Mike Evans possibly leaving Tampa Bay is a devastating topic for most Bucs fans. He's been the face of the franchise for more than a decade, and to think of the starting lineup without his name as the top wideout feels blasphemous. But at the end of the day, the NFL is a business, and all good things must come to an end. Evans isn't completely out of the building, but all recent signs point to him moving on from Tampa Bay.
In the grand scheme, Tampa Bay has plenty of options when considering a replacement for Evans. It is the offseason after all, and many teams have many moving pieces all at once. Here are three realistic options that Tampa Bay has for the receiver position moving forward.
3 realistic Mike Evans replacements Buccaneers could pursue
Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
Brandon Aiyuk is currently under contract with the 49ers through the 2029 season, but that doesn't mean his name can't be on the table. Aiyuk missed the entire 2025 season due to a multi-tear injury he sustained in October of 2024. In addition to this, the 49ers considered Aiyuk week to week for the duration of 2025, leaving fans and fantasy managers perpetually on the edge of their seats.
If the Bucs were to go get him, they'd certainly be taking a risk, but when Aiyuk was healthy, he quickly became on of the core receivers the 49ers relied on. With the 49ers only narrowly missing the Super Bowl without him, now could be the optimal time for the Bucs to make a deal.
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
Jaylen Waddle has another couple years on his contract with the Miami Dolphins, but it's likely the Dolphins are shifting into rebuild mode. The firing of head coach Mike McDaniel, and the previous firing of their GM suggests changes in Miami.
Question marks around the future of Tua Tagovailoa also suggest that the Dolphins will soon be absorbing a lot of dead money. This could mean the Dolphins will need to free up as much cash as they can, and trading a veteran player like Waddle could make genuine sense. They already came close to moving him at the trade deadline.
Waddle is 27 years old and still in the prime of his career. Adding his skill set to the Bucs receiver room could change the game, but it only makes sense if they can get him in a reasonable trade, and Miami's asking price could prove too costly.
Don't replace him, and roll with in-house options instead
The third option is very simple. Don't replace him. The Bucs already have a strong receiving core with Chris Godwin Jr still on the roster, and they struck gold with Emeka Egbuka in the first round of last year's NFL Draft.
Evans and Godwin both spent extended time on the IR last season, and it provided an excellent trial run for the rest of the receiving core to step up. Egbuka performed at an elite level, with Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson also playing well in support. If providing Baker Mayfield is still a priority for the Bucs, they can always draft a late-round receiver or two.
Mike Evans won't ever truly leave the hearts of Bucs fans, but Tampa Bay doesn't need to let that define the next era of Buccaneers football. Whether it's betting on Brandon Aiyuk's upside, or swinging for the fences with Jaylen Waddle, the Bucs have multiple paths forward. The real decision is not about finding another Evans, but about choosing what kind of offense they want to have in 2026 and beyond.