“Mike Evans Is One Of The Most Underrated Players In The NFL”
June 21st, 2019
Getting love.
Some folks may be overlooking or not understanding how good of a receiver Mike Evans is. But that’s not the case with the NBC Sports crowd.
Earlier this week, the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio, was discussing which NFC South wide receiver should be the highest paid if all things were equal.
(The NFC South is thought to be richest at quarterback but it also is a division full of top-shelf receivers.)
It seems both Florio and his co-host, former Bucs quarterback Chris Simms, agree: Evans is worth every dime the Bucs pay him and maybe more.
In speaking on a broadcast of “PFT Live,” seen by intelligent football fans weekday mornings on NBC Sports Network, the duo talked up the Bucs’ best receiver.
“Mike Evans is the one of the most underrated players in the NFL for a variety of reasons,” Florio said. “He plays for a team that hasn’t been very good. He does not go out and seek attention. Now, Michael Thomas doesn’t either but if you would flip Mike Evans and Michael Thomas, Thomas on the Bucs and Evans on the Saints, we would be talking a lot more about Mike Evans and Mike Evans could be regarded as the clear-cut No. 1 receiver in all of football.”
It’s hard for Joe to disagree with anything Florio said here. If Evans was on a winning team, he’d have people fawning over him and endorsement deals coming out of his ears. Hell, he might even be talked about as being on the cover of Madden.
If he stays healthy, Joe really believes Evans is on the cusp of what could be a Hall of Fame career.
You can watch the full discussion between Florio and Simms in the NBC Sports video below.
June 21st, 2019 at 10:32 am
Who was it that was so fanatically upset when the Bucs drafted this guy instead of Johnny Football? Just asking.
June 21st, 2019 at 10:35 am
Best player we’ve drafted in nearly two decades—and a class act too!
June 21st, 2019 at 10:46 am
Which poster said we should trade mike Evans for assests/picks
That was hilarious
June 21st, 2019 at 10:49 am
….because of jamis he is even in the conversation of one of the better NFL receivers!!
June 21st, 2019 at 10:55 am
underrated in the national fishwraps but not the personnel people or players, he is top 5 WR in game and as much as it would suck if things go South this year, think you put ME on market and ask for 2 number 1s; because the bucs are in rebuild mode from ground ZERO
June 21st, 2019 at 11:06 am
Come on Haynes! ME13 could make any QB look good. That’s just a homer statement.
June 21st, 2019 at 11:07 am
DR
He definitely needs to see a playoff game here real soon. This year preferably.
June 21st, 2019 at 11:18 am
Hey Joe, any idea what the plan is with the uniform in the lobby of One Buc Place? They gonna keep McCoy’s uniform on display or change it? I think it should be Mike Evan’s uniform on display. Know
June 21st, 2019 at 11:19 am
“Mike Evans is the one of the most underrated players in the NFL.” Yeah, right up until the time when he smokes your ass, steals your sack lunch, and spits in your eye. Just ask Richard Sherman.
June 21st, 2019 at 11:26 am
@Big Hog
Evans best game as a Pro came with Josh McCown as the QB over 200 yards receiving against Washington
He also had 3 huge games this year with Fitz throwing accurate passes which allowed him to gain some YAC…
Dude is elite with a good qb who can lead him and not overthrow or throw behind him all the time
June 21st, 2019 at 11:27 am
duh!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
June 21st, 2019 at 12:08 pm
You have seen him be a so called top 5 receiver in the league and that would be with Jamis…over throws and all ..not every QB in this league could keep in the top 5!! Go Jamis 5th year about to blow up!! GO BUCS GO SHUY!
June 21st, 2019 at 12:13 pm
He’d be much much better with a QB that hit him in stride…
June 21st, 2019 at 12:33 pm
slugglife
i agree….
mike could get 1000yards with n.peterman throwing him the ball….
GO BUCS!!!!
June 21st, 2019 at 12:58 pm
Some of you are hilarious with your ‘Jameis makes ME13 look good’ versus others ‘ME13 makes Jameis look good’ arguments. Try this on instead … this is the FIFTH year that the two of them have been together. They were BOTH 1st round picks & BOTH have a LOT of talent. ME13 has AVERAGED just shy of 80 yds/game receiving over his 77 games played. Jameis has AVERAGED slightly over 260 yds/game passing over his 56 games played. They BOTH make $20 mil a year plus, meaning that the 2 of them eat up well over 20% of our 53-man team’s salary Cap.
Is there anyone who just read that who doesn’t expect BOTH of them to produce this year … TOGETHER?
What also seems to get lost in the fog is that BOTH of them improved last year. Jameis had his highest completion rate … 64.6% AND highest TDs Thrown %, as well as his highest yds gained per pass attempt. ME13 had his highest catch percentage (62.3%), his most yds in a season (1,524 yds), and his highest yds/reception (17.7 YPC). Our expectations SHOULD be high … for BOTH of them. No excuses.
June 21st, 2019 at 1:01 pm
How bout that one handed catch on the sideline wen he got clobbered on Thursday night. He left not scared to put his body on line to make a catch unlike meSean. In the beginning he was whining a little much for my liking but that has for the most part. I think the only injuries 13 has had is those hamstrings. If he keeps the pace that he is going an stays healthy like joe says he’s deff a HOF. get this dude some WINS Tampa if won’t do it for the fans do it for ME13. #endthedrought
June 21st, 2019 at 1:41 pm
When I went to the University of South Carolina, everyone said our QB, Todd Ellis, was the reason Sterling Sharpe was so good. So yeah, about Jameis making ME13 great. Not so much.
June 21st, 2019 at 1:45 pm
He’s a top five WR. No doubt it’s cus he’s a Buc he’s “underated”. People know how good and dangerous he is, he just not be talked about as much he flies under the radar for a ton of attention unlike OBJ or Bryant. If he stays healthy through his years, how can he not tie randy moss for 1,000 yards for first six years this year and continue to smash it every year.
June 21st, 2019 at 2:27 pm
BigHog Says:
“…. because of jamis he is even in the conversation of one of the better NFL receivers!!”
.
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So misguided. Actually, if it wasn’t for Mike Evans, Johnny Manziel probably doesn’t get drafted. At least not when he did.
June 21st, 2019 at 2:50 pm
Remember, remember on the 8th of May the Joes wanted the Bucs to draft Johnny Manziel. The lack of football knowledge between them should never be forgotten!
June 21st, 2019 at 2:56 pm
Martinii
Boom. Dead on.
June 21st, 2019 at 3:22 pm
Crack-Pipe: misguided you say…how many yards does ME13 have with any other QB in the league? I know who ME is with Jameis…no one know what ME could or would be with any other QB…speculation pretty munch!!
June 21st, 2019 at 3:33 pm
Evans is great, although, lacks elite speed to be the considered the best.
June 21st, 2019 at 4:11 pm
He’s worthy of all the praise but I still predict his numbers come down this year without DJax helping keep him out of double teams. For all the bad mouthing of DJax, he still commanded respect and defenses would shade their FS to DJax’s side of the field allowing Evans to work on single coverage. I don’t think Perriman or Godwin will garner the same respect. Not until Perriman or Godwin can replace DJax’s reputation, the FS will be shading Evans side of the field making Perriman or Godwin beat them.
June 21st, 2019 at 4:16 pm
Then there’s the frustration factor when it comes to Evans as well. With all the double teaming we will probably see more mental frustration on the field as we’ve seen in the past, before DJax’s arrival.
June 21st, 2019 at 4:19 pm
…and because of the double teams Evans will undoubtedly see, I also predict Jameis will throw more INT’s when trying to force the ball to ME13.
June 21st, 2019 at 4:25 pm
@Big Hog:
Mike Evans had Josh McCown and Mike Glennon throwing to him as a rookie in 2014, and had > 1000 yds, as the #2 receiver (VJax also had > 1000 yds.)
He also had 12 TD receptions with those two throwing to him in 2014.
Mike Evans even played 4 games with Mike Glennon as the QB, and had 322 yards (82.2 ypg) and 4 TDs in those 4 games. But yeah, it is probably only Jameis, even during his rookie year.
tickrdr
June 21st, 2019 at 4:27 pm
BigHog Says:
“Crack-Pipe: misguided you say…how many yards does ME13 have with any other QB in the league?”
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I was only half serious, and pointing out your hyperbole by being hyperbolic!
Go Bucs!!
June 21st, 2019 at 4:31 pm
How is he underrated? He is one of the better, let’s say top10 or top15 WRs in the league. It’s not like people think he is a scrub. He has does have one shortcoming though and that is YAC. At lot a of top tier WRs make something happen after the catch. ME doesn’t really do that.
June 21st, 2019 at 5:03 pm
You got your answer Haynes. Probably could just let it go now.
June 21st, 2019 at 5:18 pm
Kevin Says:
“He has does have one shortcoming though and that is YAC. At lot a of top tier WRs make something happen after the catch. ME doesn’t really do that.”
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Some of that may be due to where he is receiving many throws, in relation to his body. But beyond that, he is one of the best at jump balls and boxing out defenders. His footwork is top notch.
June 21st, 2019 at 5:32 pm
Kevin ME is still tops in my book. Jamie’s doesn’t always through a accurate ball. And alot of come back routes in Koeters offense. Hes like 6’5 or something 235 pounds its not easy to move like he dose at his size. I think hes doing fine. I see him progress in some way every year. Im guessing 1500 yards 101 catches and 17 TD for Evans this year.
June 21st, 2019 at 7:03 pm
He might be our best player ever by the time he is done – there is no doubt at all he is the best WR we have ever had already