Mike Evans rumors: AFC franchise emerge as favorite to land star WR in free agency

Mike Evans is one of the most consistently productive wide receivers in NFL history, and his 10 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons prove that. In fact, he is the first player ever to begin his career by exceeding 1,000 yards in 10 consecutive years.

His incredible streak is still active with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he has spent his career so far, but he might have to try to continue it with a new team next year. He is currently pending free agency and the franchise is rumored to be planning on moving on from him.

With the free agency period of the 2024 NFL offseason officially beginning on March 11, the two sides will have until then to work out a potential contract. Recent reports have indicated that the two sides are far apart in their negotiations, so Mike Evans may be destined to become a free agent this year.

If he does hit the open free agency market, he will likely have a strong interest from teams looking to sign him. According to his current betting odds, the Houston Texans are considered the front-runners to land him for the 2024 NFL season.

Interestingly, his odds imply that he is more likely to join the Texans during the offseason than he is to re-sign with the Buccaneers.

Mike Evans is from Galveston, Texas, in the Houston area, so joining his hometown team would seem to make some sense. He also played his college football career with the Texas A&M Aggies, so it would be a homecoming for him.

If Evans were to become a free agent, he would likely want to play for a contending team. The Houston Texans met this qualification after winning a game during the NFL playoffs last year. They are also led by superstar quarterback CJ Stroud, so Evans could keep his 1,000-yard streak going.

If the Buccaneers want to keep him, they have less than a month to make that happen.

Can the Buccaneers franchise tag Mike Evans?

Mike Evans

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the middle of negotiating a new contract with Mike Evans, who is pending free agency in the 2024 NFL offseason. The two sides are reportedly still far apart on a potential new contract, so getting a deal done is rumored to be unlikely.

While the Buccaneers have the option of placing their franchise tag on Evans, NFL insider Adam Schefter recently reported that they are unlikely to do so. They would have to pay a premium if they decided to go that route, and it doesn't seem like the franchise wants to commit that much money to a short-term solution.