After having been teammates for almost their entire careers, the end of the Chris Godwin and Mike Evans era in Tampa Bay is done. Evans signed a deal with the 49ers yesterday after a legendary 12 seasons with the Buccaneers and while wanting to say, ultimately left fora very understandable reason.
According to Evans’ agent Deryk Gilmore, “Mike Evans’ decision to leave Tampa was never about money. The Buccaneers were extremely aggressive in their pursuit and presented a very strong offer, demonstrating how much they value him and everything he has meant to the franchise…In the end, this decision simply came down to Mike wanting a new challenge and a fresh opportunity while he still feels he has a great deal left to give the game.”
While it was made to sound as if Evans truly wanted more money in the twilight of his career, it came across as a much more telling response to what he thinks about the direction the Bucs are going. By signing with the 49ers, he has hitched himself to perhaps a bigger contender than Tampa Bay right now.
An Emotional Reaction From Tampa Bay
While some Bucs fans have already started to point fingers at certain figures in the Bucs’ organization, the reaction of Evans’ now former teammates is the most painful part of the whole situation. There was none a more painful reaction than that of Chris Godwin, who had been Evans’ running mate in the Bucs’ offense for many years.
Most gut-wrenchingly of all, Godwin actually was someone who took less money in free agency to alleviate the financial burden on the team and be able to acquire more players. Now, all he was able to post about his teammate’s decision was a singular sad emoji.
https://twitter.com/CGtwelve\_/status/2031078961615090023?s=20
The fallout surrounding Evans’ decision has been bubbling under the surface for many years, and it has finally come to a head now. Whether it be the sometimes inept coaching decisions of Todd Bowles or the lack of aggression from the front office, this move was coming from a mile away. The most devastating part of it is of course leaving the team you helped build up behind…ad with it many good memories.
What Comes Next for the Buccaneers
For the Bucs, now they must start thinking about what the long term future looks like. With Godwin still there, he will most likely assume WR1 duties and become more of a locker room leader. Behind him, guys like Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan could emerge, as well as both Tez and Kameron Johnson.
While the immediate fallout became somewhat toxic, there is a chance for the Bucs to make amends. GM Jason Licht preached an offseason of change and franchise-altering moves. While the first of those moves was for one of their best ever players to leave the team, the Bucs can move forward knowing that their future is now determined by what they do from here on out.
Whether or not the Bucs can recover from this remains to be seen, but now there are no excuses to remain on the sidelines.