Bucs, Mike Evans agree to 2-year, $52M contract, agent says،
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and five-time Pro-Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans have reached agreement on a two-year, $52 million contract, including $35 million guaranteed, his agent, Deryk Gilmore, told ESPN .
Evans, who was set to enter free agency next week, now has a real chance to start and end his career as a “Buc for Life” in Tampa.
Gilmore said the deal, which averages $26 million per season, is the largest for such a veteran receiver who is on his third contract.
Evans' return will not only help the Buccaneers' offense, but also serve as another catalyst in recruiting to re-sign free agent quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has said he hopes to continue playing with the player out competition.
“He's an unprecedented player. We want him to be a Buc for life,” general manager Jason Licht said last week at the NFL Combine.
Evans was expected to be one of the best – if not the best – wide receivers available via free agency. Among others, it was expected that the Kansas City Chiefs would be interested.
Other big free agent receivers include Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman, Calvin Ridley, Odell Beckham Jr. and Michael Thomas.
The Bucs and Evans failed to reach a deal before the start of the 2023 regular season, with discussions postponed until the end of the season after a missed September 9 deadline.
Evans, 30, put that disappointment aside and turned in one of the best performances of his career, tying for a league-leading 13 touchdowns – the first time he has finished atop the touchdown leaderboard.
He reached the 1,000 receiving yard mark for the 10th straight season – an NFL record for the start of a career and only one shy of tying Hall of Famer Jerry Rice's overall record.
He had multiple touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12 and the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16, as well as 100+ yard games against the Chicago Bears in Week 2, the Tennessee Titans in Week 10 and the Carolina Panthers in Week 13.
The Bucs selected Evans seventh overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, making him Licht's first selection as general manager. Since then, Evans has become one of the NFL's leading receivers, with five Pro Bowl selections (2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023).
A three-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, Evans and his wife Ashli's Mike Evans Family Foundation has provided more than $470,000 in scholarships to students in Florida and Texas, while helping also victims of domestic violence. In 2023, Evans is the author of a children's book titled “Mike Evans' Middle School Rules”, highlighting the adversity Evans faced losing his father, Mickey, and growing up in Galveston after the Hurricane Ike.
ESPN's Jenna Laine contributed to this report.
