News has dropped that [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](https://www.sportingnews.com/uk/nfl/tampa-bay-buccaneers) receiver Mike Evans will be returning for a 13th NFL season in 2026, but that news isn't all great.
Why you say?
Based on updates from The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud and ESPN's Jenna Laine, Evans is coming back, but his options are open, meaning there is a real chance he is playing for another team in 2026.
That's nightmare fuel for Buccaneers fans.
A franchise great potentially playing for someone else and helping them win a Super Bowl isn't exactly what fans had hoped for when the news dropped that Mike would be returning.
But now, it appears it is definitely an option.
**More:** [ESPN drops monster update on Buccaneers WR Mike Evans](https://www.sportingnews.com/uk/nfl/tampa-bay-buccaneers/news/espn-monster-update-buccaneers-wr-mike-evans/9d5e8d7e039e53ef0519906c)
Where does Evans' future lie?
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To be honest, it doesn't sound like he knows, and that's fine.
But also keep this in mind. Just because he is keeping his options open, doesn't mean he won't be a Buccaneer in 2026.
The NFC South franchise is still in play, but so are all of the other teams in Super Bowl contention.
Will a bidding war ensue? Maybe, but the Buccaneers have ample receivers to cover the loss of Evans if it came to that.
But still, the thought of Evans playing for a different team in 2026 likely won't sit well with most fans.
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