On Friday, the Bucs got an ultimatum by Deryk Gilmore, Mike Evans’ agent, that he would break off contract extension talks by Sept. 9, the eve of Tampa Bay’s season opener at Minnesota.
But it surely wasn’t the ultimatum, issued through a press launch, that caught my consideration.
It was the truth that Gilmore praised the Bucs’ chief contract negotiators normal supervisor Jason Licht and assistant normal supervisor Mike Greenberg, who’s the maestro of the staff’s wage cap, and put the blame solely on Tampa Bay’s “possession.”
Right here’s the important thing excerpt from Gilmore.
Regardless of our efforts of the previous two years, and the professionalism of Bucs Basic Supervisor, Jason Licht, and Assistant Basic Supervisor, Mike Greenberg, we have now not obtained a proposal to remain in Tampa. That is disappointing to Mike as he sees different groups step as much as hold key items and gamers which are necessary to their organizations. Many gamers along with his standing would have held out of camp to not danger harm, however Mike has continued working towards laborious, as all the time as a result of he places the staff first. When you may have a participant that can be a Corridor of Fame and nonetheless has 4 to 6 extra years to make an impression within the league, you progress Heaven and Earth to maintain him in your staff, and we’d hope possession feels the identical method.
The press launch continues.
Now we have been engaged on extending Mike’s profession with the Bucs for over a yr, and we wish the followers to know this isn’t a tactic and the ball is within the proprietor’s courtroom.
Meaning the Glazers.
Uh oh.
Pewter Folks, this isn’t good.
Bucs co-chairmen Bryan Glazer and Joel Glazer – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Per Gilmore’s inference, this implies it’s out of the arms of Licht and Greenberg and solely a choice by the Glazers.
Licht drafted Evans along with his first choose as normal supervisor in 2014, and has seen him grow to be the perfect offensive participant in franchise historical past. With 9 straight 1,000-yard seasons, Evans is certainly on a Corridor of Fame trajectory, and would grow to be the Bucs’ first-ever offensive participant inducted into Canton.
Oftentimes it’s dangerous enterprise to let emotions and feelings intervene in sticky issues like contract negotiations. However Licht, a humble Midwesterner, has a sentimentality about him relating to Evans. I’ve to consider he would need Evans re-signed, even when it’s some huge cash – someplace between the $20 million Chris Godwin makes and the $27 million per yr that Cooper Kupp makes.
Greenberg has been with the Bucs longer than Licht and has seen many darkish days on this franchise’s historical past. Generally the one vivid lights on the sphere had been Evans and fellow staff icon Lavonte David. The guess right here is that he would need Evans re-signed too.This must be a Glazers name.
And the hope is that between now and the beginning of free company on March 11, 2024, the Glazers get a wake-up name and do the correct factor by re-signing Mike Evans.
A number of Theories As To Why The Glazers Would possibly Be Opposed To Re-signing Mike Evans
So why aren’t the Glazers keen to as soon as once more open up the checkbook and re-sign of the staff’s finest gamers? I don’t know as a result of nobody has a direct line to the Glazers, who’ve made a follow during the last 28 years of working in secret and chatting with the media simply as soon as per yr on the NFL League Assembly within the spring.
However I’ve some theories.
Bucs GM Jason Licht and Co-Chair Joel Glazer – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
The primary of which is that the Glazers laid out an amazing amount of money – not wage cash, precise money within the type of signing bonuses and assured salaries – to the tune of a whole lot of hundreds of {dollars} through the Bucs’ Tremendous Bowl window from 2020-22 with Tom Brady.
Sensing that the celebration is perhaps over and the staff may very well be on a downturn because it transitions to a a lot youthful staff resulting from wage cap constraints, the Glazers could wish to recoil spending and re-fill their checking account.
It’s their staff, which is a enterprise, and they’re a for-profit enterprise household. They’re inside their rights to make good investments when situations are favorable (successful) and to carry again on investments when situations aren’t or are unstable (non-winning).
Will this yr’s Bucs staff be 6-11 or 11-6? Most likely someplace in between, however extra importantly, will Tampa Bay win in 2023 and proceed with Todd Bowles steering the ship? Or will the Bucs lose and seek for a brand new captain, which might usher in a brand new rebuilding undertaking with a brand new head coach?
Nobody is aware of, together with the Glazers. So maybe they don’t wish to saddle the group with an enormous, multi-year contract going ahead proper now.
One other risk is that the Bucs have a number of younger gamers developing for contract extensions, together with security Antoine Winfield Jr. and left sort out Tristan Wirfs, though the two-time Professional Bowler may play on his fifth-year possibility in 2024.
Inside linebacker Devin White is enjoying on his fifth-year possibility now, and if quarterback Baker Mayfield has a profession resurgence in Tampa Bay this yr and leads the Bucs to the playoffs, impulsively the Glazer should shell out north of $20 million per yr once more for a beginning quarterback.
Like Mayfield, sturdy security Ryan Neal can be enjoying on an affordable one-year, prove-it deal, and will command more cash in 2024.
Alongside this concept is the truth that two of the staff’s current, massive, long-term investments in older gamers haven’t essentially panned out resulting from harm.
Bucs GM Jason Licht and C Ryan Jensen – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Shaq Barrett, who turns 31 this fall, missed half of final yr resulting from a torn Achilles tendon. But at age 30 and as one of many league’s highest-paid edge rushers, he solely produced three sacks within the first eight video games earlier than occurring injured reserve.
Ryan Jensen will miss his second straight season resulting from a freak knee harm on the second day of coaching camp in 2022. Jensen, who turns 33 subsequent yr, will doubtless be pressured to retire, and definitely received’t be in Tampa Bay previous this yr.
May these unlucky offers be on the thoughts of the Glazers with Evans turning 30 in August? It’s laborious to say, however they may very well be a consider Bucs possession being gun shy about giving Evans an enormous pay increase – to not point out as a lot as $75 million in assured cash like Kupp’s deal has.
The final risk that I see holding up the Glazers from eager to shell out tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars} to retain Mike Evans is what transpired with the Bucs in free company over the previous two seasons. Unable to achieve an settlement with star cornerback Carlton Davis III, the Bucs let him check the market solely to re-sign him for a below-market deal.
Davis didn’t fetch as a lot as he thought he would in free company, and it meant wage cap financial savings for Licht and Greenberg, and precise money financial savings for the Glazers. The Bucs did the identical factor final yr, letting cornerback Jamel Dean and iconic linebacker Lavonte David hit free company – just for them to return for lower than they anticipated in a softer-than-anticipated market.
Are the Glazers banking available on the market being softer for Evans, who will flip 31 subsequent August, than the receiver and his agent suspect? Maybe.
Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photograph by: USA At this time
Evans is without doubt one of the most underrated receivers within the league, and possibly Bucs possession is keen to place that premise to the check.
It’s definitely an enormous danger, and pissing off a staff icon, who’s beloved for his touchdowns on the sphere and his philanthropy off it, for a season after which hoping to make amends within the offseason within the early hours of free company is a significant gamble.
Time continues to be on the Bucs’ aspect because it pertains to Evans. The staff has roughly two months between the top of the season in early or mid-January till early March to attempt to prolong Evans earlier than free company if it desires to – or let Evans hit the market and see what occurs.
In addition to, what if Evans doesn’t hit 1,000 yards this season and underwhelms in Dave Canales’ new offense? What if Evans, who has 4 seasons of double-digit touchdowns, solely scores six once more, as he did final yr? Possibly the Glazers wish to see if the 30-year previous Evans slows down a bit in his tenth NFL season, or if he’s nonetheless very a lot in his prime earlier than making such an enormous funding.
The Glazers Have Let A number of Bucs Icons Go Earlier than
One factor Bucs nation must be ready for is Mike Evans suiting up in a special uniform in 2024. That truly may occur. I didn’t suppose that was the case once I initially learn Rick Stroud’s story within the Tampa Bay Occasions on Thursday night time. I assumed it is perhaps posturing on Deryk Gilmore’s half.
However in doing a little digging, I’ve come to appreciate that that is certainly not at agent tactic. There’s a actual probability the Glazers don’t re-sign Evans, as loopy as that sounds.
They’ve really carried out it earlier than – it’s simply been some time.
Bucs Corridor of Fame CB Ronde Barber and Corridor of Famers Warren Sapp, Tony Dungy, Derrick Brooks and John Lynch – Photograph by: USA At this time
Newer Bucs followers could not keep in mind, however the Glazers let two future Corridor of Famers go. They determined to not re-sign iconic defensive sort out Warren Sapp in 2004 on the age of 31, and so they launched legendary security John Lynch that very same offseason at age 32.
Sapp went on to play 4 extra seasons with the Raiders, and had a 10-sack yr at age 34. Lynch, who was launched resulting from a neck harm, performed 4 extra seasons with Denver – all of which had been Professional Bowl seasons.
The Glazers even authorized of Mark Dominik releasing Derrick Brooks, the best Buccaneer of all time, in 2009. Though, that was the correct transfer, as Brooks was merely on the finish of his profession at age 35.
A month in the past, the Glazers had been spending a whole lot of hundreds of {dollars} on a Corridor of Fame celebration in Ronde Barber’s honor. Barber, one of the beloved Bucs ever, performed all 16 of his NFL seasons in Tampa Bay. He’s certainly one of just some Bucs icons, together with the likes of Lee Roy Selmon, Paul Gruber, Mike Alstott and Brooks, to realize that feat.
With talks of a contract extension on the horizon, initially reported by Pewter Report again in Might, it appeared just like the Glazers would do the correct factor and have Evans be a part of that unique membership.
Gamers like Evans don’t come alongside usually. For the Bucs, whose offense has been extra dangerous than good all through the franchise’s existence, icons like Evans come round about as soon as each 40 years.
Throw in the truth that he helped the Bucs win Tremendous Bowl LV by scoring a team-record 13 touchdowns in 2020, the thousands and thousands he’s donated to charities in Tampa and his hometown of Galveston, and the numerous instances he’s restructured his contract to assist the staff’s wage cap scenario and it’s time for the Glazers to make an exception.
Why? As a result of Mike Evans is outstanding.
Glazers Want To Notice – And Reward – Mike Evans’ Influence
Bucs GM Jason Licht, co-owners Darcie Glazer Kassewitz and Joel Glazer, head coach Todd Bowles and senior soccer guide Bruce Arians – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Until Mike Evans suffers a significant harm or his abilities and manufacturing by some means abruptly decline in 2023, the Glazers have to do the correct factor and make him a Buccaneer for all times. And primarily based on how Evans was tearing it up in coaching camp, I believe he’s going to have certainly one of his finest seasons but as he hits the last decade mark in Tampa Bay.
The Glazers want to know that not re-signing Evans could have penalties, as it’s going to lead to a backlash from the Bucs fan base. Evans is an enormously well-liked participant, and if the staff is heading for a downturn – even quickly – within the post-Tom Brady period, there can be way more empty seats from indignant Bucs followers not renewing their season tickets.
When Warren Sapp and John Lynch had been let go after the 2004 season, the Bucs nonetheless had staff icons like Mike Alstott and Derrick Brooks on the roster, in addition to a well-liked, Tremendous Bowl-winning head coach in Jon Gruden.
Tampa Bay really received the NFC South division in 2005 by going 11-5, which helped act as a salve for the wound of Warren Sapp and John Lynch’s departure.
However that was then, and that is now.
The local weather has modified in Tampa Bay. Life for the Bucs is not going to be almost as simple with out Mike Evans in Tampa Bay.
Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photograph by: USA At this time
At 6-foot-5, 225 kilos, even when Evans slows down over the following two or three seasons, he can nonetheless be a productive possession receiver for years to return resulting from his dimension and skill to field out smaller defenders, and make contested catches. Along with his peak, he’ll be able to being a helpful purple zone risk nicely into his mid-30s.
Ready till the 2024 offseason would possibly solely drive Evans’ asking worth up if he has a banner yr. Or it’d lead to a softer marketplace for Evans if his 2023 manufacturing extra intently resembles final yr’s numbers.
There’s nonetheless an opportunity the Glazers come to their senses in early 2024 and do the correct factor by getting an extension with Evans carried out.
However there’s additionally an opportunity that they let one other Bucs icon go away Tampa Bay.
