Mike Evans Bestowed Esteemed NFL Honor
June 12th, 2017
UPDATED 9:17 p.m. – Man, Pro Bowler Mike Evans has come full circle since his ugly, drop-filled season in 2015.
Credit hard work, receivers coach Todd Monken, and major league maturity.
Now, still at just 23 years old, Evans is on top of the NFL world.
After 3,578 yards in three seasons, including 96 catches for 1,321 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, Evans is now a favorite of his peers. NFL players voted him to the NFL Network Top-100 Players for 2017. The NFL Network feature revealed tonight that Evans is ranked No. 29 overall.
What’s next for Evans, the most targeted receiver in the league last year?
With DeSean Jackson now stressing defenses on the other side of the field, could Evans turn in the first 2,000-yard season? It sounds crazy. But is it?
Kwon Alexander got to weigh in during the NFL Network feature. Kwon raved about Evans’ highlight-reel, one-hand catch against the Falcons, but it was Evans’ overall work that impressed him most.
“He done turned it up a notch,” Kwon said.
Wide receiver Vincent Jackson was the No. 52 ranked player of 2013, and mattress-in-the-yard Mike Williams was No. 83 after his stunning 2010 rookie season catching balls from Josh Freeman.
June 12th, 2017 at 9:32 pm
Forget about coordinators for a second. What about quarterbacks? Our own Wins-a-ton is going to be a little overwhelmed at first. God stress, but stress nevertheless. Here’s hoping the ball will find everyone soon and often. Can’t believe we have a player like Mike. Usually we’re seeing players like him on the other 31 teams. We might just have a top 2 or 3 gm. Go bucs!!!
June 12th, 2017 at 9:32 pm
3rd years a charm! This is #3’s third season! It’s the third season for 40% of our offensive line…Marpet and Smith. And Kwon Alexander’s 3rd year.
Now imagine three years from now! OJ joins 4 or 5 other Bucs on this list and we have another SB win under our belts.
June 12th, 2017 at 9:53 pm
Well deserved. Evans beasted all of last year and that was with every defense he faced knowing he would be heavily targeted and constantly shading extra coverage his way. Didn’t matter. He still kicked their asses for the most part. 12 TDs is hard to do – and he should/could have had at least 2-3 more
My favorite game for Big Mike was the Seattle game. He made Sherman look silly a couple times and had that boy jawin’ and complainin’ at the refs. It was beautiful.
Evans new contract whenever it happens is going to be eye opening.
If I was GM, I would probably let Mike play out this year – take his 5th year option and then prior to the end of the 2018 season negotiate his new deal for Big Bucks. That move saves the Franchise probably at least $12M in 2017 and buys an additional season and a half to let him rack up stats and his value while giving the Bucs an extra measure of comfort to make sure they see him perform at an ultra high level year in and year out and that he doesn’t suffer some devastating injury in the meantime. Its the right business move – I promise you that. Mike might not like the idea and of course would prefer to get a new big deal now – and there are valid points that can be made regarding that being the right move as well…
I would also do the exact same thing with Jameis Winston. 5th year option and then new deal before the 5th season is over. Would save the franchise at least $20M in 2018 as opposed to signing JW to a Big Deal prior to the 2018 season.
These guys will both get huge contracts within the next 2 1/2 years. The smart business move though is definitely to take advantage of the 5th year option in both cases.
June 12th, 2017 at 10:07 pm
I feel like mike got robbed. So u mean to tell me that AJ green, and obj are better than Mike? Fat chance.
June 12th, 2017 at 10:11 pm
2009 Detroit Lions 14 14 67 984 14.7
2008 Detroit Lions 16 16 78 1,331 17.1
2007 Detroit Lions 15 10 48 756 15.8
2016 Tampa Bay 16 16 96 1,321 13.8
2015 Tampa Bay 15 14 74 1,206 16.3
2014 Tampa Bay 15 15 68 1,051 15.5
Megatron vs ME13 first 3yrs in the league….
June 12th, 2017 at 10:50 pm
Joe-at the end of the segment they had a bit about how Evans’ nickname is Godzilla. Did you make that up or was that a known nickname?
June 12th, 2017 at 11:23 pm
He should have been ranked higher, but 29th isn’t all that bad.
June 12th, 2017 at 11:41 pm
@me?:
I saw a poster use that nickname a couple of days ago but I don’t remember who it was or I would give him credit. I love it! Can’t wait for NFLN highlights with the Godzilla roar dubbed in.
June 12th, 2017 at 11:58 pm
I’m so glad the Bills took Sammy Watkins. The story could have turned out a lot different for us.
June 13th, 2017 at 12:33 am
In Evans’ first practice with the Bucs at rookie minicamp, he made a sick catch that Jason Licht said he looked like “Godzilla.”
Joe has used that nickname from time to time. To the best of Joe’s knowledge, no one else has.
And Joe knows for a fact folks at the NFL Network read this site.
Feel free to do the math. 🙂
June 13th, 2017 at 12:55 am
#29 is too low imho …
June 13th, 2017 at 5:23 am
Way to low!
June 13th, 2017 at 6:47 am
Evans & Winston are going to clean up when their contracts come due. Between the two you are looking at over 200 million.
June 13th, 2017 at 11:25 am
Waaayy too low. All good tho. Arrow pointing ☝.
June 13th, 2017 at 2:47 pm
he had one game vs. the giants that was horrendous…didnt have a drop problem his rookie season or last sesaon, and he earns the KY moniker from Joe in 2015. lol
June 13th, 2017 at 10:37 pm
his drops were horrible. and due to lack of effort and poor attitude. he seems to have fixed that.
he often quit before the ball got there, looking for a flag,
he seems to have come out of it though. a real turnaround.