Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a good problem with Justin Evans

Could the Bucs look to trade Evans?

This offseason, safeties have been getting paid top dollar as guys like Earl Thomas, Tyrann Mathieu, and Adrian Amos received big time deals in free agency. Just last month Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard received a five-year extension worth over $14 million annually.

Evans is entering the third year of his four year deal, meaning the Buccaneers need to begin prepping for a contract extension with him if they so please. Given the multitude, yet unproven depth at the safety position, the Buccaneers could explore a trade of Evans once he gets back to full strength.

As safeties are getting big deals, there are teams in the league who will be looking for a starting caliber safety on their rookie contracts. Should Evans become available on the trade block, it is almost a certainty that there would be a market for the third-year safety.

At last year’s trade deadline HaHa Clinton-Dix was traded from the Packers to Washington for a fourth round pick. To trade Evans, the Buccaneers could be looking at that similar fourth or fifth round pick range in return. They could also pursue a player-for-player deal and look to add depth along the defensive line or another interior offensive lineman.

Evans, while he has been valuable in the past, is now unproven under a new regime. The more he continues to miss practice time as he recovers from his injury, the more expendable he comes. The Buccaneers find themselves in a good predicament has they wait for Evans to return to the field in Tampa Bay.