Well, we found one Tampa Bay Buccaneer who Dave Canales couldn’t bring over to Carolina.
On Monday morning, we learned that pending free agent Mike Evans is no longer a pending free agent—as he’s agreed to a two-year, $52 million pact to stay with the Bucs. The deal includes $35 million in guarantees and will make the 30-year-old the fourth-highest paid wide receiver on an annual basis.
Unsurprisingly, Evans was drawing some outside interest before hitting the open market. After all, who wouldn’t be interested in the only player in NFL history to record at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 10 seasons?
Amongst those on the outside looking in, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, were the Panthers. In addition to Carolina, Russini noted that the Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans were also sniffing around on the five-time Pro Bowler.
That fifth Pro Bowl selection, along with a second-team All-Pro nod, came under the play-calling of Canales—who served as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator this past season. Evans reeled in 79 catches for 1,255 yards, both his highest marks since 2018, with a league-leading 13 touchdowns.
Now, Canales and the Panthers will just have to find some help for quarterback Bryce Young elsewhere.
