NFL free agency is just around the corner, as players will be able to agree to deals with other teams beginning on March 13. But until then, players are still able to agree to contracts with their own teams if they so choose, and that is the route being taken by All-Pro wide receiver Mike Evans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, much to the disappointment of the Los Angeles Rams.
Evans was getting set to enter free agency after one of the best seasons of his already Hall of Fame-worthy career. His 1,255 yards were the third-most of his career and his league-leading 13 receiving touchdowns were the second-highest total of his career. But on Monday, it was announced that Evans is staying in Tampa Bay after signing a two-year deal worth up to $52 million with $35 million guaranteed.
It’s a hefty price tag for the 30-year-old wideout, but one that is well worth it given that he has posted over 1,000 receiving yards in all 10 of his NFL seasons. And it may have been a price many teams, including the Rams, would have been willing to pay, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic:
Multiple teams had Mike Evans on their free agent WR board and were hoping to land him in free agency. Based on several team sources: Titans, Rams, Chiefs, Patriots, Giants, Panthers, Falcons, and Jaguars.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 4, 2024
Just about every team in the NFL would benefit from having Evans on the roster. That goes beyond the eight mentioned here. But the Rams would have been an intriguing landing spot for Evans. With Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp in the mix, Evans would have instantly become the perfect deep threat for Matthew Stafford while the other two All-Pros patrol the middle of the field.
The Rams also had the cap space necessary to make a move like that this offseason. But Tampa Bay is where Evans has built the entirety of his professional career and where he won his only Super Bowl championship. Even with the Buccaneers likely not in a position to compete for a Super Bowl in 2024, staying makes all the sense in the world for Evans.
Rams’ Puka Nacua included on Tyreek Hill’s top WR list
Despite finishing in second to C.J. Stroud in the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, it is clear that Nacua has earned the respect of his peers after just one season.
In fact, the current best receiver in the league, Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins, put Nacua in his top-five players at the position along with Mike Evans, Keenan Allen, A.J. Brown and CeeDee Lamb.
