Seems Like Bucs Are Planning For A Mike Evans Return
August 29th, 2025
Still drinking Jalen Ramsey’s Gatorade.
Lost in the chatter of Bucs fans obsessed with the salary cap and roster-building is the reality that the team’s highest-priority free agents for 2026 might be Mike Evans and Lavonte David.
It’s unknown whether these legends want their careers to continue beyond this season, but they certainly didn’t show signs of wear or disinterest this summer.
In fact, Evans probably had the best training camp of his 12-year career, including making Steelers cornerbacks look soft during a joint practice in Pittsburgh, per various reports and Joe’s in-person eyeballs. Evans also stayed healthy, which rare for him in August.
And then there’s David, who has practiced with his usual youthful energy.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht spoke about his greats and their future this week on WDAE radio.
“Of course we would like to have Mike back; I can’t put words in his mouth, but he looks like he’s having a hell of a lot of fun right now,” Licht said. “Two legends and, you know, they don’t look like they’ve lost a step, which is crazy. Two guys who deserve to go out on their terms. We’ll see how it goes.”
Man, that’s a wild quote from Licht: “They don’t look like they’ve lost a step.” Joe would agree, but the challenge for Evans and David is durability, not August dominance.
Joe is not worried about either player performing, only staying healthy. As for next year, Joe hopes the Bucs prioritize Evans and David if they want another season — or two.
August 29th, 2025 at 4:03 pm
Mike gets plays off and I hope Todd finds a way to give Lavonte plays off too. We need both for a deep run this year.
August 29th, 2025 at 4:04 pm
ME13 should be a priority and earns the right year after year to be a BUC for life.
Should extend him now because if he has another huge year it’s going to be more expensive for team Glazer to sign after the season.
Make it happen JL, #13 is a LEGEND and a HOF in Tampa.
LFG BUCS!!!!!
Fire them CANNONS
August 29th, 2025 at 4:12 pm
Win the SB this year and people will care a lot less about them riding into the sunset. Not that we wouldn’t want them around to chase a back to back.
Make a deep run this season and hopefully they are both back with the promise that the Bucs are going all in 2026.
August 29th, 2025 at 4:15 pm
Evans hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down at all, in fact two years ago I think he looked as fast and as good as he’s ever been – and last year, outside of injury – he looked fantastic. Additionally every camp report I’ve seen, from all sources, say Evans has looked amazing.
People don’t seem to put link Evans matching Jerry Rice’s 1000-year streak, with the fact Rice played until he was 42. When Rice was 32, his line was 112 rec, 1499 yards, 13 TDs. From the age of 32-42, Rice AVERAGED 77 receptions and 1010 yards, and 7 TDs – AVERAGED!
I’m not saying Evans is going to do that, there’s only one Jerry Rice, but people acting like Mike should be getting ready for the rocking chair at the end of the year – give me a break. He’s a special athlete and a future HOF and he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down yet. Stop thinking of Evans as a year-to-year player, and start thinking, what if he is a top WR for another 5-years.
August 29th, 2025 at 4:39 pm
One of the things I think the Bucs players and management learned from Brady was how to keep a team together. These guys (Evans, David) already have generational wealth. Do they want to make more money – or do they want to play for a team they love and WIN? I suspect smart, fair, and team-friendly contracts will keep all of our best players around for years to come… and keep this winning culture going for a long time.
August 29th, 2025 at 4:48 pm
Mike doing better than ever and Lavonte right there. Can’t get better than that. Go Bucs!
August 29th, 2025 at 4:56 pm
The Bucs gotta extend ME , Baker, Luke, Zyon, Logan, and if Yaya has the breakout season as expected. He will be looking for a new contract. And Bridgewater will looking for a better contract.
And who knows,
Maybe Dean has an All-Pro season
August 29th, 2025 at 4:59 pm
Make Mike and LVD the priority and also resign Zyan, Luke and Logan if he significantly out performs Elijah Roberts. Hopefully will also be able to resign Cade to a reasonable contract since the Bucs don’t really feature the TE.
August 29th, 2025 at 5:02 pm
I would also like to see Hassan signed if he gets double digit sacks. People need to be reasonable to get all these done. The following year you got Baker, Cody and Yaya. Gonna be hard.
August 29th, 2025 at 5:03 pm
Teddy will have to settle for close to vet minimum. He was out of football last year.
August 29th, 2025 at 5:12 pm
I know I’m boring and predictable…and extremely frugal with cap money. ( Not so much on real life, but…yeah. ). Yeah, I wanna keep all our stars. You can’t do that if you hand out guaranteed money like it was candy. To me, if you want a crazy salary, I am not guaranteeing much of it. Willing to accept a team friendly salary? I’m more likely to offer huge guarantees.
August 29th, 2025 at 5:14 pm
I was raised by a widowed mother and we were very poor. I am frugal and I believe in sharing.
August 29th, 2025 at 5:29 pm
This is nothing new from Licht’s statements since last year. He’s also said he wants Evans to be a “Buc for life”. And of course Mike has said he wants to spend his career with “one team”, the Bucs.
Why would they plan for anything else?
August 29th, 2025 at 5:33 pm
I think Lavonte is going to hang up it up this year, but I think Evans will play for 2 more.
August 29th, 2025 at 6:02 pm
Appropriately there were 13 responses when I typed this. David hangs it up before Evans I believe but Evans has earned whatever he want’s, be it a year to year contract or long term.
August 29th, 2025 at 6:05 pm
He aint done yet, yall know. Probably 2 more years left, just have to pay him Jason.
August 29th, 2025 at 6:31 pm
David I certainly going to hang it up before Evans. Not by much.
August 29th, 2025 at 6:51 pm
Just saw that the Pats cut Peppers. He could be another guy we bring in to add depth and utility.
August 29th, 2025 at 6:58 pm
After Evan’s blessings from the great Jerry Rice, now is all systems go!
He is Focused and Determined to break the record.
LFG!!!!
August 29th, 2025 at 7:41 pm
ME 13 is a Hall of Fame Receiver for sure !! As for the future of ME 13, it’s all up to him after another season of brutal hits !! As for anther 1000 yard season, I’m betting on it. I’ve never seen a receiver play with as much dedication as Mike Evans !!
Fire Them Cannons!!
Go Bucs !! Beat the Falcons !!
August 29th, 2025 at 7:53 pm
Bucs should look into playing there backup players all season, I do not see this team winning more then 2 games this year
August 29th, 2025 at 8:22 pm
Looong season ahead!
August 29th, 2025 at 8:23 pm
82.5% homegrown talent – tops in the league!
Thats how you build a sustainable, winning culture.
August 29th, 2025 at 8:23 pm
Well said Rod !
August 29th, 2025 at 9:04 pm
“Joe is not worried about either player performing, only staying healthy”
Gee, seems like the same thing I could say about a two dozen Bucs players.
I guess age, alone, dictates Joe’s sentiment about these two players in particular, since neither has shown a propensity for major injuries during their careers unless recency dominates Joe’s feelings with Evans, particularly.
My recollection is that Evans has always struggled with hamstring injury flareups. Last season’s was certainly worse than injuries in the past, but attributing it to age, alone, may or may not be a correct assesment.
August 29th, 2025 at 9:24 pm
Only use Evans on 3rd down and goal line would be smart
August 29th, 2025 at 10:17 pm
Im curious if Evans and David are Christians? I’d like to believe they are.
August 29th, 2025 at 10:30 pm
J Says:
August 29th, 2025 at 10:17 pm
Im curious if Evans and David are Christians? I’d like to believe they are.
************
I’m sure somewhere there’s a religious football site where you can find the answers to who is or isn’t a professed Christian to ease your mind. I hope this website will never be one to go down that rabbit hole.
August 29th, 2025 at 10:48 pm
@J Says:
Actions speak louder than words.
August 29th, 2025 at 10:59 pm
N eee ed firs t ttt g am m m ee c annntt wwaa a ait
August 29th, 2025 at 11:02 pm
Louis..
Amen.
August 30th, 2025 at 12:10 am
What makes any of think Evans only has one or two years left? What have you seen exactly that makes you think he’s about to fall off a cliff? While when it happens, it does happen quickly, I haven’t seen even the tiniest sign of him slowing down – and the fact he’s actually gotten faster as he’s aged, I’m really thinking he’s going to be one of those guys that plays, and is ultra productive, until they’re like 36 or 37. I won’t go as far as Jerry Rice, but until I see something that makes me think he’s slowing down, I’m not going to just say it will happen because he hits a certain number of trips around the sun.
Here’s some other guys to compare him too…
Larry Fitzgerald – played 6 years after turning 32, had three more 1000 yard seasons.
Terrell Owens – played 6 years after turning 32, had three more 1000 yard seasons, while averaging over 1000 yards per year for those 6 years.
Isaac Bruce – played 6 years after turning 32, had two more 1000 yard seasons.
Tim Brown – played 7 years after turning 32, had four more 1000 yard seasons.
If we think Mike is a future HOF, which he is, and he’s elite, which he is, then why do people think he’s not going to have a career like these guys.
Generally, looking at the list of all-time receiving leaders, the ones I know and watched, who fell off a cliff at this age, they were all slowing down by this point – even if they were still productive (like Randy Moss), you could just watch and see they weren’t the same guy. Mike, if anything, looks as good as he’s ever looked right now.