Over the course of last season, the Buccaneers‘ Baker Mayfield made no bones about expressing his appreciation for wide receiver Mike Evans. It did not take a lot of detective work to figure out why—Evans is the best receiver Mayfield has ever lined up with, the kind of professional route-runner who makes a quarterback’s job much, much easier.
Evans had 1,255 yards last season, the 10th straight year he has posted a 1,000-yard year. He’s done that whether it’s Tom Brady under center, or Mayfield, or guys like Jameis Winston and Josh McCown.
Mayfield had another agenda for his effusive Evans praise this season. He knew they were both going into free agency, and that the cap-addled Buccaneers would be in a tough position when it came to keeping both. But if Mayfield returned to Tampa, he wants to push the Buccaneers to make Evans part of the team again, too.
Two weeks ago Mayfield told NFL Media, “We’ve both voiced our opinions that we want to be together, but it’s got to be the right way. Mike deserves to be a Buccaneer for life. He’s done so much for that community, so much for the franchise. He’s put his time in.”
Buccaneers Baker Mayfield ‘Watching Mike Evans’ Deal’
Now, it seems that the push from Mayfield’s people to make sure that both he and Evans return to Tampa Bay is being stepped up. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler appeared on “SportsCenter” this weekend and said he’s hearing that the Mayfield-Evans combo is something of a package deal.
“The Bucs are trying to re-sign this guy in a major way,” Fowler said, per On3.com. “They’ve had preliminary talks, Mike Evans wants to retire a Buccaneer but I’m told he’s also willing, at least open to, the possibility of going to the open market because he would have a huge market. The Bucs now they gotta pay him well over $20 million per year … His game has not fallen off.
“And Baker Mayfield as he’s trying to re-sign with the Bucs. He’s watching Mike Evans’ deal closely. It could be sort of a package deal. They could both go their separate ways. A lot could happen, but the team is trying to keep them together.”
It does not help that the Bucs have several other areas of concern, including the offensive line (which did improve as the season went on) and key defensive free agents Lavonte David, Devin White and Antoine Winfield.
White is likely gone, the Bucs could try to bring David back on the cheap, but if they keep Mayfield and Evans, it will be very tough to keep Winfield, arguably the best safety in the game.
Antoine Winfield Gone if ‘Package’ Returns?
Winfield is likely to get a contract in the $20 million per year range, or, if he is given the franchise tag, a one-year deal at $17.1 million. That is possible, but it would eat into the Bucs’ cap space.
The Buccaneers are expected to have $40 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.com.
Things get tricky if the team franchises Winfield and tries to bring the back Mayfield-Evans “package.”
Pro Football Focus has Mayfield projected to get a three-year, $90 million contract, while Spotrac has him at a long deal, four years, but shorter annual money ($27.1 million), for a $108 million total.
Evans, even at age 30, is in line for a four-year deal worth $95 million, according to Spotrac. Pro Football Focus has him at about the same annual money, but on a three-year deal worth $69 million.
If Spotrac is right, then the Mayfield-Evans “package” is going to cost the franchise more than $50 million per year and $203 million total.
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Buccaneers Star Free Agents Pitched as a Projected $203 Million ‘Package Deal’: Insider