Things appear to be getting choppy between veteran wide receiver Mike Evans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network said a deadline has been set by Evans’ agent regarding contract extension talks.
“If the sides don’t reach a deal by next Saturday, one day before Tampa’s season kicks off. Year 10 could be Evans’ last as a Buc,” Garafolo said.
Deadline set: #Buccaneers WR Mike Evans’ agent says in a statement he will cut off contract negotiations if the sides don’t reach a deal by next Saturday, one day before Tampa’s season kicks off.
Year 10 could be Evans’ last as a Buc.
More on @gmfb now.
Evans is entering the final year of his deal featuring a $13 million base salary.
Evans-Jets Trade Conversations on Social Media
Once this news started to circulate on social media over the last 48 hours, people started connecting the dots between Evans and the New York Jets.
Zach Gelb of CBS Sports Radio said, “This has Mike Evans eventually to the Jets written all over it.”
Could The New York Jets TRADE For WR Mike Evans at the Trade Deadline ? t.co/I6K7C6s0mz via @YouTube
Jets Media posted an open question, “Could The New York Jets TRADE for Mike Evans at the Trade Deadline?”
1) Rodgers takes pay cut & states he did so to add playmakers
2) Mike Evans witnesses the vibes @ 1 #Jets Drive during joint practice
3) JD reiterated Jets will be opportunistic in adding talent
4) Mike Evans Gives rebuilding Bucs an ultimatum
5) Jets have $20M in cap
The Buffalo Jet Fan laid out five items that all seem to point to a potential deal happening.
On Thursday, August 31, Jets general manager Joe Douglas spoke to the media and left the door open for a big move.
“You just have to be ready when this opportunity comes, you don’t know who or when it’s going to happen but again we‘ve got great flexibility moving forward if that opportunity does present itself.”
The Tide Has Changed for the Jets
The tone has changed in the Evans conversation.
A few weeks ago I asked Trevor Sikkema of PFF on “Boy Green Daily” if there was any chance that the Bucs would trade Evans.
He emphatically responded, “Zero.”
Last week I asked @TampaBayTre if there was any chance the #Bucs would trade WR Mike Evans because #Jets fans were curious. He responded by quoting the Johnny Manziel documentary, ‘zero’ 🤣 I asked the same question to @JFowlerESPN a couple weeks ago & he was in the same camp &…
Back on August 1, I checked in with ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler and asked him a similar question about Evans’ potential availability.
He said he just visited Bucs’ training camp and the sense he got was that Evans wanted to retire in Tampa Bay. However, the tone of contract negotiations from early August to the beginning of September has dramatically changed.
That can open the door for the Jets to swoop in and take advantage. New York surprisingly lost veteran wide receiver Corey Davis to retirement which created a void in that room.
Evans could more than fill it and be the true cherry on top for this offense.
He recently turned 30 years of age and has had nine consecutive 1,000-yard-plus receiving seasons to start his career. Evans would add size (6-foot-5, 231 pounds) to a receiving corps in New York that is lacking that quality.
The other thing Evans knows is how to score a lot of touchdowns. In his nine-year career to date, the former Texas A&M product has hauled in over 81 touchdown receptions.
The great thing about Evans or any of the additions for the Jets offense this offseason is they don’t have to be Superman and do it alone. New York has star power and depth so if an opposing defense hones in on one guy that means someone else is involved in a favorable matchup.
Especially when you have a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers throwing around the football.
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Mike Evans-Bucs Contract Dispute Sparks New Jets Trade Rumors