The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have one of the best receivers in NFL history at their disposal in Mike Evans, as he has yet to have a season in which he did not tally 1,000 yards. Tampa's season-opening win against the Washington Commanders showed that he still a force to be reckoned with.
Evans caught five passes for 61 yards and two touchdowns in Tampa Bay's victory. The 31-year-old, who is fresh off leading the league in touchdowns, is approaching the 12,000-yard plateau and is just four more touchdowns short of 100 for his career.
NFL Network's Kyle Brandt is all in on the Evans hype train, declaring him a first-ballot Hall of Fame player due to his tremendous consistency. However, Brandt may have slightly overrated him in a way that could come off as slightly disrespectful to some of the best Bucs in history.
Brandt believes that Evans has risen to the rank of greatest Buccaneer in franchise history. While he is certainly one of the best, saying that about a team that had the great Derrick Brooks patrolling their defense for his entire career seems like a bit of an overstep.
My take on Mike Evans. You may disagree. pic.twitter.com/9nsIsV72tY
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) September 11, 2024
Kyle Brandt says Mike Evans is greatest Buccaneers player ever
Evans is firmly behind three players, no matter what else happens. Brooks is the greatest player in franchise history, and one of the five best linebackers in NFL history. Ronde Barber is an elite cornerback and lifetime Buccaneer, and Warren Sapp was as dominant a defensive tackle as the league had at the turn of the millenium.
Even sneaking into the top five might be a big of a challenge for Evans. John Lynch spent most of his Hall of Fame career with the Bucs, Lee Roy Selmon is an underappreciated great in NFL history, and teammate Lavonte David may be the most underrated player of the last 10 years in the league.
What is not a hot take at all, however, is saying that Evans is the greatest offensive player in Buccaneers history. Evans owns basically every receiving record that matters in franchise history, and the longevity of his tenure helps put him past names like Warrick Dunn, James Wilder, and Mike Alstott.
Evans is a Buccaneer legend who still is not fully appreciated by the largest NFL media landscape. However, Brandt's take is a bit too spicy when you put it in context. Evans himself would probably tell you that Brooks is still the greatest Buccaneer ever.