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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans cannot say who he will catch passes from primarily for the first time in almost a decade, but he has confidence either way.
The Bucs have a quarterback competition between Kyle Trask and Baker Mayfield going into training camp. Evans has known Tom Brady or Jameis Winston primarily as the Bucs starting quarterback except for 2014 when Josh McCown and Mike Glennon went at it in training camp.
“Kyle’s improved a lot,” Evans told KPRC 2 Houston’s Ari Alexander during the star receiver’s youth football camp. “I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen from Baker. Whoever the quarterback will be, I’m positive they’re going to make the right choice and we’re going to win some games.”
Trask came aboard as a second-round draft pick behind Brady in 2021, but Trask never played in a regular season game until Week 17 of the 2022 season for just 10 plays. Mayfield, a 2018 No. 1 pick with the Cleveland Browns, signed with the Bucs in March after Brady’s retirement.
While Mayfield has 69 career starts and has “really impressed” a veteran such as Evans, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said Mayfield and Trask will compete for the job in training camp. Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales told the Pewter Report podcast that it will come down to who takes the best care of the ball.
“Then it’s who has the most explosive plays? Yeah, that guy will get the job. Or throws the most touchdowns? That guy gets the job,” Canales said on the podcast.
Evans gives either Trask or Mayfield a shot at making explosive plays. The three-time Pro Bowler has a career average of 15.3 yards per reception. However, both Trask and Mayfield likely will have minimal chances to target Evans in preseason games as starters don’t play full games.
Mike Evans Aims For Jerry Rice’s Record
Evans set an NFL record with nine 1,000-yard seasons to start his career, but he can take things further this season and beyond.
He needs two more 1,000-yard seasons to match Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice‘s record of 11-consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Rice did it with the San Francisco 49ers from 1986 to 1996, but he came up shy of 1,000 as a rookie in 1985 and missed 14 games in 1997.
“I think about it. It’s right there, so I’m gonna definitely try to go get that,” Evans told Alexander. “I’m already one of one right now. I hope I can pass the great Jerry Rice and his record. Obviously, nobody will pass his records probably, like ever, total. But that 1,000-yard streak record would be cool to have.”
While Evans called the record “cool”, he expects himself to put up those numbers as a basic standard for himself. Evans has 683 receptions for 10,425 yards and 81 touchdowns in 137 career games.
“I should get 1,000 yards if I’m healthy. Every year,” Evans said. “It ain’t that. I want to be one of the tops in the league. I want to be winning games. That’s what I care about.”
Bucs Urged to Extend Mike Evans
The Bucs plan to extend Evans’ contract amid the final year of his $82.5 million deal with the team, and Pro Football Focus called it a must-do before training camp this month.
“Evans has shown plenty of times that he’s a team-first guy, including the mere fact he’s set to enter the final season of his five-year extension signed in 2018,” PFF’s Brad Spielberger wrote. “Along those lines, we projected an extension for Evans here that is below what he could probably push for if he really wanted to drive a hard bargain.”
PFF projected Evans for three years, $63 million with $24 million guaranteed.
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