Mike Evans is on pace to shatter every Buccaneer receiving record

With the theme this week being based around records, I wanted to dive into the records that Mike Evans has already broken, and records that he is on the verge of breaking. Keep in mind that Evans is only going into his fifth season with the Buccaneers and is already considered to be one of the best receivers the franchise has ever had.

Tampa Bay selected Evans seventh-overall back in the 2014 NFL Draft. Evans also just recently signed a five-year extension worth $82.5 million dollars, which includes $55 million in guarantees.

In his rookie season, Evans broke the team record for touchdown receptions in a single season. The record was previously set by Mkie Williams in 2010 when he hauled in 11 touchdown passes. Evans eclipsed that in 2014 and caught 12. Evans proved that 2014 was no fluke, and tied his record of 12 back in 2016.

Staying on the touchdown conversation, Evans is only three touchdowns away from becoming the all-time leader in touchdown receptions in franchise history. Through his first four seasons, Evans has hauled in a total of 32 touchdowns. He currently trails Jimmy Giles who had 34 career touchdowns for Tampa Bay from 1978-1986. For the Buccaneers sake, hopefully Evans can break the record week one in New Orleans.

Evans, at just 24 years old, also isn’t far behind from taking possession of the team’s record for all time receiving yards. He currently sits in third place with a total of 4,579 yards. He is only 439 yards away from moving into first place. Based on his first four seasons, and barring any sort of injury, it’s hard to imagine he won’t have that record by the middle of the 2018 season.

Those aren’t the only two records Evans is about to break. He might not reach it this season, but he surely will be the franchise leader in receptions when it’s all said and done. Evans currently has 309 receptions, which is good for third place in franchise history. The all-time leader is James Wilder who has 430 receptions, so Evans, needs 122 catches to put him first all-time.

Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of Evan’s career so far, is that he is one of only three players in NFL history to reach 1,000 yards receiving in his first four seasons. The only other two players to do it are Randy Moss and A.J. Green. Moss was recently elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If Evans (and Green) both stay on their current path and keep putting up these types of numbers year in and year out, they will also be heading to Canton, Ohio one day.

It’s truly incredible when you sit back and look and what Evans has been able to accomplish in only four seasons with the Buccaneers. As mentioned before, he still is only 24 years old and his chemistry with Jameis Winston will only continue to improve. The sky’s the limit for Evans and it is only a matter of time before every Buccaneer receiving record is shattered.