The drama around Mike Evans' free agency market is never-ending, at least until he finally chooses a team. We won't have much concrete news until the league opens back up on March 11, but speculation has run rampant. All we know now is that Evans is returning to the NFL for another season, but no one knows where he's going to end up.
If he decides to walk away from Tampa Bay for his final hoorah, Bucs fans will be fine with it for one main reason: Emeka Egbuka.
Once Egbuka burst onto the scene last season, the offense was much more efficient, despite missing Evans. The rookie burst out for 101 yards and a touchdown on four catches during his first full game without Evans.
In his second start without Evans, Egbuka caught all seven targets for 163 yards and another touchdown. Not only is this highly impressive from a rookie in his fifth career game, but it came against the soon-to-be Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Bucs fans are not convinced resigning Mike Evans is the right move this offseason
During Egbuka's nine games when Evans didn't play, he averaged 63 yards per game. During the eight games across from Evans, he averaged 46 YPG. Egbuka is much better when Evans, whose play has dipped significantly, is not force-fed the ball.
When comparing stats side by side, it's clear Egbuka had a much better season than the future Hall of Famer. Egbuka had a better catch rate, receiving yards per game, and yards per target last season. Retaining Evans would be a nice feel-good story for Tampa Bay, but he'd just be holding Eguka back from greatness.
When he was targeted in 2025, Evans was a much different player than in recent years. His yards after catch per reception, catch rate, and YPG all dropped significantly compared to his 2024 numbers. Looking forward, it's truly hard to justify him returning to Tampa Bay, especially with his potential price tag.
Not only is he entering his age-33 season, but injuries have defined his potential final contract in Tampa Bay. After signing a 2-year, $41 million contract for the 24-25 seasons, Evans has been injured nonstop. He has played in just 22 of the team's 34 games over the previous two seasons and has sustained at least three different injuries in that timespan.
Spotrac places his market value at 2-years, $26 million total. This is a big step back from his $20.5 million AAV from his previous contract, but I don't think he's worth the money anymore. Even with the massive loyalty the Bucs have toward the greatest receiver in franchise history, he clearly isn't sold on staying with the franchise.
With Egbuka's elite play without Evans on the field, his constant injuries, and production drop while on the field, there's no tangible reason to sign him for another year.
If Evans returns to Tampa Bay in 2026, he could still be an alpha No. 1 receiver, but he could also see a decline in performance with age and continue to hold back Egbuka's development.