Better Than Calvin Johnson?
July 1st, 2017
Canton-like start.
Joe never thought of this before, but Kyle Brandt has a point.
Recently on “Good Morning, Football,” seen weekday mornings on NFL Network, co-hosts Nate Burleson, Bucs fans’ it-girl Kay Adams (who seemed to wearing some sort of bathrobe) and Brandt discussed the most important wide receivers in the NFL.
Burleson picked his top five and Bucs receiver Mike Evans was not on the list. Brandt then walked into the studio with a Mike Evans’ mask and belittled Burleson (video here at the 3:42 mark) saying has put up better numbers than Burleson’s former teammate with the Lions, Calvin Johnson.
So off to Pro-Football-Reference.com Joe went. And Joe had to do a double-take. Evans not only has better numbers than Johnson did in his first three seasons, it’s not even close in a couple of categories.
Evans, through three seasons, has 238 catches for 3,578 and 27 touchdowns. Johnson had 193 catches for 3,071 yards and 21 touchdowns in his first three seasons.
Joe couldn’t believe it. Johnson was one of the best receivers Joe has ever seen. Yet Evans, in his first three seasons, is outclassing Johnson.
That is freaking impressive.
Godzilla, indeed!
July 1st, 2017 at 10:16 am
Johnson was faster, 4.35 vs. 4.5.
But Evans has a monster “I want it!” factor,
July 1st, 2017 at 10:17 am
Godzilla and America’s Quarterback setting new Buccaneer standard.
Stick Carriers PRODUCE!
Don’t expect them to mention having pain in their knees or losing focus in the beginning of the game because a ref through a flag!
Licht is in building something special.
Go Bucs!!!
July 1st, 2017 at 10:24 am
Joe, Mike Evans has more yards in his first three seasons than even Jerry Rice
July 1st, 2017 at 10:28 am
Not to split hairs, but Mike ran a 4.46 compared to Johnsons 4.35. Johnson might have been a little bit faster, but by the time Mike is done, he will go down as the better receiver. He was dominant last year and he’s still getting better, all at the ripe old age of what? 23?
July 1st, 2017 at 10:31 am
I would rather have ME13 have lower numbers and a much longer career than CJ!!!!!!!! I feel like this is some deja vu??? Its a “Realist Report”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
December 28th, 2016 at 8:08 am
With no other weapons around him. Calvin Johnson broke all kinds of franchise records, and was so beat up that he had a very short career!!!!!!
#WeaponsForWinston!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 1st, 2017 at 11:07 am
Did I miss where Terrelle Pryor made the playoff?? What a joke.
July 1st, 2017 at 11:20 am
Nate got Pryor at 5 over evans and knocked evans for not getting his team to the playoffs, am I missing something or Burleson drunk.
July 1st, 2017 at 11:55 am
Props to Brandt for representing and punking burleson. He was never anything great as a receiver, but has proven to be even worse as a talking head. GO BUCS!!!
July 1st, 2017 at 12:28 pm
The segment was not the top 5 wr in the league. It was top 5 most important to their team. He was ultimately complimenting our team as a whole, that we could survive without Mike because we have other weapons. Such as Brate,OJ, DJax.
July 1st, 2017 at 12:31 pm
And I have put up Mikes #s multiple times on here against the likes of Rice, Moss, Owens, and Megatron. And he is top 5 all time thru 3 years
July 1st, 2017 at 12:50 pm
Best player on this team.
July 1st, 2017 at 12:54 pm
Busy this morning, haven’t had a chance to even read this one yet. All I know is ME=s destine for greatest man. I swear love that muthaf@!!a. All action no diva s@$! those one’s I f@$#s wit.
July 1st, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Its why I wanted Evans and not always injured and will never play a full season Sammy Watkins. Evans is the man. Now its uo to Winsotn
July 1st, 2017 at 3:06 pm
Good Morning Football would be a decent show if it didn’t have Nate Burleson on it. I cringe listening to him talk almost as much as I cringe listening to Gruden do Monday Night Football.
Terrell Pryor??? Really? Idiot.
KY hands…..right Joe?
You will never live that down for as long as this site lives….NEVER.
Evans is the first generational player this team has had since Brooks and Sapp. He’s a franchise pillar player.
July 1st, 2017 at 3:41 pm
Sheep
July 1st, 2017 at 3:51 pm
GOAT has posted those numbers on more than one occasion.
July 1st, 2017 at 4:55 pm
Ditto 1987. here’s my thoughts and why I laughed at the earlier article regarding gmc being the most valuable Buc. I like gmc but even if he was hurt in game 1. I could see the bucs winning 6-7 games maybe 8. I don’t see the bucs winning 4 last season without Evans.
July 1st, 2017 at 5:00 pm
ME’s stats are even nicer considering that he had McClown, Glennen and a rookie throwing to him in his first two seasons. Who where the guys throwing the ball to Rice, Megatron, Owens & Moss?
July 1st, 2017 at 5:39 pm
Ok I truly believe that Mike Evans will go down as one of the greatest wide receivers in history. Call me crazy that’s fine I’ve been there before that dude is a beast turn it up
July 1st, 2017 at 8:01 pm
Megatron had sub par 1st and 3rd years stats wise.
Mike Evans is top 5 all time through 3 years to start a career.
Evans has a ways to go to be as dominant as Calvin Johnson was at his best – (2011 – 96 Rec – 1681 yds – 16TDs / 2012 – 122 Rec – 1964 yds)
He might just get there though as his ceiling may still have some room to grow – with good coaching and a QB like Winston throwing him the ball especially. Considering that Big Mike has only been playing organized football for 7 years – 3 of those in the pros – we may still see some improvement in his game over the next couple years. Johnson became almost unstoppable by his 5th and 6th years.
Time will tell. Even if ME’s game does not improve one bit compared to last year – but does not regress – then he is already far and away the best receiving talent this franchise has ever had.
July 1st, 2017 at 8:52 pm
Yo if you didn’t know ME is statistically off to one of the best starts for a WR you aren’t a real fan imo, I thought his stats were pretty common knowledge. Or maybe I am an uncommon fan in that I follow the stats of the players and am constantly reading stories every day.
July 1st, 2017 at 10:52 pm
@Pick Nice post
I honestly dont see the need for Mike to put up those kind of numbers.
However I already called for him to put up 15 plus TDs with 1500 plus yards this year.
Dount he ever gets 122 pluss catches though.
This prediction is based on him NOT being the center of the game plan.
THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE WILL OF #3 and #13
July 2nd, 2017 at 1:14 am
Watching Burleson try to defend not picking Evans in his top 5 was pretty damn funny.
Let em keep doubting us, the stick carriers know what’s up.
July 2nd, 2017 at 2:07 am
Not yet!!!!! Let’s see what the next few seasons bring!!!!!
July 2nd, 2017 at 2:00 pm
U guys must not have watched the segment. It wasn’t his top 5 wr in the league. It was his top 5 most important to their team.
July 2nd, 2017 at 3:05 pm
That is stunning, but then again ME-vans (Mike Evans) is also only on of a small number of receivers to put up 1K yards receiving in their first 3 NFL seasons. This kid was impressive even when he was messing up in his 2nd year. Then he had the smarts to realize that despite his first two years that going into his third year he needed to work even hard. The proof is in the really really nice key lime pie that came out of the oven. Why key lime pie? LongSeason just loves key lime pie. It’s a taste bud thing. It’s a Florida thing. Banana cream pie would a been great too. Going to Publix bakery. BRB.
July 6th, 2017 at 11:59 am
Everyone knows that Godzilla can beat Megatron.