While the draw of joining a contender late in his career to win a Super Bowl might not be on the table for Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, it doesn’t mean he still won’t bounce for a shot at the title.
Just because Evans, who will turn 33 years old in August, already has a Super Bowl ring, it doesn’t mean he won’t go after another one.
If that’s his thinking, he’ll almost certainly leave the Buccaneers, who are about as far away from being Super Bowl contenders as any team in the NFL right now after going 8-9 in 2025 and looking generally lost for the final half of the season.
Pro Football Focus predicts that if Evans does leave in free agency, the best landing spot for the 6-time Pro Bowler would be with the Buffalo Bills and with reigning NFL MVP quarterback Josh Allen.
“While questions linger surrounding Mike Evans‘ possible retirement, there’s no question that the 32-year-old wideout can still produce when on the field,” PFF’s Mason Cameron wrote. “Although injuries derailed his 2025 campaign, Evans posted the fourth-highest PFF grade (89.0) among receivers in 2024. He remains a highly efficient pass-catcher, as his 2.21 yards per route over the past two seasons ranks in the top 15. The Bills’ lack of quality depth at outside receiver limited their offensive output, particularly when injuries mounted late in the year. Add in their limited capability to stretch the field vertically – recording the sixth fewest receptions on throws of 20 or more yards – and Evans profiles as a strong upgrade to Josh Allen’s core of weapons.”
Injuries Have Become Big Issue for Evans
For all the praise lavished on Evans as he tied Jerry Rice’s NFL record with his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season in 2024 and tried and failed to break the record in 2025, the one overriding issue the last 2 seasons has been injuries.
Not only that, but repeated injuries that have led to other injuries.
Evans missed 3 games due to a hamstring injury in 2024 and missed a career-high 9 games due to a hamstring injury and a broken collarbone in 2025. In the previous 11 seasons, Evans missed a total of 13 games and never more than 2 games in a single season before 2024.
Evans Trying to Secure Hall of Fame Legacy
Evans, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft out of Texas A&M, has spent his entire career with the Buccaneers but is still very much trying to cement his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Having just played out his 2-year, $52 million contract with Tampa Bay, he could do everything but pick out the tailor for his gold jacket with another 1,000-yard season in Buffalo — especially if he ended up being the difference in the Bills winning the first Super Bowl in franchise history.
Don’t think losing Evans wouldn’t cause absolute heartbreak among Tampa Bay fans.
“All I care about now is seeing the words ‘Mike Evans will return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 13th season,’ ” Loose Cannons podcaster Stank Bastard wrote on his official X account on January 24.
Bucs WR Mike Evans Predicted to Sign With AFC Playoff Team