Mike Evans

The "expectation" is that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will use the franchise tag on star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. by Tuesday if the two sides can't come to terms on an extension, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

But if the Bucs do eventually strike deals with Winfield and quarterback Baker Mayfield, it's possible the team could use its tag to retain wideout Mike Evans.

Per that report, "they are aggressively pursuing a deal with Evans and want him to retire a Buc, and the belief is Evans is open to that. But the Buccaneers also had the chance to sign him last August and didn't get something done. Anything is possible here, and if the Bucs can secure Winfield and possibly Mayfield over the next few days, what's to preclude them from franchise-tagging Evans at that point?"

On Friday, The Athletic's Dianna Russsini reported that Evans "plans to hit free agency for the first time in his career" and wants to "explore his options," though he remained open to a potential return to Tampa Bay.

He'll certainly have interest on the open market if he hits free agency. The 30-year-old had a fantastic 2023 campaign, catching 79 passes for 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns. He appears to have a few good seasons left in the tank but will probably only get one more big contract, so hitting the market would make sense.

If the Bucs allow it, that is.

If you were to rank the priorities for an NFL wide receiver, the top three in some order would probably be being paid a lot of money to play for a team with a good quarterback who is capable of winning a Super Bowl.

It's probably not a surprise, then, that Deryk Gilmore, agent for five-time Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans, told NFL insider Jordan Schultz his client is prioritizing winning a Super Bowl and he "wants to play with an elite quarterback in an offense that will showcase him—and be paid like a top wide receiver" going into free agency.

Unlike most of the top free agents, who are likely to receive the franchise tag from their current teams, Mike Evans is poised to actually hit the market to explore his options.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported on Friday that Evans remains in talks with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers about a new contract, but he plans to test free agency and hear pitches from other teams before making a decision.

This will mark the first time since Evans entered the NFL in 2014 that he will be a free agent. The 30-year-old will likely be the most sought-after receiver on the open market, especially with Michael Pittman Jr. expected to receive the franchise tag from the Indianapolis Colts if the two sides can't agree to a long-term extension.

The Buccaneers have a lot of key contributors they need to sign to new deals. Evans, Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield Jr. are all set to become free agents. Winfield is expected to be tagged if he doesn't sign a long-term deal.

Bucs general manager Todd Licht and head coach Todd Bowles both strongly endorsed Mayfield as their quarterback this week at the NFL scouting combine.

Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald did note the New England Patriots, who are believed to be targeting a veteran capable of starting next season even though they will likely draft a quarterback at No. 3 overall, have some people in the organization who are "supporters" of Mayfield.

Per NFL Network's Jeffri Chadiha, Evans is looking for a contract that will pay him $25 million per season. A deal like that would place him among the top-five highest-paid wide receivers by average annual salary.

Evans is coming off a season in which he tied for the NFL lead with 13 touchdown receptions and ranked ninth with 1,255 receiving yards. He has recorded at least 1,000 yards in each of his first 10 seasons.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans plans to enter free agency, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini.

According to Russini, the veteran is still in discussions with Tampa Bay about re-signing but wants to weigh his options and hear from different teams before he makes a decision.

A 10-year player, this will be Evans' first time entering free agency. He has spent every season of his career with the Bucs and has always received an extension before entering free agency. Evans is coming off a five-year, $82.5 million contract.

Evans, 30, has proved he's worthy of what could be his last big payday, and Bucs general manager Jason Licht knows he will have to give him that to keep him in Tampa Bay, per ESPN's Jenna Laine.

"He's an unprecedented player. We want him to be a Buc for life. We're working towards that," Licht said Tuesday at the NFL combine. "Obviously it takes two sides. I know he wants to be a Buc. We'll probably have to strain a little bit but we're working towards that right now."

Last season, Evans notched his 10th 1,000+ receiving yard season in as many years, picking up 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns, which was tied for the most in the league.

The Bucs are coming off a 9-8 season that saw them reach the playoffs and get a first-round win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Tampa Bay is looking for similar success next season, and getting Evans back in the mix would be crucial.

Two weeks before Mike Evans is set to become a free agent for the first time in his career, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles made it clear he wants to have the star receiver back.

Appearing on NFL Network's Good Morning Football, Bowles said "we want him to retire" as a member of the Buccaneers when asked about Evans' future.

"He's an unprecedented player. We want him to be a Buc for life. We're working towards that," general manager Jason Licht told reporters on Tuesday. "Obviously it takes two sides. I know he wants to be a Buc. We'll probably have to strain a little bit but we're working towards that right now."

The Buccaneers are entering free agency in a state of uncertainty. In addition to Evans, quarterback Baker Mayfield is also set to hit the open market.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported Mayfield's representatives have already met with the Buccaneers and they will talk again this week at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Things definitely seem to have shifted between Evans and the Buccaneers compared to where they were at prior to the start of the 2023 season.

The two sides were in talks for a new contract when Evans set a Week 1 deadline to get something done. His agency said in a statement on his behalf he "wants the next phase of his career to be with an organization who wants him and wants him to help win a Super Bowl."

Evans had a $13 million base salary last season, the final year of his five-year, $82.5 million extension that was signed in March 2018.

Despite the contract stalemate, Evans produced one of the best seasons of his career in 2023. He caught 79 passes for 1,255 yards and tied for the NFL lead with 13 touchdowns.

Evans had his most receiving yards since 2018 and yards per reception (15.9) since 2019. The 30-year-old has been as reliable as any wide receiver in the NFL since being drafted in 2014. He's the only player in league history with at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 10 seasons.

Jerry Rice is the only player with a longer streak of 1,000-yard seasons when he did it in 11 times from 1986 to '96.

Evans is Tampa's all-time leader in every major receiving category, including receptions (762), receiving yards (11,680) and touchdowns (94).

The Cincinnati Bengals officially applied the franchise tag to wide receiver Tee Higgins on Monday.

"Tee has done an outstanding job for us since we drafted him in 2020," said Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. "I'm glad that he'll continue to be a big part of our offense and our team."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported the news.

Higgins can earn $21.8 million from the one-year tender. This buys the Bengals some time to negotiate a long-term extension or at the very least have him under contract for the 2024 season before he'd hit free agency.

Applying the franchise tag to the talented wideout doesn't preclude a trade or protracted holdout, though, so plenty of drama could unfold.

Higgins, 25, has emerged as an extremely solid option for the Bengals as the No. 2 receiver behind Ja'Marr Chase. He registered 1,000-yard seasons in both 2021 and 2022, caught 74 passes in each of those campaigns and totaled 13 touchdowns in that time.

Injuries limited him to just 12 games last year and those absences—combined with Joe Burrow's own injury issues—led to a down year, as Higgins caught 42 passes for 656 yards and five touchdowns.

Still, he would have been one of the top receivers to hit free agency had he not received the franchise tag, joining players like Mike Evans, Michael Pittman Jr. and Calvin Ridley. More than a few teams were surely disappointed to see him come off the market.

The question will be whether the Bengals can afford to keep him beyond this season, with Chase's own eventual long-term extension on the horizon. Keeping Higgins would require a major allocation of salary cap space to the wide receiver position, while Joe Burrow's massive five-year, $275 million extension kicks in for the 2025 season.

So it's possible that Higgins won't be with the team for more than another year. One last season with him opposite Chase makes the Bengals a major threat in the AFC in 2024, however.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are attempting to retain wide receiver Mike Evans "in a major way," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter the interest is mutual as Evans "wants to retire a Buccaneer." That may not stop the five-time Pro Bowler from seeing what he could command on the open market as a free agent, though.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported on Feb. 19 that the team and player "remain far apart." That day was also the deadline for the two sides to strike a bargain before Tampa Bay incurred a dead money hit thanks to renegotiating Evans' contract. Whether he re-signs or not, he'll count for $12.2 million on the books in 2024.

The 30-year-old is one of the best pass-catchers headed for free agency, and he might owe a small debt of gratitude to the Cincinnati Bengals. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Friday the Bengals are applying the franchise tag to Tee Higgins. Removing Higgins from the market entirely — or at least making it more complicated for another team to get him — gives Evans added leverage with interested suitors.

ESPN's Jenna Laine cast some doubt on Evans' long-term future with the Buccaneers as the 2023 season was getting ready to kick off. Negotiations between his representatives and the team to that point had carried on for multiple years without a breakthrough.

"Sources close to the situation said they believe that this is an ownership call versus a front office call," Laine reported. "The Glazer family, who own the Buccaneers, signed off on the franchise borrowing nearly $100 million from the future to support a Tom Brady Super Bowl run for three seasons, which has meant limited resources with the salary cap as they try to rebuild."

Evans had 79 receptions for 1,255 yards and an NFL-best 13 touchdowns this year, extending his streak of 1,000-yard campaigns to 10. Based on the historic aging curves for wideouts, that impressive consistency could come to a halt sooner rather than later.

Winning a third straight NFC South title with a resurgent Baker Mayfield may have accelerated the Buccaneers' broad time line. If they're still leaning toward a rebuild, however, then letting Evans walk might be viewed as a necessary pivot.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is a likely candidate to be franchise-tagged by the team, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

"As the two-week window opens Tuesday for teams to apply the franchise player tag, Winfield is expected to be given that designation should the Bucs opt to use it this year," Stroud wrote.

The 25-year-old seems to be the top candidate to receive the tag over veteran wideout Mike Evans, as the five-time Pro Bowler is also expected to hit free agency.

The move appears to be both age and financial-related, as Winfield Jr. has established himself as one of the top defensive backs in the NFL. After playing a pivotal role on Tampa Bay's Super Bowl-winning team in the 2020 season, the former second-round pick has continued to improve.

In 2023, Winfield Jr. racked up 122 tackles and three interceptions while his six forced fumbles were tied with Miami Dolphins defensive end Bradley Chubb for the highest mark in the league. Pro Football Focus gave him a 91.2 grade for the season as a whole, allowing 26 receptions on 37 targets.

Per Over the Cap, the 2024 franchise tag for safeties is expected to be roughly $16.2 million while the tag for wide receivers is projected to be just over $20.6 million.

Mike Evans remained plenty effective in 2023, as the 30-year-old recorded 1,255 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 17 starts. However, his future with the team is shrouded in some doubt after the two sides were unable to agree to an extension on Monday, according to via Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

While a tag would only keep Winfield Jr. under contract through the 2024 season, it would also give the front office more time to work on a long-term contract with the young safety. The Buccaneers would have until July 17 to sign him to an extension before he'd play on the tag next season (h/t Jared Dubin of CBS Sports).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans "is trending toward becoming a free agent," according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Schultz reported the Bucs had set a "soft deadline" for Monday to strike a bargain with Evans, but "both sides remain far apart."

Thanks to restructuring his contract, Tampa Bay will incur a cost if Evans walks as a free agent. The team will absorb $12.2 million in dead money toward its 2024 salary cap. Fox Sports' Greg Auman noted the Bucs will also lose $7.4 million in cap space absent an agreement Monday.

Jenna Laine of ESPN reported in September that Evans and the Buccaneers were unable to get something done in time for the 2023 season.

"Sources close to the situation said they believe that this is an ownership call versus a front office call," Laine reported at the time. "The Glazer family, who own the Buccaneers, signed off on the franchise borrowing nearly $100 million from the future to support a Tom Brady Super Bowl run for three seasons, which has meant limited resources with the salary cap as they try to rebuild."

That was a foreboding sign when it came to Evans' future in Tampa Bay, and Monday's report only adds to the doubt regarding his tenure.

Evans caught 79 passes for 1,255 yards and an NFL-high 13 touchdowns, so he remains a productive pass-catcher. But his age (30) is likely a consideration for the Buccaneers if they're looking more toward the future.

Based on how negotiations have unfolded this far, they appear content to lose the best receiver in franchise history.