“A Lot More That I Have To Prove To Myself And The Rest Of The Fan Base”
March 8th, 2024
Future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans thinks he can get significantly better as a player.
After leading the NFL in touchdown catches last season, Joe appreciated Evans explaining today how he’s not done or remotely satisfied.
Evans sat down for news conference at the One Buc Palace auditorium to celebrate his new two-year contract extension with Tampa Bay.
“There’s a lot more for me to chase and there’s a lot more that I have to prove to myself and the rest of the fan base,” Evans said. “You know, I left a lot on the table last year. There’s some things I can do this offseason to help fix that. Have better focus and be in, you know, a little bit better shape. I can definitely, you know, be way better than I was last year.”
Damn, Evans already is in elite condition, but he says there’s another step to take.
“I’ve been in great shape the last five, six years of my career but I can take it to the next level,” Evans said. “I’m not in this game to just to, you know, be an average guy. I’m trying to be the guy, the No. 1 guy. I’m trying to be one of the best receivers in the league, if not the best, every year I play.”
Special stuff from Evans, and Joe expects a special 2024 season from legendary No. 13.
March 8th, 2024 at 12:53 pm
love this guy !!
March 8th, 2024 at 12:55 pm
Go Bucs
March 8th, 2024 at 1:06 pm
Amen.
March 8th, 2024 at 1:08 pm
Mike is just the GOAT. top 5 WR of all time and i expect that number to get even smaller before he retires.
March 8th, 2024 at 1:10 pm
Just stop dropping the easy ones Mike.
Focus
March 8th, 2024 at 1:32 pm
That mentality is what separates him from other great receivers and makes him a shoo in for the HOF
March 8th, 2024 at 1:37 pm
love the talk. now catch the damn ball.
March 8th, 2024 at 1:46 pm
Rumor has it that the panthers would be willing to trade Brian Burns for a third. Can we do it?
March 8th, 2024 at 1:55 pm
I liked how he made it very clear that he would like Baker back but he could play with any QB Licht got. He is wonderful.
March 8th, 2024 at 1:57 pm
In the picture with this blog, what CB or Safety on planet Earth could defend that pass and catch.
March 8th, 2024 at 2:04 pm
Mike: “You know, I left a lot on the table last year. There’s some things I can do this offseason to help fix that. Have better focus…”
I’m happy to see Mike take accountability for his play, and setting the highest bar for himself. When he talks about focus, I think he’s talking about his drops. I am confident that Mike will reduce or eliminate the drops this coming season.
I hope Mike continues to provide a vocal leadership role on the offense. We have some young players that need to continue improving. We need Mike’s help to address whatever happened during and after the bye last season. The offense also needs to understand and fix their low production in the first and third quarters the last two seasons. LFG!
March 8th, 2024 at 2:26 pm
Only the best – Mike Evans! We fans are so lucky to have a guy like him on our team. Expecting a special upcoming season too!
March 8th, 2024 at 2:31 pm
“TomBucsFan Says:
Rumor has it that the panthers would be willing to trade Brian Burns for a third. Can we do it?”
All day if the Bucs can work out the contract with him, say 4-5 years
^^mtnbucman^^
Since ’76
March 8th, 2024 at 2:34 pm
Excited to see what the new WR coach can do to fix the dropsies that plagued MIKEY, Chris and Cade. Also, turn him loose on the DBs. If they could catch even a little, Bucs might have made it to the NFC Chpionship.
March 8th, 2024 at 2:36 pm
When you see ME’s monster leap over the Carolina defender, his leaping ability is downright scary (unfair).
Me has the ability to finish in the top 3 to 5 receiver of All Time. His size, deceptive speed, precise route running ability and other intangibles makes him very special.
March 8th, 2024 at 3:25 pm
I think Coen may do a better job than Canales at getting Mike the ball. I think he’s gonna have another big year, and Godwin as well.
March 8th, 2024 at 3:30 pm
Run out, Catch football…..50 million. Not bad.
March 8th, 2024 at 3:31 pm
Look at that catch.
How do you defend that leap?
It’s why I never understand why they don’t go to Evans more often in the red zone…it actually drives me crazy.
March 8th, 2024 at 3:41 pm
the DB is not even fully upright and his arms are down. sure mike jumped, but I bet the DB could get there. great picture though!
pretty sure mike had some extra pumps in his shoes…..he learned it from woody
March 8th, 2024 at 3:42 pm
He is the best in my book. I would have been majorly depressed if we lost him.
March 8th, 2024 at 3:43 pm
Plus, I love that pic.
March 8th, 2024 at 3:56 pm
YUGE NEWS!
The comp picks for the draft are out and the Bucs get a 6th rounder! WOW!
How are we going to spend it?!?
March 8th, 2024 at 3:58 pm
Draft anothr WR especially in this draft
have all of training camp working with Palmer without any QB competition
settle on how to use Godwin
and ME coud have his best season ever.
March 8th, 2024 at 4:04 pm
We love you Mike but please stop dropping perfectly thrown passes from your “elite” QB…
LOL!
March 8th, 2024 at 4:05 pm
@ Tony
“Draft anothr WR especially in this draft”
Something we agree on… lol.
March 8th, 2024 at 4:20 pm
I’m tired of all of the liars on this site saying that ME13, future 1st ballot Hall of Famer, the only WR in NFL history to have 10 consecutive seasons of 1,000 yards in receiving, drops the ball.
Per PFF, ESPN and Pro Football Reference, ME13 had 7 drops in 17 games last season.
Stop spreading lies!
March 8th, 2024 at 4:28 pm
@ Belle
After re-watching all the Bucs games from last season – I was very kind and counted 12 dropped passes (it was more like 16 but a few were ify) during the regular season and 4 dropped passes during the play-offs.
That’s 16 drops.
Sorry folks but that is WAAAAAAAAY too many dropped passes.
March 8th, 2024 at 4:29 pm
Here’s the NFL drop leaders last year…
1. Nacua, 13
2. Hill, 12
3. Njoku, 11
4. Smith-Njigba, 10
5. Jerome Ford, 9
6t. Adams, 8
6t. Diggs, 8
6t. St. Brown, 8
6t. R. Rice, 8
10t. Kelce, 7
10t. Thielan, 7
10t. Cooper, 7
10t. Higbee, 7
10t. Engram, 7
10t. A. Brown, 7
10t. Mattison, 7
10t. Metcaff, 7
10t. Higgins, 7
10t. G. Wilson, 7
10t. Evans, 7
Also, the Bucs drop rate as a team was 4.4%, which was 19th in the NFL.
There were no issues with drop from Evans or the team, that is fake news.
March 8th, 2024 at 4:33 pm
@ Rod
First we need to clearly define – what is a dropped pass?
Where I come from – if you get your hands on the ball and it drops to the ground that counts as a dropped pass…
March 8th, 2024 at 4:38 pm
“Buc1987 Says:
Look at that catch.
How do you defend that leap?
It’s why I never understand why they don’t go to Evans more often in the red zone…it actually drives me crazy.”
why they don’t go to Evans more often in the red zone
Because sometimes ME forgets to put pine tar on his gloves
^^mtn^^
Since ’76
March 8th, 2024 at 4:40 pm
BelleGladeBuc Says:
I’m tired of all of the liars on this site saying …. Mike drops the ball.
Stop spreading lies!
^^^^^
Are you kidding or did you not watch the games? Mike basically lost the first Philly game with dropped TDs and 1st downs. He had several big games with consequential drops. He dropped an absolute bomb, laid into his hands, in the last playoff game.
Above, when Mike says, “I left a lot on the table last year.” He’s talking about his drops. He’s admitting he’s human and makes mistakes.
Everyone loves Mike but he is human. He can improve. It’s solid that he knows it, too.
March 8th, 2024 at 4:41 pm
Marine Buc – Just using the stats that are available. There’s lot of passes that I’d personally consider a drop, that are not considered a drop, but that’s true for every team. For example, look at Watson in KC, it says on the year he only had 4 drops. I watched one game and literally saw him drop the ball more than 4 times.
So when using the stats, so long as they are consistent, they’re useful to figure out if someone has a problem or not.
March 8th, 2024 at 4:54 pm
@SlyPirate
I was in the stands for the regular season game between the Eagles.
The Eagles ran for over 200 yards against the Buc’s defense that game.
That’s why they lost.
To anybody who knows football, when your defense is manhandled by the other team’s offensive line for over 200 yards rushing, you blame the defense for the loss.
March 8th, 2024 at 5:03 pm
As a lions fan I would like to personally thank Mike Evans for an easy playoff win.
March 8th, 2024 at 5:06 pm
Very good to hear, because was not great last year. He knows it… it’s about FOCUS. At his level, having zero drops is another 50+ yards and a TD a game and puts you in that elite conversation.
March 8th, 2024 at 5:39 pm
I’m confused with the press conference, they said they signed Mike to be a Buc for life, but it’s only 2 years…did he ever mention he was retiring after its up!? Cause if not then he surely is not a Buc for life…yet
March 8th, 2024 at 6:37 pm
@ Rod
I understand what you are saying.
I would like to know where the “dropped passes” stat comes from. Who is making the decision and what criteria are they using.
It seems very subjective to me.
March 8th, 2024 at 7:12 pm
“After leading the league in touchdown passes” geez proofreading is really that hard huh?
March 9th, 2024 at 5:40 am
@Jim Bob
First, ME13 torched the Lions for 147 yards and 1 touchdown in that game, and without ME13’s production against the Lions secondary the game would not have been as close.
Secondly, how many Super Bowls did your Lions win last year?
Zero, the same as the Bucs.
It don’t mean a thing if you don’t win the ring.
How many Super Bowls have the Lions won?
Zero, right?
The Bucs have won 2 Super Bowl Championships.
Finally, what does it feel like Jim Bob never knowing the pure joy of your team winning a Super Bowl Championship?
March 9th, 2024 at 9:56 am
Munch…
Saying that Mike doesn’t drop passes is like telling me the economy is great. When in fact I see my bills and grocery prices and fuel prices and damn near everything so f’n expensive. I also see a lot of deep passes right in his wide open hands go right to the turf.
To quote Coach Rah, stats are for losers. I see what I see and Mike dropped several bombs.
To his absolute credit, ME also makes crazy catches that are incredible!
March 9th, 2024 at 1:30 pm
BridleOaksBuc Says:
March 9th, 2024 at 9:56 am
Munch…
Saying that Mike doesn’t drop passes is like telling me the economy is great.
———-
That’s not what I said – what I said is that the numbers show he doesn’t drop passes at an excessive rate – and I showed the stats to back that up.
March 9th, 2024 at 6:55 pm
Rod Munch
Ummmm there was 1 zillion percent a problem with Mike Evans dropping the ball last year. He was humble enough to acknowledge it by saying he left a lot on the table. I am 100 percent confident that Mike is going to be razor focused. He had a differant QB throwing to him and differant routes so I get it. But to say he didn’t have a problem with it is just incorrect. And that’s not even diving into drops per “target”. That stat is just a snapshot of 1 metric and doesn’t tell the story. Maybe drops per targets? Along with other factors mentioned. He had a problem with it last year and it cost us. No big deal. He is STILL a HOFer, deserves a raise and is working on it this offseason being the pro that he is.
March 10th, 2024 at 9:20 am
@TF
@BridleOsks
If stats are for losers, then why do we keep the stat of the score of the game.
I guess you guys are in the snowflake crowd of give everyone a trophy and don’t keep the stat of score.
ME13 had 7 drops.
That’s the NFL’s official stat on their official website.
That’s a 0.41 percent drop rate per game.
Your hyperbole and exaggeration aside, those are the facts.
ME13 doesn’t have a problem dropping the ball per the NFL.