clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Mike Evans continues to be the ultimate team player

The star wideout is reportedly re-working his contract to give the Bucs more cap flexibility

John A. Babiak @Photog_JohnB

Mike Evans is reportedly working on restructuring his contract with the Buccaneers in order to continue giving them cap flexibility for 2021. The Bucs made numerous moves this offseason to ensure they brought their championship roster back, but in doing so had to borrow a lot of money from future years. Given the cap constraints placed on NFL teams this year considering the money that was expected did not come to fruition, the Buccaneers looked to Evans - once again - to help them out.

This money isn't so they can necessarily race out and sign new players, rather that they have a little money in the bank for the purposes of the injured reserve, practice squad, or settlements that may come along. The Bucs were pressed hard against the cap and moving some of Evans' money down the road in terms of a prorated signing bonus gives them that "in case of emergency break glass" safety net.

The details of the restructure will emerge at some point but as of now nothing official has been made public. This isn't the first time Evans has done this and it creates the feeling that both he and the team know that he's going to be around for quite a bit longer.

With the conversion of guaranteed salary cap to prorated signing bonus, Evans will carry with him "dead money" that would count against the Bucs in future years. The longer he's with the team, the more that amount diminishes. It seems a safe bet that Evans would wind up being a wire-to-wire Buccaneer given how beloved he is by the organization, his teammates, and the community.

Evans is entering his eighth year with Tampa Bay and currently sits at number two in franchise history in touchdowns scored, behind former running back Mike Alstott. Evans is the team's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.