Report: Mike Evans' contract deadline will pass with no new deal with Bucs

Looks like this will be the final year for Mike Evans playing in Tampa Bay. The Bucs reportedly ignored the receiver’s contract ultimatum.

Evans, who is one of the premiere receivers in the NFL, set Saturday as the final day to negotiate for a contract extension with Tampa Bay. He said if the team didn’t re-do the deal, which ends after this season, then he’ll play elsewhere next year.

Well, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that the Bucs won’t meet the deadline. “Evans now will be playing on the last year of his contract and plans to explore his free-agent options in 2024,” Schefter shared on X (formerly Twitter).

Buccaneers and WR Mike Evans officially will not be extending his deal by today’s player-imposed deadline, per league sources. Evans now will be playing on the last year of his contract and plans to explore his free-agent options in 2024.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 9, 2023

Mike Evans’ agent issued ultimatum a week ago

Now, here’s some quick background. On Sept. 1, Mike Evans’ agent stunned Bucs fan when he issued an or-else kind of statement if the Bucs didn’t play ball in negotiations.

Deryk, Evans’ agent, gave the team a week. That meant the deal needed to be done within hours before Tampa Bay kicked off the season against at Minnesota.

“When Mike Evans was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization his promises were to win a Super Bowl and be a Buc for life,” Gilmore said. “He knew he would do everything in his power to make both come true.”

There was more to Gilmore’s statement. He said:

“For the past nine years, Mike has set records on the field that will surely put him in the Hall of Fame. He is considered one of the most selfless teammates by his peers and coaching staff and has been one of the most charitable players in the National Football League. He loves Tampa and the community surrounding the Bucs. And after keeping his promise of winning a Super Bowl, he hopes to uphold his promise to be a Buc for life. As he enters year 10, he is facing the prospect of doing so with uncertainty surrounding his future.”

Evans’ salary ranks only 17th highest among NFL receivers

Although the deadline appeared to come out of nowhere, Gilmore indicated he’d been talking with Bucs management about an extension for the past two years. Mike Evans will earn $16.5 million this season. That gives him the 17th highest paycheck among NFL receivers. But Evans certainly isn’t outside the top 10 when it comes to on-field play. The Bucs selected the former Texas A&M star in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Since then, he’s posted nine straight years of at least 1,000 yards receiving. Last year he caught 77 passes for 1,124 yards and six touchdowns.

The Bucs offense definitely will have a different look as they open against the Vikings. That’s because Baker Mayfield will start at quarterback. He edged Kyle Trask as the Bucs started their post Tom Brady era.