The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been blessed when it comes to the longevity of their star players.
For wide receiver and 2013 first round pick Mike Evans, that already equates to what should be a surefire first ballot induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At 32 years old, that moment might be coming a lot sooner than Evans or anyone else is willing to recognize yet.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine thinks the end is coming for Evans soon enough that the Buccaneers should begin looking for Evans’ replacement in the 2025 NFL draft.
Evans will be a free agent following the 2025 season after he signed a 2-year, $52 million contract extension with the Buccaneers in March 2024.
In 2025, the 6-time Pro Bowler and 2-time NFL All-Pro can break the NFL record he shares with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice of 11 consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards.
“The Bucs should look to re-sign him when that time comes,” Ballentine wrote. “He’s played his entire career in Tampa and it would feel wrong to see him in another jersey. But they might want to make a surprising move and draft a receiver earlier than expected despite extending (Chris) Godwin. Tre Harris is the premium big-bodied receiver in the class, but Jayden Higgins could be an interesting project for them in later rounds.”
