Baker Mayfield Has Strong Reaction to Mike Evans' Buccaneers Departure
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won't have wide receiver Mike Evans on the roster this season.
Evans, who had spent his entire career with Tampa Bay since being selected No. 7 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, signed a three-year, $42.5 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency.
So, it will take some time for Buccaneers fans to get used to Evans wearing a different jersey than the one he wore for the past decade.
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield also has to get used to it, and he added it was a disappointing time when Evans signed with the 49ers.
"There's no way to sugarcoat it. It's disappointing to not have him back," Mayfield said, via Michael Baca of NFL.com.
"Just the caliber of player he is, he's a Hall of Famer, deserved to be a Buc for life. Things happen, but luckily, him and I have a great relationship, we'll still be friends for life, and I'll be cheering him on except when we play them, if it comes down to it," Mayfield added.
Mayfield went on to rave about veteran Chris Godwin, who should help fill the leadership role that Evans held for so long in Tampa Bay.
"For Mike to leave, it allows Chris to step up -- he's always been an unbelievable leader -- but for him to really take charge of that room," Mayfield said.
Buccaneers Aiming For Playoff Return in 2026
The Buccaneers are coming off an 8-9 season in 2025, which snapped their streak of five straight years of making the playoffs.
The loss of Evans will be a tough one, but the WR room still includes Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson and rookie Ted Hurst III, so there are plenty of mouths to feed in the offense.
It is also a pivotal year for Mayfield, who is in the final season of his three-year, $100 million contract he inked in 2024.
If Mayfield can lead the Buccaneers back to the postseason, that should be a huge step towards his next contract.
Related: Todd Bowles Reveals Buccaneers' Decision On Future
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