Potential Colts cut candidate could be perfect Mike Evans replacement for Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are staring down the nightmare scenario of potentially losing franchise icon Mike Evans.

The veteran wide receiver's representation has made it clear he'll be exploring his options in free agency, and with a competitive market expected to take shape, Evans moving on is starting to feel like a real possibility.

If that happens, the Buccaneers will need to find a replacement that is capable of stepping into the X wide receiver role and keeping the offense afloat without its longtime star player. The Indianapolis Colts could be parting ways with a wide receiver that would be an ideal fit in Tampa Bay as Evans' successor.

Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. makes sense for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers if Mike Evans leaves in free agency

Kyle Dvorchak of NBC Sports named Michael Pittman Jr. as the Colts' top cut candidate this offseason. Quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce are atop the Colts' free agency priorities, and Pittman could be an expense that prevents them from retaining their key free agents.

"If the Colts want to keep Pierce and Daniel Jones—also a free agent—in the fold, cutting Pittman might be the cost of doing business," wrote Dvorchak.

Parting ways with Pittman would save Indianapolis $24 million with only $5 million in dead cap.

No player will ever be Mike Evans, nor would they be able to replicate the production and impact he had in Tampa Bay. But if the Buccaneers are looking for a prototypical X wide receiver, Pittman could be the answer.

Pittman measures in at 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, not far off from Evans who is listed at 6-foot-5 and 231 pounds. Evans ran a 4.53 40-yard dash during his NFL Combine back in 2014, while Pittman posted a 4.52, so the two share very similar size and speed.

Despite his size and status as an X receiver, Pittman has proven capable of being more of a volume receiver than Evans.

Evans has surpassed 80 receptions only twice in his 12-year career, but Pittman has done it in four of his six NFL seasons, including a career year in 2023 where he caught 109 passes for 1,152 yards and four touchdowns.

Even in a season where he was overshadowed by Alec Pierce and rookie tight end Tyler Warren, Pittman still recorded 80 catches for 784 yards and a career-high seven touchdown catches.

Where Pittman falls short of an Evans replacement is as a red zone threat. During his Hall of Fame career, Evans has averaged nine touchdown receptions per season — more than double Pittman who has averaged only four touchdowns per year. While Pittman may never replicate Evans’ dominance near the goal line, he still boasts the skill set to fill the X-receiver role as the Buccaneers look to evolve their post-Evans offense.

Another interesting wrinkle is that Pittman has family ties to the Buccaneers. His father, Michael Pittman Sr. spent six years as a running back in Tampa Bay and was even a part of the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory. Seeing Pittman Jr. follow in his father's footsteps and suit up in red and pewter would add a meaningful layer to a difficult, but necessary succession plan.

None of this lessens what losing Mike Evans would mean for the Buccaneers; replacing a franchise icon is never easy. But if Tampa Bay is ultimately forced to prepare for life after Evans, Pittman represents the exact type of physical, proven X receiver who could help soften the blow and keep the offense functional while the organization transitions into its next era.