TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The future is looking bright in Tampa Bay as starting quarterback Baker Mayfield and star wide receiver Mike Evans have proclaimed their want to remain on the team next season.
Mayfield made it clear after the Bucs’ heartbreaking 31-23 loss to the Detroit Lions in the NFC Divisional Round last Sunday, stating that if he’s back, he wants reliable No. 13 by his side.
“He makes my life easy. He did all year. He did today, over and over,” Mayfield said in regards to Evans on Sunday. “To get everybody back, there have to be sacrifices made. This team’s about winning. We have a group of guys who are all about that. If I’m back, I want Mike back.”
It’s been a year of triumph for the Tampa team that was only favored to win one matchup this whole season. However, after finishing the regular season with a 9-8 record, claiming the NFC South title, and advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs, it seems that Mayfield may have found is “forever home” in Tampa.
The former No. 1 overall draft pick had stints with three other teams before landing in Tampa on a one-year, $4 million deal — the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Rams.
Evans, on the other hand, has spent all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Buccaneers, earning accolades and breaking franchise records left and right. However, ahead of the 2023-24 season, Evans and the Bucs failed to reach a contract agreement that would make him a “Buc for life.”
Needless to say, Bucs’ General Manager Jason Licht made it seem as though the 30-year-old receiver would return next season.
“I’m really looking forward to Mike continuing his great career here in Tampa and extending his streak of 1,000-yard seasons here with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,” Licht said.
Evans secured his 10th season with 1,000 receiving yards on an 11-yard reception in the fourth quarter of the Bucs-Panthers Week 13 matchup.
With the conclusion of the Bucs 2023-24 season, all eyes are turning to Tampa’s free agents. This year, the Buccaneers have 20 players set to hit the market — including Evans and Mayfield.
On Monday, Bucs’ head coach Todd Bowles addressed the possibility of Evans and Mayfield returning, shedding some light on the near-future outcome.
“I don’t even think about it. I don’t like to be asked about it. I don’t want to know about it. I hope to hell that does not happen,” Bowles said when asked if he “cringes” when thinking about Evans in a different uniform.
Bowles shared a similar reaction when asked about how much demand Baker will have on the open market.
“I’m pretty sure he’d be in demand. I don’t know to what aspect he would be in demand. Obviously, money plays a lot of part of free agency and loyalty plays a lot of part in free agency, and who actually wants you and where you can go and what you can afford plays a lot, and how you see yourself in certain systems,” he said. “It’ll be a tricky thing. He was great here, we love him to death. Hopefully, it works out for us.”
The unofficial negotiation process for NFL free agents will begin on March 13, 2024, with the new league year officially kicking off on March 15 at 4 p.m. According to OverTheCap.com, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to have $47 million unofficially in cap space this year.
