Mike Evans Considered Signing With Bills
A dozen years into a potential Hall of Fame career, wide receiver Mike Evans left the Buccaneers for the 49ers on Monday. Discussing the decision on Thursday, Evans told reporters he entered free agency seeking a contender with a good quarterback (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports California). He found that in San Francisco, which reeled him in with a three-year offer worth a base value of $42.4MM.
The 32-year-old Evans will go forward with Brock Purdy as his quarterback, but he also considered moving to Buffalo to team with Josh Allen.
“So I was looking at here, Buffalo Bills, teams that needed a No. 1 wide receiver,” Evans said. “I liked this place. This was my No. 1 spot on my own.”
It is unclear if the Bills were aggressive in pursuing Evans, especially after they acquired the pricey D.J. Moore from the Bears last week. However, if the Bills brought in Evans to pair with Moore, it would have given them a much better outside receiver duo than they had last year. The Bills have a quality slot target in Khalil Shakir, but the rest of their wideouts underwhelmed in 2025.
Former second-round pick Keon Coleman did not progress as hoped during a year in which former head coach Sean McDermott made him a healthy scratch four times. Meanwhile, Josh Palmer and Curtis Samuel struggled to produce during injury-shortened years. To no surprise, the Bills released Samuel last Friday. Late-season pickup Brandin Cooks is also a free agent. Tyrell Shavers is under contract, but he will miss time next season after tearing his ACL in a wild-card round win over the Jaguars.
As things stand, Coleman and Palmer are Buffalo’s top boundary receivers beyond Moore. There is clearly still room for improvement, whether it comes by way of a dwindling free agent market, another trade or the draft.
Jauan Jennings, the 49ers’ most productive receiver in 2025, may be the No. 1 option left in free agency. The 49ers have already lost auxiliary wideout Kendrick Bourne to the Cardinals, but they now have Evans slotting in with Ricky Pearsall atop their receiving corps. The 49ers are counting on healthier seasons for both players. Multiple injuries – including a hamstring strain and a broken clavicle – limited Evans to eight games in 2025 and denied him a record-setting 12th straight 1,000-yard season. Knee problems held Pearsall to nine games during the second year of his career.
Despite injuries to Pearsall and a slew of other noteworthy contributors, the 49ers went 12-5 and advanced to the divisional round last season. During their run to a Super Bowl title, the NFC West rival Seahawks knocked the 49ers out of the postseason in a 41-6 blowout. But Evans, who won a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay, is confident he will help San Francisco get over the hump next year.
“Even with all the injuries last year … I feel like they were one piece away,” the six-time Pro Bowler said (via Nick Wagoner of ESPN). “And I think that I am that piece. I look forward to coming here and proving that.”
49ers To Sign WR Mike Evans
11:10pm: The Evans contract is worth $42.4MM in base value, according to The33rdTeam’s Ari Meirov. The incentive-laden deal includes $16.3MM guaranteed and includes. This would stand to give the 49ers flexibility beyond 2026, though it is not yet known how the contract is structured.
1:35pm: Mike Evans will not agree to a fourth Buccaneers contract. Instead, the greatest offensive player in franchise history is leaving Tampa after 12 seasons. The 49ers are adding Evans, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports.
San Francisco is bringing in the future Hall of Famer on a three-year deal, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Buccaneers have been among the best at retaining their own players under Jason Licht, and Evans’ agent confirms Tampa Bay made a “very strong offer.” But Evans will play for a second NFL team soon.
It is a three-year deal worth up to $60.4MM, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Evans was linked to a $20MM-per-year price recently, and while he may have fallen just short, this still represents a quality free agency conclusion for a soon-to-be 33-year-old receiver. An offer as high as $27MM per year may have emerged, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman offers. Evans could conceivably be more interested in fit at this stage of his career, having already played out two lucrative deals following his 2014 first-round accord.
Only Jerry Rice has more 1,000-yard seasons than Evans’ 11. While the 49ers wide receiver legend is in his own league for All-Pro honors (11), Evans is a two-time All-Pro whose most recent such honor came in 2023. A broken collarbone sidelined Evans for much of 2025, but prior to that, the 6-foot-5 wideout began with an NFL-record-smashing 11 straight seasons of 1,000 receiving yards to start a career.
The Bucs had kept Evans off the 2024 free agent market by giving him a two-year, $41MM deal; this time around, the team viewed its all-time leading receiver as having the right to hear other teams’ offers. The Bucs drafted Emeka Egbuka in Round 1 last year, doing so a month after re-signing Chris Godwin for a second time. They also have Jalen McMillan signed through 2027. But Evans’ departure will sting Tampa Bay’s offense, as he has more than a 5,000-yard lead on the second-leading receiver (Godwin) in franchise history.
The 49ers are soon to release Brandon Aiyuk — barring an unlikely 11th-hour trade agreement — after a strange 2025. San Francisco took the rare step of voiding Aiyuk’s guarantees, as his injury rehab veered off course from the team’s wishes, and the 2024 extension recipient became distant during a lost season. The 49ers then lost 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall to multiple injuries, finishing the year with George Kittle suffering an Achilles tear. Jauan Jennings helped save this battered receiving corps, and while the 49ers want to retain the former seventh-round find, he is now a free agent.
Beginning his Bucs career before Jameis Winston‘s arrival, Evans worked with the erratic No. 1 overall pick for five seasons and became a key part of the team’s sales pitch to Tom Brady in 2020. Evans and Godwin helped convince Brady to join the Bucs, and the duo were pivotal during the franchise’s run to a Super Bowl LV win. After Antonio Brown‘s infamous walk-off, Evans continued to anchor the Bucs’ receiving corps and became a central reason for Baker Mayfield‘s rebound. It will be interesting to see if the Bucs go after a starter-level replacement or roll with Godwin, Egbuka and McMillan while allocating resources elsewhere.
Evans was connected to numerous teams in free agency. The Bills, Chargers, Commanders, Giants and Browns were among the suitors. The 49ers were on that list, however, with our Adam La Rose pegging this as a strong fit in his most recent mailbag. They will see if Evans can lift an offense that might be Kittle-less to open the 2026 season.
Mike Evans To Explore Free Agent Options; Browns Among Likely Suitors
4:36pm: While Evans will gauge his market, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman notes the Buccaneers will be able to provide counter offers before a final decision is made. One of Tampa Bay’s top priorities in free agency will be electing to match the bids made by interested teams in this case or allowing Evans to depart.
2:27pm: Mike Evans will play in 2026 but it remains to be seen if his iconic Buccaneers tenure will continue. Outside options will be explored before a final decision is made in this case. 
Evans’ agent Deryk Gilmore confirmed to the media (including Dianna Russini of The Athletic) on Sunday that no early Buccaneers re-up will take place this time around. That was the case in 2024, but other teams will have the opportunity to make a push for Evans this week.
Discussions with Tampa Bay are ongoing, but the team already has much of its WR setup in place for 2026. The Bucs spent last offseason re-signing Chris Godwin and selecting Emeka Egbuka in the first round of the draft; those two will work with Jalen McMillan once again next year. It will be interesting to see how prepared Tampa Bay is to make a competitive Evans offer over the coming days.
A long list of suitors has emerged in the six-time Pro Bowler’s case recently, and it appears it could grow once the negotiating period open. Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports the Browns are expected to be among the teams which make a push to sign Evans this week. New head coach Todd Monken worked with Evans from 2016-18 when he was Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator. That level of familiarity could come into play on the open market, but in general the Browns figure to be in the market for a receiver upgrade.
Cleveland ranked 31st in passing yards this past season. Stronger play up front and at the quarterback position would of course go a long way in improving on that figure in 2026. As Monken prepares to lead the Browns, though, an addition or two in the pass-catching department would certainly be welcomed as well. Thanks to the latest Deshaun Watson restructure, Cleveland currently has $15.8MM in cap space.
Evans was limited to eight games in 2025, leaving him short of 1,000 yards for the first time in his 12-year career. At the age of 33 (by the time the coming campaign begins), durability could increasingly become an area of caution for interested teams. In the event of a Buccaneers departure – something which seems to be increasingly likely – Evans will account for a $13MM dead money charge on Tampa Bay’s capsheet.
Colts WR Alec Pierce, Packers WR Romeo Doubs Drawing Extensive Interest; Pierce Prefers To Stay In Indy
Since the Colts have placed the transition tag on QB Daniel Jones, the only way they can keep WR Alec Pierce from speaking to interested teams when the legal tampering period opens tomorrow is by agreeing to terms on a new contract. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects negotiations between Pierce and Indianapolis to go down to the wire, and there are a number of clubs waiting to pounce if a deal is not consummated.
Fowler names the Patriots, Commanders, Raiders, and Titans as teams that are in the mix for Pierce. New England’s interest was noted previously, and with the club set to make Stefon Diggs a one-and-done in Foxborough, it makes sense that it wants to bring in another weapon for third-year QB (and 2025 MVP runner-up) Drake Maye.
After advancing to the NFC Championship Game in Jayden Daniels’ rookie year in 2024, the Commanders limped to a 5-12 mark last season. That was due in large part to Daniels’ health woes, which limited him to just seven games, but Washington could stand to bolster its contingent of pass-catchers. Beyond WR1 Terry McLaurin, the club has Luke McCaffrey, Treylon Burks, and 2025 fourth-rounder Jaylin Lane under contract for 2026.
That trio combined for 558 receiving yards and four TDs last year, so a player with Pierce’s abilities would be a welcome addition. Fowler hears this free agency period could be an especially active one for the Commanders, who have roughly $90MM in cap space and who are looking to capitalize on Daniels’ rookie-contract window. In addition to wide receiver, Washington is interested in upgrading at running back, cornerback, edge rusher, and possibly tight end. Fowler names the team as a “sleeper” for Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, whom the Buccaneers are actively trying to re-sign.
The Raiders will release veteran signal-caller Geno Smith and are poised to select QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the draft. Even though Las Vegas reportedly prefers to keep Mendoza on the bench for at least the early stages of his rookie campaign, adding weapons for him will be a key goal. According to Fowler, the Raiders are also interested in Rashid Shaheed, who has a big fan in new head coach Klint Kubiak (Kubiak, of course, has worked with Shaheed in both New Orleans and Seattle). Fowler cautions that the Raiders’ bigger need is the offensive line, but the club has plenty of spending power with over $120MM in cap room.
Like the other teams mentioned in connection with Pierce, the Titans are looking to add receiving help for a young quarterback. Tennessee is hoping Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 draft, will progress quickly under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and acquiring proven pass-catchers will be key in achieving that goal (particularly with Calvin Ridley on the chopping block). The team has been connected to the Giants’ Wan’Dale Robinson as well.
Pierce is a big-play threat who has led the NFL in yards-per-catch in each of the past two seasons. However, some evaluators believe the Packers’ Romeo Doubs is the most well-rounded receiver eligible for free agency this year, and in addition to Pierce’s market, the Patriots, Commanders, and Titans are closely monitoring Doubs’ situation.
The 49ers are looking at Doubs as well, per Fowler. The four-year Packer, who is also expected to draw interest from the Bills, has three 600-plus-yard seasons on his resume, including a career-high 724 (on 13.2 yards per catch) in 2025. San Francisco could lose Jauan Jennings to the open market and is set to move on from Brandon Aiyuk, making wide receiver an obvious area of need. Green Bay, though, has not ruled out a Doubs re-up; GM Brian Gutekunst said at this year’s scouting combine that he would love to see the Nevada product return (via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk).
Fowler confirms Pierce, who has a close relationship with Jones, would prefer to stay with the Colts. That said, the Cincinnati product is in line for a deal paying him at least $27MM per year, and if Indianapolis does not pony up that kind of cash, it may not be able to keep Pierce in the fold.
49ers, Bills, Chargers, Commanders, Giants Could Pursue Mike Evans
MARCH 6: A new Buccaneers deal remains something to watch for in this case, Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports reports. He adds the Titans and Raiders could also be in play provided the “right deal” can be worked out, though.
MARCH 4: Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has established himself as a franchise icon over his 12-year career. The six-time Pro Bowler could continue his career in Tampa Bay next season, but he will at least hear other teams out in free agency.
In 2024, the last time Evans was on the cusp of free agency, the Buccaneers stopped him from reaching the open market with a two-year, $52MM offer. Evans was then coming off one of the best seasons of a potential Hall of Fame career. He caught 79 passes for 1,255 yards and a personal-high 13 touchdowns in his lone 17-game campaign.
Soon to turn 33, Evans is now looking for a new deal on the heels of his worst year. Multiple injuries – including a hamstring strain and a broken clavicle – held Evans to eight games, 30 receptions, 368 yards and three scores. His nine absences prevented him from a 12th straight 1,000-yard season, which would have given him the all-time record. He instead will remain tied with the legendary Jerry Rice for that honor.
Although 2025 fell well short of a typical Evans year, he will have no shortage of interest on the open market. Evans may not do as well on his next deal, but a pact in the range of $20MM per year is realistic, sources told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. The 49ers, Bills, Chargers, Commanders and Giants are among potential suitors for the 6-foot-5, 231-pounder, per Jones.
The 49ers, Bills and Chargers were all playoff teams last season, which should appeal to Evans. As part of an 8-9 Bucs squad, the one-time Super Bowl winner missed out on postseason play for the first time since 2019 last year.
San Francisco could lose pending free agent Jauan Jennings, who led the team’s wide receivers in catches (55), yards (643) and touchdowns (nine) last season. The 49ers will also finalize a divorce from Brandon Aiyuk sometime soon.
The Josh Allen-led Bills are in dire need of at least one high-end outside complement to reliable slot man Khalil Shakir. The 2024 second-round selection of Keon Coleman has not worked out, and neither have recent free agent signings Josh Palmer and Curtis Samuel. Odds are the Bills will cut Samuel this offseason. They are also facing the possible departure of Brandin Cooks in free agency.
The Chargers have wideouts Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and 2025 second-rounder Tre Harris under contract for next season. Perennially productive 33-year-old Keenan Allen is unsigned, which leaves room for a venerable veteran pass catcher. That could still be Allen, but Evans is at least on the Chargers’ radar.
The Commanders and Giants were miles from the playoffs last year, but both teams at least have prized young quarterbacks. Washington’s Jayden Daniels won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors during a dazzling NFL introduction in 2024. He helped lead the Commanders to 12 wins and an NFC title game in his first season, but they skidded to 5-12 during an injury-ravaged 2025. Daniels missed 10 games, and No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin sat out seven.
Adding Evans to a healthy Daniels and McLaurin could make for a potent Washington passing attack in 2026. Whether it’s Evans or someone else, the Commanders will add to a receiving corps that could see Deebo Samuel walk away in free agency.
As a rookie last season, Giants signal-caller Jaxson Dart impressed despite losing No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers to a season-ending ACL tear in Week 4. Wan’Dale Robinson stepped up as Dart’s go-to target, but he is now nearing free agency. There is reportedly a good chance the Giants will re-sign Robinson, but he primarily works from the slot. There would still be room for Evans on the outside. That would give Dart and the new head coach-offensive coordinator duo of John Harbaugh–Matt Nagy a formidable receiver trio.
Among wideouts scheduled to hit the open market, the Colts’ Alec Pierce should have the most earning power on a long-term contract. No soon-to-be free agent has a better resume than Evans, though, and that will help him secure another strong payday on a short-term agreement.
Mutual Interest Between Bucs, Mike Evans; WR To Explore Free Agent Options
FEBRUARY 27: While the Bucs maintain that Evans has “earned the right” to hear what other teams have to offer, ESPN’s Jenna Laine reports that Evans’ representatives at the NFL Scouting Combine, Darren Jones and Deryk Gilmore, met with the team in Indianapolis. Per Laine, Tampa Bay “will aggressively pursue trying to re-sign” the veteran wide receiver for 2026.
FEBRUARY 23: Mike Evans will play in 2026, meaning his decorated NFL career is set to include a 13th season. It remains to be seen if a new Buccaneers pact will be worked out or if a first ever free agent departure is in store.
To no surprise, SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora reports a mutual interest exists between Evans and Tampa Bay. The sides worked out a two-year, $41MM pact in 2024 just in time to prevent the franchise icon from testing the market. It appears that will not be the case this spring.
Evans’ agents have already conveyed his desire to seek out other options in free agency. La Canfora confirms the six-time Pro Bowler is assessing other teams based on the strength of their offenses and his potential fit. Playing on a Super Bowl contender is obviously a priority for Evans, who earned a ring in 2020 with Tampa Bay.
The Bucs have Chris Godwin under contract for two more years, and the team has made a pair of recent draft investments at the receiver spot (third-rounder Jalen McMillan in 2024, first-rounder Emeka Egbuka in 2025). Moving on without Evans would leave those three in place as the core of Tampa Bay’s passing attack, and there should be no shortage of other suitors lining up outside Evans offers. The Texas A&M product contemplated joining the Chiefs and Texans prior to signing his latest Buccaneers deal.
Injuries limited Evans to just eight games in 2025 and prevented him from registering a 12th consecutive 1,000-yard showing. He will be 33 by the start of next season, so a short-term offer from the Bucs or any other teams should be expected. As La Canfora notes, though, Evans is aiming to remain a full-time starting presence with Tampa Bay or a different suitor; he is still seen as an impact wideout by evaluators around the league. This situation will be worth watching closely as a result.
The likes of George Pickens and Alec Pierce are strong candidates to be retained via the franchise tag shortly. That could leave Evans as one of the top wideouts available on the market once free agency begins in mid-March. Another Tampa Bay re-up remains a possibility at this point, but it may very well take longer than last time for Evans’ future to be settled.
Mike Evans To Return In 2026
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has put any retirement talk to bed. Evans will return for a 13th season in 2026, agents Deryk Gilmore and Darren Jones told Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN. Although Evans is a career-long Buccaneer, the pending free agent will explore his options on the open market.
While Evans left the door open for retirement in September, he would have exited on a sour note had he gone through with it. The 32-year-old entered 2025 aiming for a 12th straight 1,000-yard campaign, which would have broken a tie with Jerry Rice for the all-time record. However, multiple injuries – including a broken clavicle – prevented Evans from surpassing the legendary Rice.
Playing in just eight of the Buccaneers’ 17 games, Evans wound up with 30 catches, 368 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-foot-5, 231-pounder’s injuries contributed to a disappointing finish for Tampa Bay, which went 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
On Feb. 8, Gilmore expressed optimism Evans would continue playing, stating: “[Evans] finished feeling better than he has in several seasons. I think his competitive nature leads to more football. That is my hope.”
Evans proved Gilmore right nine days later, but now their focus will turn to which uniform he will wear in 2026. As veteran insider Jordan Schultz notes, “Evans’ heart has always been in Tampa.” Nevertheless, if Evans sees a better opportunity after the Buccaneers fell flat in 2025, he may take it.
The last time Evans was on track to reach the open market, 2024, the Buccaneers prevented it from happening with a two-year, $52MM offer. A host of teams were prepared to line up for Evans before he re-signed. He later pointed to the Texans and Chiefs as clubs he would have considered joining had he rejected the Bucs’ proposal. As a Galveston native and a former Texas A&M standout, signing with the Texans would have given him a chance to play in his home state.
Since going to Tampa Bay as the seventh pick in the 2014 draft, Evans has amassed 866 receptions, 13,052 yards and 108 touchdowns. Now a six-time Pro Bowler and a one-time Super Bowl champion, the potential Hall of Famer is on his way to free agency as the most accomplished receiver available. Combining his injury-ruined 2025 and his age, Evans won’t test the market at an ideal time. Nevertheless, it’s likely he will garner plenty of interest from around the league.
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans Could Continue Playing In 2026
The 2026 offseason will once again include questions about the future of Mike Evans. The Buccaneers icon is a pending free agent, and it remains to be seen if his career will continue.
Nothing has officially be decided on that front yet. Nevertheless, Sunday has brought about an update of sorts on Evans’ future. Agent Deryk Gilmore indicated to Mike Garafolo, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network that a 13th NFL season may be in store in this case.
“Mike started the season in great shape,” a statement from Gilmore reads in part. “Most people in the organization said he probably had the best camp of everyone. He finished feeling better than he has in several seasons. I think his competitive nature leads to more football. That is my hope.”
Evans came close to reaching the open market in 2024, but he wound up inking a two-year, $41MM pact. That deal is now set to void on the final day of the 2025 league year. With no extension having been worked out over the course of the past season, it is once again unclear how this situation will play out. Evans, 32, said in September he would contemplate retirement after the 2025 season.
Things certainly did not go as he or the Bucs would have hoped. Various injuries – including a broken clavicle – limited Evans to just eight games. As a result, the six-time Pro Bowler was held under 1,000 receiving yards in a season for the first time in his career. That will no doubt deal a blow to Evans’ market value, but a new Tampa Bay deal would of course offer a boost to the team’s receiving core.
On the other hand, the Buccaneers already have Chris Godwin on the books through 2027. He, along with Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist Emeka Egbuka and 2024 third-rounder Jalen McMillan could operate as an effective WR trio moving forward. Evans has a Super Bowl title and nearly $155MM in career earnings to his name. Adding to his decorated career will be possible if he elects to continue playing, although a firm commitment on his part will remain something to watch for as free agency approaches.
Buccaneers Activate WRs Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan From IR
The Buccaneers have been shorthanded at wide receiver all season, with Jalen McMillan going down during preseason play. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have also missed significant chunks of the year, but Tampa Bay may finally have its deep wideout arsenal back in Week 15.
Evans and McMillan are coming off IR today, the team announced. While it is not a lock either will play in Week 15, this is a good sign one or both will be ready for the Bucs’ Thursday-night matchup with the Falcons. Todd Bowles said (via the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud) the duo could return for this game. Activations from IR certainly point to it.
Although the Bucs have seen injuries on offense play a big role in their season, Tampa Bay entered Week 15 in great shape in terms of injury activations. They had only used one (on right tackle Luke Goedeke) leading up to the Evans and McMillan moves. The team still has five activations to cover the rest of the regular season.
Evans has been down with a broken clavicle since Week 4. A December return emerged as the future Hall of Famer’s target window, and he has been pushing to play this week. Evans has yet to log a full practice since being designated for return, but he he has now gone through six limited sessions ahead of this Atlanta game. The Bucs have also seen their offense slow after a first-half surge.
While Evans would undoubtedly benefit from the mini-bye set to follow this Thursday assignment, the Bucs could certainly use him now. Bowles said (via Fox Sports’ Greg Auman) Evans has shown what he has needed to show, pointing to a Week 15 reemergence.
This season brought the longest absence of Evans’ career, and it will end his record-setting streak of 1,000-yard seasons at 11. The Bucs’ No. 1 wide receiver since before Jameis Winston‘s arrival, Evans has been one of the most consistent players in NFL history. He may never have threatened to be the NFL’s best receiver during his 12-year career, but the former top-10 pick has been ultra-reliable as Winston, Tom Brady and Mayfield have stopped through Tampa.
Evans’ presence helped Brady elevate the team to a championship, and it played a pivotal role in Mayfield’s resurgence. The Bucs are suddenly in a fight for the NFC South crown with the Panthers, so having their 6-foot-5 weapon back represents a key variable in this duel.
McMillan has been down since suffering a neck fracture during a preseason game. Initially referred to as a “severely strained neck,” McMillan’s injury injected obvious concern about his status after a productive rookie year. But the Bucs are close to having the 2024 third-round pick back, creating an interesting setup for Mayfield as the team attempts to end the lull that has defined a chunk of its season. The Bucs have fallen to 7-6, but two games against the Panthers loom to potentially repair the damage.
Last year, McMillan finished with 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns. Seven of those eight scores came in Tampa Bay’s final five games, as McMillan filled in for Godwin as Evans’ top sidekick. Despite having McMillan healthy (at the time) and re-signing Godwin to a three-year, $66MM deal, the Bucs drafted Emeka Egbuka at No. 19.
As other teams circled, Tampa Bay made one of the more surprising picks of this draft by adding a standout talent to a solid receiving corps. Egbuka has not disappointed, catching 54 balls for 806 yards and six TDs. He has slowed down over the past month, however, not topping 45 yards in a game in that span.
Egbuka will likely not see his role change much (if at all) with Evans and McMillan returning. But the Ohio State product has needed to shoulder plenty in the Bucs’ passing game due to the receiver injuries, which also included ankle and fibula issues for Godwin. The longtime Evans sidekick is finally rounding back into form, though, after missing nine games. The Bucs are close to having their optimal top quartet available, and we should see the offense Jason Licht and Co. envisioned this offseason when Evans and McMillan make long-awaited comebacks.
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans Pushing For Week 15 Return
When the Buccaneers saw veteran wide receiver Mike Evans return to practice this week for the first time since suffering a broken clavicle in October, many anticipated seeing him come off of injured reserve this weekend. Unfortunately, after a series of limited practices, Evans was ultimately ruled out for Week 14, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter assured us today that an Evans return to play is on the horizon. 
Per Schefter, Evans has been “pushing to play as soon as” Tampa Bay’s Week 15 matchup with the Falcons on Thursday. His return to practice five days ago opened up a 21-day practice window, but he can be activated at any point over those three weeks. Many expected that, once he returned to practice, he would quickly get back in football shape and return, but it seems a more realistic date required at least a few more days of practice.
If Evans is unable to make his return after the short week in the coming days, the team’s Week 16 trip to Carolina would be the next more reasonable, realistic date. Evans’ window would close three days after that game, at which point, the 32-year-old pass catcher would need to be activated for the final two games of the regular season and a postseason run or be reverted to season-ending IR.
The Buccaneers are fully in the playoff race at present, as they sit tied with the Panthers for the division lead at 7-6. They’ll play Carolina twice in the last three weeks of the season, and winning those two games alone would be enough to secure their berth in postseason play. Getting Evans back at any point before the postseason could do wonders for a Tampa Bay team that has overcome a litany of injuries en route to their current situation. If Evans has his say, though, we’ll see him suit up as early as Thursday.