Fresh Mike Evans Vibes At Bucs Headquarters
April 28th, 2026
Too soon?
Well, Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht seems to think so, but he almost couldn’t help himself.
Joe’s referring to Bucs officials talking about replacing Mike Evans.
Emotions might still be a tiny bit raw when it comes to talk of replacing the legendary Bucs receiver who couldn’t wait to move on to San Francisco — where he accepted a lot less money, a lot more taxes, and a quarterback that doesn’t throw a great deep ball on a team that won six games two seasons ago.
Licht hopped on 95.7 FM WDAE this afternoon and was asked about third-round pick receiver Ted Hurst, who the Bucs nabbed on Friday night out of Georgia State.
Licht is pumped and wanted to send a message that Hurst gives off Evans vibes without actually saying it.
“He’s fast. He’s got incredible ball skills. He’s incredibly athletic,” Licht said of Hurst. “He had a lot of opportunities in the [college transfer] portal with NIL to move on to bigger schools. He chose to stay at Georgia State, which I think is a pretty cool feather in his cap, to finish it off with his teammates there.
“You know, I don’t like making pro comparisons sometimes because I don’t want to put the pressure on him and all of a sudden anoint him a Pro Bowler right away, either. But, you know, you can kind of connect the dots. We got a 6-foot-4, super fast, incredible-ball-skill guy down the field. There’s been some great players that have those assets.”
Yes, Joe’s jumping on a limb noting Licht was referring to Evans. #sarcasm
The GM went on to say he thinks the Bucs have “four” quality receivers, so Hurst shouldn’t be under pressure right away. He added that Baker Mayfield is “excited.”
April 28th, 2026 at 5:34 pm
Can’t wait to see Baker overthrow him by ten yards or throw an INT in a game changing moment.
That’ll be exciting!
April 28th, 2026 at 5:37 pm
We don’t want him to replace the legendary Mike Evans
But, we want him to give us better production than the 2025 version
And that’s not asking for a whole lot
April 28th, 2026 at 5:37 pm
Hurst looks like a player I don’t go off the competition the eye test never lies
April 28th, 2026 at 5:40 pm
Baker and Evans managed to connect on 24 TDs in just a couple years, despite Mayfield’s terrible passing abilities. I will take that.
April 28th, 2026 at 5:50 pm
Larrd Says:
April 28th, 2026 at 5:40 pm
Baker and Evans managed to connect on 24 TDs in just a couple years, despite Mayfield’s terrible passing abilities. I will take that.
What did they accomplish in that time frame??
Oh yeah, one playoff win and two losses, then missed the playoffs all together.
With Bowles that’s as good as a SB title. #Winning
April 28th, 2026 at 5:50 pm
Obviously want a great year for the Bucs. I cant get excited about this team. Saw alot of bad football last year. I expect a Mike Smith caliber stinker of a season.
April 28th, 2026 at 5:56 pm
Can we get some fresh coach vibes?
April 28th, 2026 at 5:56 pm
I’ve never seen so many fans familiar with the bottom half of a full glass. Jesus. It’s the off-season. We just had a promising draft. And yet all they seem to do is complain. I wonder if it’s like that for the fan base of the other 30 teams that didn’t win the super bowl this past season. I wasn’t happy with the end of last year obviously. But I’m trying to find some positives in what has been a pretty decent off-season with the exception of losing two Hall of Fame players.
April 28th, 2026 at 5:57 pm
We we need a quaterback baker carr aint no franchise qb he sucks big time
April 28th, 2026 at 6:01 pm
No Tez, huh?
April 28th, 2026 at 6:07 pm
Steven007, I agree with you
These guys are so miserable that they can’t wait for a new article so they can complain. Even their wives are probably miserable because of how they are. Negative energy all the time. I wonder what lynchmob50 life looks like. Get off my lawn and my trailer park is better than yours kind of guy!
April 28th, 2026 at 6:14 pm
So many unhappy Buc trolls on here. Will change their screen names once we go back to the playoffs and return unless we win it all. Feel sorry for them; sports is supposed to bring joy to our lives but they are stuck being unhappy. Must be tough to live that way.
Know nothing about this guy but look forward to seeing what he has.
April 28th, 2026 at 6:15 pm
The Baker hate above … ya’ll people are dumb, go away
April 28th, 2026 at 6:16 pm
Says #99 the Big Fella Says:
April 28th, 2026 at 6:07 pm
Steven007, I agree with you
These guys are so miserable that they can’t wait for a new article so they can complain. Even their wives are probably miserable because of how they are. Negative energy all the time. I wonder what lynchmob50 life looks like. Get off my lawn and my trailer park is better than yours kind of guy
All that with and a small Richard. Describes him and a few others perfectly
April 28th, 2026 at 6:19 pm
ME chose to leave this team. This is a good pick with loads of potential. Hope he and the other new young Bucs do well. Be happy Bucs fans-we had a good draft!
April 28th, 2026 at 6:24 pm
I must say I didn’t have him on my radar at all and I was initially disappointed with the pick. I saw it as a reach for a Mike Evens wannabe. I wasn’t alone. But I was impressed with his highlight tapes. He’s not a true burner, but he is certainly pretty darn fast. Highlights are highlights, but he had a lot of them for a guy with a nobody for a QB. And now a good many pundits who actually know college ball are singing this unknowns praises as if they think we got a sneaky good steal. He isn’t really a Mike Evans clone. Mike Evans is a pure physical freak. But Mike had a much, much better college QB throwing to him. I’m not going to fit him with a gold jacket or reserve a spot for him in the Ring of Honor just yet, but I think this guy is going to be a very nice surprise. Best of all this kid will be just 22 to begin camp and he has been notably injury free in college. Lord knows Evans and Godwin were always hurt. Maybe this guy will actually be available more often.
April 28th, 2026 at 6:31 pm
Will keeping repeating it that ME didn’t seem that happy last year when EE and Tez scored TD’s. Obvious that he wanted to see the ball more. The young guys represented competition for the ball. Wasn’t anyone’s fault that injuries limited ME playing time. Better for all to move on. Hope he finds what he wants in SF.
April 28th, 2026 at 6:34 pm
Look, the Bozo fans are out in force. You ladies seem to enjoy complaining quite a bit about fellow fans. Or are you a bunch of Aint’s fans just trolling away in hopes that your hero Bozo Mc Clown is here forever so that your pathetic team has a chance…? You three ladies have a lot of nerve but No friends… YOU COMPLAIN ON THE DAILY ABOUT BUCCANEER FANS, CLOWNS!
Why don’t yall head on back to your Stinking Cesspool!
April 28th, 2026 at 6:34 pm
Hope Hurst balls out this season and the Evans stories finally die. Evans is gone and i prefer not to think of him and his continual hamstring injuries.
April 28th, 2026 at 6:48 pm
Big difference between mid third round pick and #7 in round 1. Even if he turns out as good as our other two third round WRs, Godwin & JMac, I’ll be very happy.
April 28th, 2026 at 6:49 pm
Rock on Bakerfan! ,its the thc drinks at circle k!
April 28th, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Be fun to watch the Bucs go back to camp. Different team I guess. Go Bucs.
April 28th, 2026 at 6:56 pm
If you hate Bowles and you hate Baler your life is full of hate and you are getting nothing positive out of being a Buccaneers fan. Maybe it’s time to move on to another hobby that you are a little more positive about? Just a thought…
Go Bucs! What a fabulous draft as far as production and potential!
April 28th, 2026 at 6:59 pm
The kid definitely has a couple years to develop because Godwin, Egbuka, McMillan, Tez are the top 4 and they have a couple other young guys plus I wouldn’t be surprised if Shepherd is back.
It sure is cool to see a guy running that fast at 6’3 being taken by the Bucs though
Wish him well!
April 28th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
Ted is more of a Randy Moss build and speed than Evans. Evans is size and power.
Hurst was a bit faster with similar vertical. Mike has had some awful drops before, Godwin had the better hands. We shall see how Ted is in that area. Film looks solid but highlights never show drops.
April 28th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
If he makes it through training camp with his hamstrings intact we’re already ahead.
April 28th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
@obvious one
So, anyone who doesn’t like constant whining/crying/bi+ching about the need to fire the head coach, on every article, and says so, is a “bozo fan” who has no friends ? Or they’re less masculine than the hateful crew you belong to ?
Cmon man – you need some help 🤣
April 28th, 2026 at 7:07 pm
Can you imagine these fans through the McKay years?? Sad
April 28th, 2026 at 7:11 pm
Steve V, hilarious. There’d be a line at the skyway for the constant complainers during the truly ugly years. Clearly no sense of History.
April 28th, 2026 at 7:17 pm
Yeah , no pressure on comparing a GA State WR to a HOF WR.
April 28th, 2026 at 7:40 pm
So excited to see the new team! Great draft!
The combination of dogs like Bain, Scott, and Trotter on D!!!
Baker to Hurst!
Its gonna be fun.
A question for the haters…if this team is such trash, what are you doing here? No one is forcing you to follow the Bucs, you can go follow SF or some other team worthy of your attention.
April 28th, 2026 at 7:46 pm
And why not JL nice go to. After all he did leave with dreams of purdy and kittle.
He’s a TX guy never really grew roots in Tampa. We got a good player great young guy from South GA with strong hamstrings; fluid with long arms and amazing ball skills
And our Offense is loaded save our next Gronk
April 28th, 2026 at 7:56 pm
Personally, I would wish good health and happiness to ME. He had a fabled career with the Bucs. He’s in the golden years of his NFL journey and he deserves to be happy.
But more so, I’m also hoping that we bounce back this year — both offensively and defensively — with the success that fresh blood in coaching and players can potentially offer.
Glass is definitely half full right now. Go Bucs!!
April 28th, 2026 at 7:56 pm
What a grrrreat little treat tonight on ACC Network. A fantastic ‘mid-week’ non conference, late season Top-10 College Baseball matchup on a TUESDAY NIGHT, with #9-Ranked Coastal at #2 North Carolina!!!! WOW. How great it is being an American, and living in the good ole USA. You can’t beat that.
April 28th, 2026 at 8:07 pm
HUUUUGE Game for Coastal and their chances for a Top-8 ‘National’ Seed. Would REALLY help their chances of getting back to Omaha. I’ve actually been to their stadium before (and football)… It’s VERY Nice. I’ve always liked the SunBelt Conference. Mostly, because of Western Kentucky! But, most of those schools have nice facilities, and have invested A LOT. Our boy Hurst’s Georgia State bought the old Turner Field in downtown ATL, and refit it for Football. I’ve been there before, too LoL. And, I know their football program founder… Bill Curry. It’s a nice little conference. I think James Madison will eventually end up in The ACC one day, if North Carolina, Virginia, Miami, and others, jump ship.
April 28th, 2026 at 8:11 pm
does he need to come out after every couple of plays or every time he ran more than 30 yards?