Mike Evans' NFL Free Agency Discussed by Bowles: 'We Want Him to Retire' with Bucs

Two weeks before Mike Evans is set to become a free agent for the first time in his career, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles made it clear he wants to have the star receiver back.

Appearing on NFL Network's Good Morning Football, Bowles said "we want him to retire" as a member of the Buccaneers when asked about Evans' future.

"He's an unprecedented player. We want him to be a Buc for life. We're working towards that," general manager Jason Licht told reporters on Tuesday. "Obviously it takes two sides. I know he wants to be a Buc. We'll probably have to strain a little bit but we're working towards that right now."

The Buccaneers are entering free agency in a state of uncertainty. In addition to Evans, quarterback Baker Mayfield is also set to hit the open market.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported Mayfield's representatives have already met with the Buccaneers and they will talk again this week at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Things definitely seem to have shifted between Evans and the Buccaneers compared to where they were at prior to the start of the 2023 season.

The two sides were in talks for a new contract when Evans set a Week 1 deadline to get something done. His agency said in a statement on his behalf he "wants the next phase of his career to be with an organization who wants him and wants him to help win a Super Bowl."

Evans had a $13 million base salary last season, the final year of his five-year, $82.5 million extension that was signed in March 2018.

Despite the contract stalemate, Evans produced one of the best seasons of his career in 2023. He caught 79 passes for 1,255 yards and tied for the NFL lead with 13 touchdowns.

Evans had his most receiving yards since 2018 and yards per reception (15.9) since 2019. The 30-year-old has been as reliable as any wide receiver in the NFL since being drafted in 2014. He's the only player in league history with at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 10 seasons.

Jerry Rice is the only player with a longer streak of 1,000-yard seasons when he did it in 11 times from 1986 to '96.

Evans is Tampa's all-time leader in every major receiving category, including receptions (762), receiving yards (11,680) and touchdowns (94).