{"id":198102,"date":"2026-03-19T18:29:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T18:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/198102\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T18:29:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T18:29:24","slug":"buccaneers-offered-mike-evans-more-money-to-stay-in-tampa-bay-what-went-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/198102\/","title":{"rendered":"Buccaneers Offered Mike Evans More Money To Stay In Tampa Bay. What Went Wrong?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s no secret that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/a> wanted to keep Mike Evans. A franchise legend since being drafted by the Bucs in 2014, Evans is third in the NFL in active touchdowns and netted 11 straight 1,000-plus yard seasons to start his career, and everyone in Tampa Bay and beyond expected him to play his whole career in Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n

That didn’t happen, though. Evans re-signed with the Buccaneers two years ago before hitting free agency and said he’d be a Buc for life, but things change \u2014 this year, he tested the market and decided to sign a three-year deal with the 49ers. <\/p>\n

Evans took very little money to join up with the 49ers, signing a three-year deal worth $42.4 million, with just $14.3 million of that contract guaranteed. Many Buccaneers fans and national pundits suspected that Tampa Bay’s offer must have been bigger than that, and as it turns out, general manager Jason Licht confirmed that to be the case.<\/p>\n

Buccaneers gave Mike Evans a bigger offer than 49ers \"Tampa<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) reacts after catching a pass against Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Licht spoke with media at One Buc Place on Thursday, and in doing so, mentioned that the Bucs’ first offer to Evans was bigger than the eventual final offer he took to join up with the San Francisco 49ers.<\/p>\n

“I feel like we did everything we could,” Licht said, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. “I had a lot of talks with Mike about that.”<\/p>\n

Jason Licht on Mike Evans leaving for the 49ers. \u201cI feel like we did everything we could. I had a lot of talks with Mike about that,\u201d Licht said. He added the Bucs offer was actually for more money.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Evans’ departure to the 49ers was clearly not about money. Evans wanted a new challenge, and he gets that in San Francisco \u2014 he also joins up with head coach Kyle Shanahan, who is perhaps the best offensive schemer in football and likely a large upgrade from current Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles. Licht was seemingly okay with him moving on, and he noted that one of his most famous free agent acquisitions, Tom Brady, also came to Tampa Bay after previously playing with a team for most of his career. <\/p>\n

All in all, Licht believed, nothing went wrong \u2014 Evans still loves the franchise, as he mentioned in his goodbye statement, and Licht believes he simply needed a fresh start somewhere else to close out his career. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s Jerry Rice, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, Tom Brady that just at some point wanted another chapter,” Licht said, per Stroud<\/a>. <\/p>\n

So what went wrong?<\/p>\n

That being said, the monetary hit that Evans took makes it seem like there was something wrong. There’s been speculation that Bowles’ retention could have something to do with it, as well as the massive amount of talent the Bucs need on defense to be a contender in 2026. The Bucs aren’t primed to contend for a Super Bowl at this stage, and Evans might be very well aware of that. <\/p>\n

Evans will certainly be making less money in San Fran by total value than he would have if he kept playing for the Bucs. On top of that, California has a 13.3% state income tax, and Florida has none, so he’s making even less money when taking that into account \u2014 it makes the fact that he left for what he believes to be greener pastures even more interesting. <\/p>\n

Evans wanted to move on, and the Bucs will have to move on, too. They’ll have wideouts Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin to rely on, and those three will have to fill Evans’ shoes when the Buccaneers take the field for the 2026 season. <\/p>\n

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