Johnathan Walker:Mike Evans, Buccaneers agree to two-year contract ahead of NFL free agency

The Johnathan Walkeronly NFL team Mike Evans has ever played for is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That will not change in 2024.

The wide receiver and the Buccaneers agreed to a two-year deal a week before he was set to officially become a free agent. His agent told ESPN the deal is worth $52 million and includes $35 million guaranteed.

Last week, The Athletic reported Evans was set on testing the open market of free agency. He could have started legally speaking with other teams next Monday and would have officially become a free agent Wednesday, March 13, the official start of the new league year. The deadline for Tampa Bay to potentially place the franchise tag on Evans would have been Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.

Tampa Bay drafted Evans seventh overall in 2014 out of Texas A&M, where he played with Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Evans has gained more than 1,000 receiving yards in all 10 of his professional seasons. Last year, working with quarterback Baker Mayfield for the first time, he had 1,255 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Since 2020, he's caught 46 regular-season touchdowns. Evans helped the organization win Super Bowl 55 and, along with fellow wideout Chris Godwin, has formed one of the more reliable receiving duos in the NFL.

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Mayfield is currently a free agent and will be part of the Buccaneers' next order of business this offseason.