Buccaneers News: Baker Mayfield sends message to Mike Evans about his return

Baker Mayfield has received some very relieving news for Week 12. Mike Evans has finally returned after recovering from a hamstring injury, and the quarterback has made one thing clear to the wide receiver about his comeback.

The 2024 NFL season has been a challenging one for the Buccaneers. While the year started on a positive note, things have taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks, largely due to a slew of injuries affecting key players.

A few weeks ago, the team lost Chris Godwin for the entire season due to an ankle injury. Around the same time, Mike Evans suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him since Week 7, making things even tougher for Baker Mayfield.

Baker Mayfield sends clear message to Mike Evans about his return

The situation has eased slightly for the Buccaneers as their 2024 season progresses. Despite their struggles, which have been heavily impacted by injuries to star players, the return of Mike Evans offers a glimmer of hope.

Baker Mayfield has proven to be a reliable quarterback, but he thrives with elite weapons around him. With Chris Godwin out for the season, Mayfield relied heavily on Mike Evans—until the wide receiver was also sidelined with a hamstring injury.

In Evans’ absence, the Buccaneers suffered three losses. Now, with the wide receiver back in action, he and Mayfield will aim to secure the wins needed to push the team toward a playoff berth.

Evans remains a vital weapon for Mayfield, and the stats back it up. The wide receiver has achieved 1,000 or more receiving yards in each of his 10 NFL seasons. However, Mayfield has cautioned that this streak might be at risk, and that the wideout is aware of it.

“You guys have been around Mike for long enough now,” Mayfield said, via the team’s website. “The streak, yeah, it’s important to us, but he cares about winning. He’s a huge part of this offense when he’s in there, so I think that will come naturally. But I’ve been in a situation where you kind of force-feed the ball to a guy, and that’s not how this offense works, especially. Staying true to reads. The defense dictates where the ball needs to go; when we have our one-on-one matchups with him we need to take advantage of it.”

Will Mike Evans stay with the Buccaneers in 2025?

Mike Evans’ future with the Buccaneers remains uncertain. Although he is under contract with Tampa Bay through the 2025 season, it’s unclear if he will continue playing beyond that, either with the Buccaneers or elsewhere in the NFL.

Evans will be 33 years old at the start of the 2026 season, and retirement could be on the table by then. If he opts to keep playing, he is likely to sign a short-term extension with the Buccaneers before eventually hanging up his cleats.