The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Mike Evans reached an extension agreement this offseason, ensuring Evans will stay with the team for the next two seasons. Evans has been a cornerstone of the Buccaneers’ offense for the past decade, consistently delivering high performance and reliability regardless of the team’s standing in the NFL.
However, despite his consistent value, there appears to be a lack of recognition as he enters his 11th season.
In NFL.com’s ranking of the top 20 wide receivers for the upcoming season, Jordan Dajani placed Evans at No. 11, situated between Puka Nacua at No. 12 and Garrett Wilson at No. 10. Evans, one of the longest-tenured players on the list, has maintained remarkable consistency with 1,000-yard seasons in each of his 10 years. This includes his tenure through different quarterback eras from Jameis Winston to the Tom Brady era, and now transitioning with Baker Mayfield.
As Dajani notes, Evans continues to be one of the league’s premier wide receivers, despite some overlooking him due to his age.
While every receiver’s circumstances differ based on their team’s offense and system, few ahead of Evans in the rankings have navigated the same quarterback variability or provided such critical contributions to their team’s success, like Evans has for the Buccaneers.
The wide receiver position increasingly prioritizes youth and potential from a deep talent pool, qualities Evans may no longer embody, but his established excellence places him among the elite. While he may not be perceived as “disrespected,” Evans’ achievements have become expected rather than headline-grabbing. This observation may reflect more about his standing in the NFL than any numerical ranking.
