Buccaneers WR Mike Evans will return for 2026, explore free agency

The news of Evans’ intent to continue playing confirms what his teammate, quarterback Baker Mayfield, said in late January: Evans still has “more in the tank.” Whether the Buccaneers have enough money in the bank to convince Evans to finish his career in the only place he’s ever known in his NFL career, however, remains to be seen.

Evans will account for $13 million in dead cap in 2026 due to the void years that were tacked on to his contract, which expires at the end of the 2025 league year. He carried an average of $20.5 million per year on that deal — a number that ranked outside the top 20 in 2025 — but given his current outlook, it’s likely he’ll attract a lower number on a short-term deal in March.

Tampa Bay has $23.9 million in projected cap space entering 2026, enough room to fit Evans into the equation if it can also retain some of its key upcoming free agents prior to the start of the new league year. At that point, it becomes a matter of priorities: Find a way to keep a franchise legend for one more year (and keep Mayfield happy by retaining his favorite target), or redirect financial resources toward the strength of the greater 53-man roster.

If the latter proves more important, Evans has already made it clear he’s willing to play elsewhere, a stance that is also a leverage-focused position ahead of looming negotiations. He still carries value, especially for a contender seeking a big-bodied pass-catcher with excellent hands, ball skills, body control and experience.

We’ll see if that value is a match for the Buccaneers, or if Evans might don a new uniform in 2026.