There have been two main questions surrounding longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans from the moment his agent made it known his client wishes to continue his career. Will he return to the Buccaneers, and if not, where will he play in 2026?
With Evans, 32, planning to test free agency and Tampa Bay coming off a disappointing 2025 season, there’s a chance he will wear a different team’s uniform in what will be his 13th NFL season. And even though Evans may not be the same player he once was (last season marked his first under 1,000 yards in his career, 368 yards in eight games), he’s still a big name now available on the open market.
Below are four teams that make sense as possible destinations for the six-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl champion and likely future Hall of Famer.
Whether it’s Evans or not, the Buffalo Bills are in desperate need of a big-play wide receiver. After firing Sean McDermott following an early playoff exit, the Bills are now facing pressure to finally make the Super Bowl run that has alluded the franchise with Josh Allen.
When combining its needs and the pressure to make a move, Buffalo has to do something. Many are speculating that the move may be a bigger splash than Evans, and the Bills may trade for disgruntled Philadelphia Eagles top target A.J. Brown.
At this point in his career, there’s no denying Brown would be a more dynamic addition. But a trade for Brown will be more complicated, and Evans could be a great fallback option. If healthy, Evans’ size and ability to move the chains would make him a valuable weapon for Allen and a perfect mentor to the 22-year-old Keon Coleman.
For another AFC contender looking for more production from the wide receiver position, the Kansas City Chiefs could be poised to bring in another wideout, especially since they may open the season without Patrick Mahomes as he recovers from ACL surgery.
Of course, the Chiefs might decide to reunite with the recently released Tyreek Hill. However, if Hill doesn’t end up back in Kansas City, Evans could become whoever is under center’s new best friend and help the Chiefs rebound from a 6-11 season. Evans on the Chiefs would be kind of ironic since Kansas City was the team his Buccaneers defeated in Super Bowl LV.
Instead of trying to join the Buffalo pressure cooker or a fading dynasty in Kansas City, Evans might be more intrigued by the reigning AFC champion New England Patriots.
Despite an improbable run all the way to the Super Bowl, the Patriots would still be best served to provide Drake Maye a veteran receiver. Evans would make Maye’s life easier and be someone the 2025 MVP runner-up could rely on to be open underneath when under pressure. It’s even possible the Patriots don’t have Stefon Diggs next season, making signing someone like Evans a necessity.
Keeping Evans’ most likely landing spot in the AFC, the Houston Texans are at a crossroads. As some are concerned about the future viability of C.J. Stroud as a championship-caliber quarterback, there are no signs that he will be anywhere other than Houston next season.
Signing Evans would put Stroud in a better position to return to form and keep defenses honest and unable to just put double coverage on Nico Collins. It’s also worth noting that a return to Tampa Bay isn’t out of the question as Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers hope to show 2025 was just an aberration.