Mike Evans has spent the first decade of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but his time with the only team he has ever known could be coming to an end.
The Buccaneers failed to come to an agreement on a long-term deal with Evans prior to the season, meaning that the star wide receiver will be hitting free agency this spring.
As of right now, Tampa Bay is 2-0 in a terribly weak NFC South, so it probably has no interest in moving Evans at the moment. However, if the Bucs begin to regress (which is entirely possible, if not likely), you have to wonder if they will consider moving Evans.
Should the Buccaneers pivot and put Evans on the trade block, the Indianapolis Colts should absolutely place a phone call.
The Colts are in rebuilding mode themselves, as they are rolling with rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson in 2023. But how much of a boon would it be for Richardson to have Evans in tow?
Yes, Indianapolis already has Michael Pittman Jr., but whether or not Pittman is a true No. 1 receiver is debatable. No such debate exists with Evans.
Evans set an NFL record by reeling off nine straight 1,000-yard campaigns to begin his professional career, earning himself four trips to the Pro Bowl in the process.
The 30-year-old is also showing no signs of slowing down, as he has logged 12 catches for 237 yards and a couple of touchdowns through the first two weeks of the season.
Evans has also proven to be incredibly durable, playing in no less than 13 games in each of his first nine years in the league.
The Colts could potentially pry Mike Evans away from the Buccaneers by offering them a 2024 second-round draft pick as well as a fourth-rounder. The Bucs probably aren’t going to pay Evans what he wants this offseason anyway, so if they feel they aren’t going anywhere this year, it would be wise for them to try and recoup some value for Evans when they still have the chance.
