Bucs be contenders in 2026. We need a A- draft or better.
April 20th, 2026 at 5:23 pm
Is Baker still the Qb? Your not going ANYWHERE with him as your Qb. I dont have to even look at a full roster. baker at Qb is garbage.
April 20th, 2026 at 5:25 pm
Even being stuck with Bowzo it will be interesting. Looking forward to the blunders and the new radio man to see how he does. I will not pay a cent to view the coming Blunderball but get a couple games on Fox 51.
April 20th, 2026 at 5:35 pm
Time for New Leadership for sure. This is Baker’s Team now especially when that new contract is signed. We finally have a Franchise QB after 50 years!!
April 20th, 2026 at 5:47 pm
Yes Baker is still the QB..so bye bye. Get lost…beat it. If you’re writing the team off knowing Baker is the QB, why are you in here reading articles about the draft?
Peace out
April 20th, 2026 at 5:55 pm
I think Mike moved on more for Lynch and Shanahan than Purdy. If you look the choice between Bowles / Robinson or Shanahan he picked to play for one of the best offensive minds in the NFL
April 20th, 2026 at 5:55 pm
Their leadership will be missed. But LVD was a liability in coverage the last 2 years and last year he clearly was a step slow filling the holes.
Evans was one of, if not, my favorite Bucs of all time. But he was hobbled the last 2 years and had to leave to field after every catch. He will always be remembered for what he did for this franchise, but I think it was time for this team and Mike to move on. Wish him well in San Fran, but I doubt he plays more than 14 games and I dont see him playing more than 1 or 2 more years max.
Time for the young guys at WR to step up and time to draft LVD replacement.
April 20th, 2026 at 5:59 pm
Not worried about the offense. We need to hit on three defensive picks in the draft.
April 20th, 2026 at 6:09 pm
Not dreams of brock purdy and high taxes 😂😂😂😂
April 20th, 2026 at 6:17 pm
Bye Baker Bye Bowels, is Correct! We don’t have a chance……. Four wins maybe!
April 20th, 2026 at 6:27 pm
#6 will never be a Franchise qb, are you kidding me, I would rather have Brad Johnson and Tom Brady at Qb on any given day, these are two Qb’s that have won playoff games and Super Bowl’s for this Franchise, what has #6 done for this Franchise, but to disappoint????
April 20th, 2026 at 6:41 pm
Baker is 100% a serviceable QB. Like others have stated, he’s streaky, that’s who he is. What baker hasn’t had is a consistent coordinator that can identify the streakyness/ what leads to it and adjust. Imagine a Baker under Coen for a couple of seasons…
I like his chances to return to peak form under Robinson. Who knows if that leads to a Koetter situation with him moving to a HC role with if he proves success. Time will tell how our HC search goes…
I can’t think of another QB (maybe AR15 but ehhhhh) that I could plug into our offense right now and feel good about Bucs success.
April 20th, 2026 at 7:37 pm
It is a new season and a new team but I’m looking forward to Barton being flanked by his old line mates and not the bozos who look like they cut their own hair and block worse than that. I expect a bounce back year from the Bucs’ 2024 first rounder. A center hitting $30 mil/yr in FA makes me feel a little better about that pick. So did him kicking out to LT with zero prep time and playing admirably well to start 2025.
April 20th, 2026 at 7:38 pm
Old school
I think you’re right. If I had a choice between Lynch/Shanahan and dumb and dumber I know where I’d go for my last rodeo.
April 20th, 2026 at 7:50 pm
Just draft edge for the first 3 rounds.
April 20th, 2026 at 8:39 pm
It’s a new year and a new direction for this team. Losing guys like Lavonte and Evans isn’t easy, but it gives us a chance to grow and redefine our identity with a new system.
Mike Evans will always be one of the greatest Buccaneers ever, but with age and injuries starting to show, this could be the right time to get younger and more dynamic on offense while building for the future.
The more I think about… was it me, or was ME13 always slow to get up after every catch? 😉
April 20th, 2026 at 8:40 pm
31 and “serviceable” dont go together in my book. Especially at 40-50M. Jimmy Garapolo was serviceable and won 70% of his games. In a 3 year span he led the 49ers to a SB and a title game appearance- and they still discarded him at 31.
Remember, Sf was 0-10 in 2017 when they traded for him. He started the last 5 games and went 5-0. Some gyys are just winners. Our guy is not. Philly and SF have proven you can compete at the highest levels without a MVP/HOF type guy but until you get one, the Qb spot is to be monitored and scrutinized like every other position.
But you guys keep waiting for baker to be another stafford. If you cant see the obvious, glaring differences between Stafford and baker I dont know why your discussing football.
April 20th, 2026 at 8:47 pm
Fanof Da Bucs: Ummmm,no. Ive been here before baker and ill be here after him, which will be in 2027, thank God. The undesized, overhyped turnover machine will be somewhere else in a real division and at bes tthe 3rd best Qb in the division and be on a bad team. Theyll suck and get rid of him after one year.
Only this team and these fans want a recycled/premium backup/fringe/type Qb to hang their hat on. 2021 Indy. Wentz was 28. turned 29 last week of the season. he was 9-8 with over 3500 yards, 27td and 7 int. Top 10-12 offnse. they dropped his tail like a bad habit.
Just because they didnt (Jones played well most of 2025) upgrade doesnt mean they were wrong for moving on. Doing the best you can is for a overweight, 47 year old accountant with a high BMI and average looks. Thats not how you runa team and not how you look at the most crucial spot in sports.
April 20th, 2026 at 9:23 pm
JTHV Says: draft Ioane at 15, finish the OL build and then tee off on defensive players. This is the only pick
April 20th, 2026 at 9:39 pm
The 2011 Bucs were a different team than the 2010 Bucs, also.
April 20th, 2026 at 10:08 pm
This dude played like S last year
April 20th, 2026 at 10:44 pm
jeeze the low iq stupid baker hate is thick….will never get it off their chests because they’ll never feel like a real man….stfu!
April 20th, 2026 at 11:06 pm
Graham Barton (right) lifts Tristan Wirfs into the air.
^^^^^
A picture is worth a thousand words.
April 21st, 2026 at 12:37 am
Bye-Bye, give us a break. You’re going to be watching this team every week. And inexplicably hoping for failure from the quarterback. Sadly. Must suck to be that kind of fan. As for your other ridiculous statement about the only two quarterbacks who have won playoff games and super bowls for this team. Of course they are. Until the next guy. How else does it work? Idiot.
April 21st, 2026 at 6:43 am
“”I understand the extreme displeasure at Bowles being retained….but the whining is getting very old and nauseatingly repetitive….””
That’s unfortunate for you because it isn’t going away unless this team exceeds all expectations this year. The next time Bowles pulls that off will be the first time he pulls that off. Better invest in bulk pepto bismal.
April 22nd, 2026 at 10:07 am
If Barton could play as well as he pretends he is, he just might get to be average.
The Great Regression is in full swing.