Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is one of the most consistent players at his position in the NFL. 2022 marked the ninth consecutive season to start his career that he recorded at least 1,000 yards receiving. Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Randy Moss are the only players with longer streaks.
Mike Evans has spent his entire career in Tampa Bay, but that could change this offseason. The Buccaneers have one of the worst salary cap situations in the league and could have to move some veterans to get under it.
Entering the final year of his contract, Mike Evans is a prime trade candidate as he has a cap hit of nearly $26.7 million but has zero guaranteed dollars on his contract. In line for an extension, the Buccaneers may opt to trade him instead of giving him a new contract given the uncertainty surrounding the team at the quarterback position.
If a trade were to occur, where could the Texas A&M product end up? Here are three teams who would make for intriguing landing spots for Mike Evans.
The New England Patriots have to figure out a way to get Mac Jones back on track. After a strong rookie season, his sophomore season was a huge letdown. The franchise already made one major change, bringing back Bill O’Brien to be the team’s offensive coordinator.
While that is a step in the right direction, the talent around Jones needs to be upgraded. Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor are both hitting free agency, while Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker’s futures with the franchise are up in the air.
The team has been linked to DeAndre Hopkins, but Mike Evans could be an even better target. Hopkins missed as many games in 2022 as Mike Evans has in his entire career, making him a more reliable option. It would probably cost a little more, but the Patriots need a bonafide No. 1 receiver and Mike Evans would fill that need.
The Baltimore Ravens No. 1 thing to do this offseason is to re-sign Lamar Jackson. If they do not retain him, they can likely kiss their chances of contending any time soon goodbye. If the last two seasons when he has been sidelined are any indication of things to come, there could be some ugly football on the horizon without him.
Once he is re-signed, the Ravens need to start finding upgrades around him. They traded away his No. 1 receiver Marquise Brown during the 2022 NFL Draft and didn’t replace him. There was optimism for Rashod Bateman to take over the No. 1 role but he managed to play in only six games.
Mike Evans would be a huge, much-needed upgrade for the Ravens’ passing attack. Always a dangerous running team, it is time for them to give Jackson a real No. 1 receiver to elevate the passing game as well.
Given how much success Jackson has had without a star receiver, there is another level to his game that can likely be unlocked.
There may not be a team in the NFL that needs a wide receiver upgrade more than the Chicago Bears. They have done Justin Fields a disservice thus far in his career with the lack of weapons that have been put around him, but that can change this offseason.
Armed with the No. 1 overall pick and ample cap space, this offseason is time for general manager Ryan Poles to shine. Trading down from the first pick and acquiring more draft capital would be ideal as Poles could then start turning those picks into established players.
Mike Evans would be the ideal target for the Bears as a big-bodied wide receiver capable of winning at every level. His presence would knock Darnell Moony and Chase Claypool down the pecking order into spots more conducive to their skill sets.
That trio would provide Fields with a strong core at wide receiver with Cole Kmet at tight end. Already with an elite running game, the Bears have a chance to be one of the best offenses in the NFL adding a true No. 1 receiver for Fields to target through the air.
