The Buccaneers came into this week with several key players on track for free agency, but they moved to hold onto two of them.
Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. got a franchise tag and wide receiver Mike Evans signed a two-year contract extension with the team. Quarterback Baker Mayfield remains unsigned, however, and he can start talking to other teams on Monday if that remains the case through the weekend.
Many assumed that Evans’ signing would be followed by the Bucs would be bringing Mayfield back and Evans made his case for the quarterback while speaking to reporters on Friday.
“Me and Baker have a really good relationship. I think he’s an elite quarterback,” Evans said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
Evans’ relationship with Mayfield may have make him privy to the quarterback’s plans because sticking around Tampa with quarterback uncertainty would make Evans’ decision to re-sign ahead of the start of free agency feel like a curious one.
