![\"Jeremy](\"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/01k9z1me71pzfhwzmbtq.jpg\")
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Future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans is finally a free agent after this season, and\u00a0ESPN hints at a return to Tampa Bay.\u00a0The 11-year veteran has enjoyed an illustrious career with the Bucs, which includes 11-straight 1,000 receiving yard seasons.<\/p>\n
After spending his entire career in Tampa Bay, Evans is set to hit free agency this offseason, entering his age-33 season. According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, his market will be difficult to gauge, but he finds it hard to see Evans in another uniform.<\/p>\n
Of course, there is a possibility that Evans retires, but he may not want to end his record-breaking career with a lackluster performance. If he does return in 2026,\u00a0it’ll likely be a one-year\u00a0deal with the Bucs, and they need him.<\/p>\n
Receiver Emeka Egbuka has emerged as the clear future WR 1 in Tampa Bay, but the core is young. Egbuka and Tez Johnson are rookies, and Jalen McCmillan is a second-year receiver who hasn’t played this season. Sterling Sheppard and Chris Godwin are veterans, but both lack the pedigree of Evans.<\/p>\n
Bucs fans should hope Evans runs it back one more year in 2026, mainly to mentor the future. Although mostly healthy throughout his career, Evans has struggled to stay on the field in recent memory. Last year, he missed three games due to a hamstring problem that has reappeared in Week 3 this year.<\/p>\n
After returning in Week 7, Evans played\u00a0just 14 snaps\u00a0before he broke his clavicle and was placed on the IR. Fox Sports writer Greg Auman predicts the\u00a0earliest Evans\u00a0could return is Week 14, but that’s stretching it.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, his 1,000-yard season streak is likely over, tying him with Jerry Rice for the most consecutive in NFL history. Regardless, Evans still cemented himself as the greatest receiver in Bucs history, by a lot.<\/p>\n
Injuries have played a significant role and may influence his decision to play in 2025. If Evans returns in Week 14 or 15 and stays healthy through the playoffs, we may see him again in 2026. If a third injury sidelines him again, it would be hard to picture the aging receiver returning next season.<\/p>\n
Regardless, Bucs’ fans should be excited about the potential of Evans returning for one more year. Although he’s aging, his experience, leadership, and pedigree provide fantastic qualities for Egbuka and Co. to learn from. Even if he doesn’t play, having Evans around in an advisor or coaching role over the next couple of years would be ideal.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Denver Broncos\u2019 quest to build out their roster has not ended, but one of the moves they did not make has come back to light. According to a new report, the Broncos had designs on signing veteran wide receiver\u00a0Stefon Diggs\u00a0this past offseason.<\/p>\n
Diggs ultimately signed with the\u00a0New England Patriots, who were playing the\u00a0New York Jets\u00a0on \u201cThursday Night Football\u201d when the news dropped.<\/p>\n
A lot of time has passed since then, but it paints a clear picture of the Broncos\u2019 plans.<\/p>\n
NFL\u00a0Network\u2019s Ian Rapoport joined the pregame show before the Patriots\u2019 game and detailed what went into New England signing Diggs, including beating out the Broncos for the four-time Pro Bowler and 2020 First Team All-Pro\u2019s services.<\/p>\n
Diggs, the No. 146 overall pick of the 2015 draft who has earned over $140 million in his career, signed a\u00a0three-year, $63.5 million contract\u00a0with the Patriots.<\/p>\n
However, fate may have brought Diggs to New England and Patriots head coach\u00a0Mike Vrabel.<\/p>\n
\u201cSigning Stefon Diggs was the end of a decades-long quest for Mike Vrabel,\u201d Rapoport reported on \u201cTNF Tonight\u201d on November 13. \u201cVrabel recruited Diggs out of high school, when he was an assistant at Ohio State. Didn\u2019t get him, was mad about it. When Diggs became available this spring, his agent sent video to the Patriots, just three months after the ACL tear. He was running, cutting. Good sign. Ahead of schedule. It came down to the Broncos or Patriots. Five months from passing a physical, the Patriots signed up. A big-time leap of faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sentimentality and outcome aside, the Broncos had financial reasons to avoid making the kind of investment into Diggs that the Patriots did. It largely has to do with their financial outlook and how the Patriots structured Diggs\u2019 deal.<\/p>\n
Diggs entered Thursday\u2019s contest with 50 receptions for 554 yards and 3 touchdowns, which would have ranked first, second, and third, respectively, on the Broncos.<\/p>\n
He finished the contest, a 27-14 Patriots win, with a 9-105-0 line.<\/p>\n
Diggs, 31, has an $8.7 million cap hit this season, which the Broncos \u2013 who\u00a0Over The Cap says have $4.6 million\u00a0in space \u2013 could have worked to make room for. However, his cap hit jumps to $26.5 million in 2026 and 2027.<\/p>\n
Again, the Broncos could have squeezed those dollar amounts in with projections of $47.6 million in space in 2026 and $68.6 million in 2027.<\/p>\n
However, they signed\u00a0Courtland Sutton\u00a0to a\u00a0four-year, $92 million extension\u00a0this past summer.<\/p>\n
That is a lot of capital to invest into the wide receiver position, even with\u00a0Bo Nix\u00a0on a cost-controlled rookie-scale contract. Instead, the Broncos will pay a combined $38 million for the trio of\u00a0Evan Engram\u00a0at tight end and defensive players\u00a0Dre Greenlaw\u00a0and\u00a0Talanoa Hufanga.<\/p>\n
Diggs has missed more than two games in a single season three times in his career, and just once (2024) since the 2016 season.<\/p>\n
The Broncos have leaned on their young receivers,\u00a0Marvin Mims,\u00a0Pat Bryant, and\u00a0Troy Franklin.<\/p>\n
They were also\u00a0linked to wide receivers before the trade deadline, which could underscore the veracity of Rapoport\u2019s report.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans is finally a free agent after this season, and\u00a0ESPN hints at a return to Tampa Bay.\u00a0The 11-year veteran has enjoyed an illustrious career with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t