Bruce Arians Will Be “Very, Very Shocked” If Mike Evans Wants To Leave Tampa
March 2nd, 2026
Joe has believed it’s highly likely Mike Evans re-signs with Tampa Bay.
But Bucs officials attending the NFL Scouting Combine last week would not go there publicly.
Todd Bowles and Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht did several interviews and expressed no confidence that Evans would be re-signed. Their steady company line was that Evans earned the right to test free agency, the Bucs have clear lines of communication with Evans’ agent, and everyone knows the Bucs want Evans to return.
However, Licht was adamant on the Ira Kaufman Podcast that Evans truly loves his teammates, and he said Evans deeply understands the Bucs’ strong talent pool and the team’s plan to return Tampa Bay to postseason glory.
On Saturday, Licht’s “senor advisor,” Bruce Arians was less guarded about the Bucs’ likelihood of re-signing Evans. Arians is not sweating it and he wasn’t shy about saying it. Arians joined Outspoken on SportsGrid TV and was asked by host Dan Sileo about the challenge the Bucs might have re-signing Evans.
“I don’t think it’s very tough [to re-sign Evans.] I mean, it’s just a matter of just meeting somewhere in the middle,” Arians said.
“You know, Mike loves Tampa; Tampa loves Mike. Chris Godwin went through this last year and was actually rehabbing more so than Mike is. I think [Evans] earned the right to check the market and then bring the market back. I’d be very, very shocked if he wanted to leave. All the parties just got to come to a good agreement.”
Arians’ take on Evans’ situation is how Joe steadily has understood it since Baker Mayfield expressed confidence Evans would return five weeks ago.
The free agency dinner bell rings next Monday at noon.