According to Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports, sources he’s spoken to believe “it’s less than 50-50” whether veteran WR Mike Evans re-signs with the Buccaneers this offseason.
Pauline says Evans would like to play for a contender and win another Super Bowl.
Pauline specifically lists the Bills as a likely target for Evans should he consider moving on from Tampa Bay. He also tosses out the Patriots are a potential team to watch.
News surfaced Tuesday that Evans will return in 2026 for his age-33 and 13th season in the league.
While there was understandably some question whether he will continue after his injury-riddled 2025, Evans is set to return and test the free agent market. He made a base salary of $1.255 million in 2025 and carried a cap number of $25.358 million.
Evans, 32, is a former first-round pick of the Buccaneers back in 2014. He was in the final year of his four-year, $14.631 million, and set to make a base salary of $690,000 for the 2017 season when he agreed to a five-year, $82.5 million extension that includes $55 million guaranteed in 2018.
Evans made a base salary of $13 million in the final year of his deal and was set to become an unrestricted free agent when he agreed to a two-year extension worth $52 million in 2024.
He is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
In 2025, Evans has appeared in four games for the Buccaneers and recorded 14 catches on 32 targets for 140 yards and one touchdown.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2026 NFL Free Agents.
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