It Seems Mike Evans’ Exit Spooked Trey Hendrickson
March 12th, 2026
“Jason, you need a helluva lot more on defense than just me. If I didn’t care about winning, I’d have stayed in Cincinnati.”
Joe has speculated that Mike Evans telling the Bucs, in essence, “Thanks but no thanks, I want to win,” might just make other free agents think twice about coming to Tampa Bay.
“If Mike Evans doesn’t think that team can win, do I really want to go there?”
It seems, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, we may have seen the first example. The Bucs were very much in the thick of bringing Hendrickson back home to Florida, Fowler wrote. The initial sticking point with Hendrickson was that Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht only wanted Hendrickson on a short-term deal. The Apopka native and graduate of Warren Sapp High School and Florida Atlantic wanted a longer deal.
And before the Crows got into the mix and aggressively pursued and signed Hendrickson, the man who has 74.5 sacks this decade let it be known he wanted to play for a contender?
Where have we heard that before?
Joe has zero idea if Evans spoke with Hendrickson — it wouldn’t be a shock. If you are Hendrickson, wouldn’t you want to reach out to Evans to get an idea of what’s going on with the Bucs and maybe get insight into why Evans bolted?
So in a span of roughly a week, Hendrickson, by way of his agent’s proxy Adam Schefter, let it be known on a *very* public forum how he would love to play for the Bucs and stay in Florida (Hendrickson lives in Ponte Vedra).
And then? “Nah, I’m good. I’m going to ride with Lamar Jackson and bet he figures out how to win a playoff game or two.”
So, if the Bucs have been branded by NFL players, two stars, as a non-contender, and since the Bucs cannot develop a rookie edge rusher, it seems the only way Licht will get a proven edge rusher is to trade for one.
Yeah, that means Licht may have to give up a cherished draft pick. But hey, it worked with Jason Pierre-Paul. It can work again.
And if Licht pulls off another heist like he did with JPP, hey, three years later, trading for a stud could be the beginning of a turnaround, just like it was with JPP winning a Super Bowl three seasons after he arrived.
The Colts, Bills, Bucs, Commanders and Eagles all were involved in Trey Hendrickson's free agency before the All-Pro agreed to terms with the Ravens, per sources.
The Colts felt like they were close at one point.
The Eagles got involved late.
Tampa pursued but on a… pic.twitter.com/LPuAONjbQv
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 11, 2026
March 12th, 2026 at 4:05 am
It’s a tanking season to draft a franchise QB and hire a new HC in 2027. Then rebuild with them over the next few seasons. So win now free agents and-or trading premium picks are off the table.
March 12th, 2026 at 4:08 am
I don’t buy the ‘not a contender’ narrative. Did Baltimore do any better last year? Read the article on Evans’ ego as his primary motivation for leaving over at BucsReport — makes all the sense in the world. Trey took the cash. So the ‘not a contender’ remains a weak explanation, and I don’t see it deterring other players.
March 12th, 2026 at 4:17 am
JT … ‘So win now free agents and-or trading premium picks are off the table.’
Looking to 2027 (as opposed to 2026) so they can hire a new HC and potentially draft a QB may well be part of the rationale as to why the Glazers retained Todd Bowles (for another year at least). But that’s no reason to let the team fall down a well.
Bucs have so many holes (especially on defense) that even if we ‘fixed’ half of them we’d still just be an average defensive team. We can fix a lot of position groups by drafting very well in the 2026 AND 2027 drafts. But we desperately need FIELD LEADERSHIP to bring those guys along. Free agents like A’Shawn Robinson and Alex Anzalone can provide that quality veteran leadership that we desperately need. Both are very good signings IMO.
March 12th, 2026 at 4:38 am
Nice gossip but players are always gonna sign for more money, longer contracts as they should
March 12th, 2026 at 4:43 am
This is a bad free agent class I’m glad we didn’t sign any of these edge rushers. If we want to make a splash we will need to move up into the top 5 and take one off the big pass rushers in the draft.
March 12th, 2026 at 4:55 am
Bowles ….
March 12th, 2026 at 4:56 am
Toilet Bowles
March 12th, 2026 at 4:57 am
Kirk Cousins is available as a FA
March 12th, 2026 at 5:01 am
The remedy was discussed on this forum by many posters at the end of last season….
The beatings will continue until morale improves
Jason Lite
Todd Bowels
Watch Baker leave Tampa too ….
🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
March 12th, 2026 at 5:05 am
@Colin in Canada couldn’t agree more — glad the Bucs didn’t overpay for either of the imperfect edges available. If we draft well and stay relatively healthy we can still get to the quarterback.
March 12th, 2026 at 5:09 am
Four years at the age of 30 or 31? For an edge rusher?
And coming off an injury?
Hmm… how to put this without being insulting, but still make the point?
Gutsy?? Gutsy. Yeah…
Gutsy move by the Ravens.
It’s good to know the Bucs at least got into the conversation. If I was Jason Licht, I might have balked at 4 years, too.
To be fair, Hendrickson is one of those few players where you might need to be a little more willing to step outside of your comfort zone, in order to get him signed.
As for Mike’s departure potentially spooking Hendrickson, I don’t think there’s any question Mike’s decision has spooked a lot of potential free agents from coming here.
March 12th, 2026 at 5:20 am
Why am I getting whiffs of the lost decade 😒?
March 12th, 2026 at 5:34 am
Hendrickson was offered 4 years by the Ravens while Jason probably offered a 2 year deal with much less guaranteed coin. Typical Bucs move, too cheap. I think retaining Bowles has really damaged the credibility of this franchise.
I would donate to a Go Fund Me which will put a “Fire Bowles” statement on a billboard on Dale Mabry. This tactic worked with Ron Zook in Gainesville so why not Tampa. The radio station Power Pig 93FM did one for the Bucs’ owner Mr C in about 1990 as well when he told the Trib he was thinking of moving games to Orlando… Desperate times call for desperate actions. 3rd and 28.
March 12th, 2026 at 5:37 am
Can’t blame Bowels for being here…..
March 12th, 2026 at 6:36 am
Nice article. National Enquierer or TMZ hiring?
March 12th, 2026 at 6:42 am
Please..such drivel.
March 12th, 2026 at 6:43 am
DR
With all due respect sir, did you watch the Bucs after the bye? They went 2-7, that’s what I would call down the well. And keeping the same HC and QB that lead the collapse means that tanking is inevitable. The leaders on this team are not good and with their best efforts this team will lose. You can’t teach talent and ability, and both are on short supply with the Bucs.
I’m glad people are finally realizing what I’ve been saying for MONTHS. The Bucs are looking ahead to 2027 to start over and they have to clear the books this season and free up cap space for the next regime.
March 12th, 2026 at 6:45 am
Short term deal? Sounds to me like Licht is trying to patch the holes as cheaply as possible.
Kind of like keeping Bowles because the idiots in charge gave him an extension right before Bowles crapped the bed. 3rd and 28.
Evans leaving spoke volumes.
Is this franchise back to the pre-Hardy Nickerson days when FAs laughed at the idea of signing with Tampa?
March 12th, 2026 at 7:14 am
I think the “he wants to play in Tampa” line has to have been agent-driven – in order to drive up the asking price for other teams. It didn’t come from Hendrickson himself, but rather from Schefter (and presumably fed to him by Hendrickson’s agent).
March 12th, 2026 at 7:23 am
“Short term deal? Sounds to me like Licht is trying to patch the holes as cheaply as possible.”
Or maybe, just maybe, signing a 31-year old coming off a knee injury to a four-year deal with guaranteed money is a bad idea?
March 12th, 2026 at 7:34 am
Short term cheaper deal <long term more money deal doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that had nothing to do with Mike Evans leaving lol feelings are still hurt about it it seems.
March 12th, 2026 at 7:52 am
Drivel and gossip. It’s all speculation at this point. He didn’t sign with us. Geeez, move on.
March 12th, 2026 at 7:56 am
I stated this on another post but it seems obvious the Bucs are in a boom or blow it up mindset. Nobody is being signed to long term deals, no big splashes, roster is structured with vets that can easily be let go after this year, no willingness to part ways with draft picks….im certain Evans saw this. Retaining Bowles was the biggest signal….a team that genuinely is trying to contend would have cut ties with Bowles and made a move for a coach that would take a good team to a potentially great team. Why fire nearly all the assistants but keep Bowles?….Hes the only one with a contract extension.
The writing is on the wall…..it’s SB or bust for the Bucs. The biggest tell will be if/how they extend Baker. A team trying to contend would extend him, lower his cap hit and bring in pieces for the defense or depth. We haven’t adjusted a single contract. Its status quo for this team and with Bowles that’s basically accepting .500 season which will be the end for Bowles and the beginning of a rebuild.
March 12th, 2026 at 7:58 am
The nonsense on this site is ridiculous. The Seahawks just won a Super Bowl with a QB that was more of a so called “journeyman” than Baker Mayfield. Mayfield’s stats last year were better than SB QB, Sam Darnold, yet we are “tanking” to draft a new QB? In 2024 Mayfield had a year that only a few in NFL history have ever had. Without Baker Mayfield the Bucs team has almost zero appeal. The same geniuses who wanted Kyle Trask as QB are waking up to the fact that the rest of the NFL sees Kyle as a taxi cab driver. Have said before that the Joe’s need to institute a football competency test to post here.
March 12th, 2026 at 8:00 am
All the Glazers family’s fault. If they wanted Mike Evans they wouldn’t have let him get to free agency. Glazers & Jason tried to nickel and dime a Franchise Icon and still good player. Then at last minute you want to show him the money and that you love him and found out his exit was going to a PR nightmare. Glazers, Bowles, and Licht deserve every but of bad press they are getting here. Should have fired Bowles 2 off-seasons ago. We would have a better season in 25 and Mike Evans would be a real Buc for Life right now instead of lying about it 2 years ago, like the Glazers did. I agree Joe, Trey not coming here and choosing Ravens is probably because Glazers didn’t want to spend that money on a major need and Trey could be spooked by Evans leaving for Niners in the dramatic way he left by taking much less money. This is an ugly time in Bucs history. Im so mad at watching this train wreck of an off-season.