It Only Takes One
February 26th, 2026
Free agent price tag?
So if you are a shot-caller of another NFL team, what would you do?
Would you spend first-round picks for A.J. Brown?
Would you spend first-round picks for Marvin Harrison, Jr.?
Would you save your draft picks and just buy Mike Evans for $30 million a year?
This is why Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press believes Bucs fans should brace for the possibility that Evans may leave. Maaddi, snooping around the combine this week in Indianapolis, is of the mind teams would rather buy Evans than ship out quality draft picks.
That’s only if a team thinks it is one major receiver away from a Super Bowl.
Joe cannot disagree. Hey, a year ago, the Patriots threw a $30 million a year offer at Chris Godwin, despite him coming off a gruesome injury that required his ankle to be rebuilt.
What could Evans fetch if Godwin was offered $30 million?
An NFL team that feels it’s a WR1 away from Super Bowl contention will more likely pursue Mike Evans in free agency than trade premium draft picks for A.J. Brown.
— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) February 25, 2026
February 26th, 2026 at 12:38 am
I’ve been talking about Marvin Harrison Jr since halfway through last season. He ain’t going to cost us anywhere near a 1st round pick. He can be had for a 2nd or 3rd unless their new coach thinks he can get more out of him. Cardinals fans can’t stand him and would welcome a 2nd rounder for him. If we let Evans go, get MH Jr and let’s roll into the next generation of offensive greatness. Bucs can unlock his talent for sure
February 26th, 2026 at 12:44 am
Oregon Buc Says:
“If we let Evans go, get MH Jr…”
Easy to say. Harder to do.
We need our draft picks. It’s the defense’s turn.
February 26th, 2026 at 2:45 am
Usually if a team decides to part with a former first round pick like MH Jr for what seems to be a bargain basement price: in this case a day 2 draft pick, let the buyer beware as there are probably underlying issues. The last thing OC Zac wants is a cancer infecting his WR room. Anyhow, we know that Jason would never give up a day 2 pick for anyone when he could use that pick to get another Braswell, Logan Hall or Aguayo…. /S
February 26th, 2026 at 3:01 am
If a team offers Mike $30m and the chance of another ring we let him go. He has earned the right to do that. He’ll still retire as a Buc. Still hope he re-signs though. We need to spend money on Defense.
February 26th, 2026 at 3:57 am
Mike Evans only missed 8 games in his first 10 years, averaging 15.4 games/season & 875 offensive snaps/season. That’s beastly, and a huge reason why ME13 was able to amass over 1,000 passing yds in EACH of those 10 years. And during that 10-year stretch Mike also averaged over 9 TDs & 60 first downs per season. THAT’S PRODUCTIVITY.
Unfortunately he’s missed 12 games in just these past 2 seasons, averaging only 11 games/season & 514 offensive snaps/season. His productivity has obviously dropped correspondingly, to an average of 7 TDs & 40 first downs per season. Still, last season was the outlier as he missed over half the season due to that broken collarbone. Reality however is that could’ve happened in any season and at any age.
Mike’s ‘value’ is obviously directly tied to his past … plus anticipated … productivity. Should teams expect the ME13 who averaged over 15 games, 875 snaps, 9 TDs & 60 first downs per season, OR should they expect the ME13 who averaged 11 games, 514 snaps, 7 TDs & 40 first downs per season? I suspect that’ll drive the amount any team is willing to offer for his services. $30 mil will buy 2-3 high quality free agents, maybe more.
February 26th, 2026 at 6:30 am
If he wants to go somewhere just to chase a ring when he already has one here and the Bucs have paid him over $150 million in his career and he just wants to chase money. Let him leave then. He’ll show himself as a greedy pig just like all the others. How much money is enough? Where does loyalty account? Do not remember him and Jason light practically crying two years ago on his you want to signing press conference? This is all about greed. Is he gonna go to Kansas City or Buffalo and enjoy those beautiful winters? Give me a break if you want to leave let him leave.
February 26th, 2026 at 6:39 am
Tag him! I love Mike. One of my favorite Bucs of all time. BUT, this is a business. He knows that. Plus, the franchise tag won’t be far off the $30M he might fetch elsewhere. Just do it!
February 26th, 2026 at 6:56 am
Hope he gets 30 million+ and signs with Buffalo… It would be a actual blessing and free up money for free agent positions we need. He would go to an AFC team you could at least root for…
February 26th, 2026 at 7:01 am
“Tag him! I love Mike. One of my favorite Bucs of all time. BUT, this is a business.”
Unless you’re Todd Bowles. Then it doesn’t matter if you produce results or not.
February 26th, 2026 at 7:03 am
We all love mike & of course want him be a buc 4life . This is the time to spend all resources on the defensive side of the ball . How many times did we watch the defense have no heart ? No gang tackling , nobody in the right position ! Slow , weak , and flat out embarrassing play on all 3 levels . Still can’t shut down 3rd downs , 4th downs & when healthy there is enough on offense , with better play calling they will be fine but toilet todd and the GM better figure out how to right the ship on defense or show them both the door !
February 26th, 2026 at 7:26 am
I look forward to seeing Mike chase a Super Bowl with a legit contender.
It will be more fun than watching the Bucs “win” 4-5 games.
February 26th, 2026 at 7:31 am
If a team is one receiver away from a Super Bowl AND they’re willing to pay 30 million them bye bye Evans. Fans would want to ship him off if he lost a step they wouldn’t be loyal so chase another ring
February 26th, 2026 at 7:44 am
I think Mike’s bigger thing is he doesn’t have much time left in the league, and 4 catches for 43 yards game in and game out isn’t how he wants to spend his remaining time
February 26th, 2026 at 8:12 am
Adios amigos
February 26th, 2026 at 8:57 am
Tag him. Then pay him.
February 26th, 2026 at 9:14 am
So if Evans leaves for another team and fans start following him on the other team does that make them Mikebois? This is the only fandom network that disparages others as fans because of a player. You guys that do this are crazy people.
February 26th, 2026 at 9:30 am
If Mike Evans returns to the Bucs it will be his 13th season which matches his jersey number.
I find that prophetic ( no disrespect intended).
February 26th, 2026 at 10:28 am
I love Mike but if he goes I would rather grab marvinnharrison Jr to pair with egbuka again…they trust each other and it makes sense to me and we would get younger at the position.
February 26th, 2026 at 10:35 am
The problem is that when only winning a Super Bowl is the definition of success, being a “contender” is not enough. And thinking that that a team is only one player away from being a contender is certainly a far cry from a guarantee. The NFL is rigged for parity, that is, uncertainty about the outcome. For a player to switch to a particular team with the expectation of winning a Super Bowl the next year is a very dicey proposition. To leave a situation already experienced as very successful and satisfying on many levels for such an elusive prize –one a player has already tasted in his career– is not necessarily a slamdunk choice.
February 26th, 2026 at 11:18 am
Look, enough of this feel good crap coming out of the head coach and the GM that he’s “earned the right” to test the market.
He’s earned the right to be paid fairly.
If you pay the man fairly, there’s no need to test the market.
The franchise tag exists for a reason.
Do not let this FACE OF THE FRANCHISE leave.
February 26th, 2026 at 12:24 pm
Evans is gone. He wants to join a contender. He’s seen enough of Bowles and his defense. 3rd and 28. Only chance to keep ME at a discount is if Licht makes a major move like snagging Crosby.
February 26th, 2026 at 1:40 pm
We have Double Bowles. Mikey isn’t going anywhere .
He realizes 3rd and 28 was not Bowles fault, and now Junior is here.
February 26th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
I really don’t care just as long as there are at least TWO teams extremely interested at the trade deadline. That’s the only thing I care about. Period. End of Story.
February 26th, 2026 at 3:24 pm
This is a tough one…. And not just sort of. What Mike “actually” represents for us is hard to calculate. It’s an EXTREMELY high line. He is most Certainly our Very Best Star that gave us Real Hope through some tough times. Our star that We Knew was going to make the rest of the league’s mouths water as Our Guy would Certainly put up over 1000 yards, Unstoppable First Downs, and we could All set our watches to “High Light Reel” touch downs on an Ever Game basis…
To lose that is Seriously Hard to fathom.
Then again, Mike IS getting a touch slower. He HAS TO protect himself so going Sky High and getting blasted in the ribs or up ended by his feet and ending up landing on his head is a scary prospect these days. Mike “use to” pop right up after those types of hits and for the Most part still does. But to be Perfectly HONEST, that’s not even the biggest thing.
The 95% of the ENTIRTY of All of the Buccaneer (Heart and Soul) Fans, realize we have an even Larger obstacle to Honest to God success to consider and the time Mike “likely” has left.
And that would be the ABSOLUTE WASTE of a season we’re about to waste our time watching and KNOWING that we Don’t Have 2 of the Most Important factors that would give us a REASON to have “HOPE”. I actually DO KNOW that most of us have no hope, an utterly EMPTY HOLE right in the middle of my Football Soul, and 95% of you know where this is leading. I’m going to spell it out Anyways…
We DO NOT have a head coach NOR a defensive coach that can lead himself away from a buffet line much the less, Lead a PROFESSIONAL TEAM to the promised land.
I Shouldn’t have to write another book of ALL the ways Todd Bowles has PROVED that he Never Was the Guy, and Certainly I (by now) shouldn’t have to point out the HUNDREDS of reasons Bowles never will be that guy and WHY this next season is an UTTER waste of “Hard to come by Hope” and Time.
So… what’s fair for Mike? We all pretty much KNOW how he sees it. His famous last words kind of spelled it out. I’m sure you ALL recall him losing his mind Screaming…
“3rd and 28! 3rd and 28! 3RD AND 28!”
Does anybody have ANY DOUBT that Mike thinks Bowles is going to get him to another Super Bowl shot before Mike’s literal time has run out??? Let me ask ALL of you this…. Is there a “Guarantee” that the Glazers are Definitely going to fire Bowles at the end of the season??? Who said that??? I’m PRETTY SURE that 95% of us thought to ourselves, “WELL OF COURSE THEY ARE GOING TO FIRE BOWLES NOW SINCE HE HAS LITERALLY LOST THE ENTIRE TEAM MUCH THE LESS COMPLETELY EMBARRASSED THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION AND THE GLAZERS!!!
Well guess what? They didn’t…. Who guaranteed Bowles WILL BE GONE if….? I’ll tell you, …. NOBODY DID! Do any of you think Mike wants to WASTE one of his very last years, and or go through another “rebuild” for the very last few years he has left??? Well, when I put it that way… I DON’T THINK SO! But then I nor you Know whether he WANTS another ring. Another SHOT at the glory of being part of another Super Bowl Ring. The Guarantees of “Hall of Fame GLORY” While Breaking More Records while he gets there…. Time is very short for Mike now. So if he decides to NOT hang it up with the Lame Duck coach and a Lame Duck season, and instead reaches for HIS personal Glory, does it make him a bad guy in your eyes? Would we agree he’s Bent Over in EVERY WAY POSSIBLE to help ALL OF US win? Because anybody being HONEST, Already Knows he done MORE THAN A LITTLE to get us ALL that Lombardi “already”. And now anybody being “honest” Already Knows we’re not going to,win a Super Bowl FOR YEARS now that the Glazers, Licht, and Obviously Bowles have already refused to put us in position.
Maybe it’s not so ridiculous that Mike who has given his All to us, looks to himself for a change to try to reach his highest high.
I’ve made up my mind. I say, Good Luck to you Mike if you chase more. I only wish the owners and management of this team had Your Heart to “GO For It” like you Still Want To…. if you go. Thanks for All you did for us while you could
February 26th, 2026 at 3:47 pm
Whatever he does, he will be happy esp. after dealing with the Bucs shortcomings last year. He deserves it before he retires. Would like him to stay a Bucs forever.