As much as we want to say Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht knew something no one else did when he drafted wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, there’s plenty of evidence to the contrary.
About $118 million worth of evidence, to be exact. That’s how much he’s paid out in contracts to veteran wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin over the last 2 years.
In 2025, with the Evans and Godwin making a combined $47.3 million, they’ve combined for 22 receptions for 201 yards and 1 touchdown through the first 11 games. That makes them arguably the 2 worst wide receiver contracts in the NFL.
Two Star Players Who Can’t Stay Healthy
With Godwin, the Buccaneers are almost totally stuck financially after signing him to a 3-year, $66 million contract in March. He’s only played in 3 games and no longer looks like a player who can help his team win games. Godwin has 8 receptions for 61 yards and zero touchdowns and can’t stay healthy.
The Buccaneers are on the hook for a $33 million salary cap hit with Godwin in 2026. Which should make your stomach hurt if you’re a Buccaneers fan.
Evans can’t stay healthy, either. He missed 3 games in 2024 with a hamstring injury and missed 2 more games this season another hamstring injury beofre he returned in Week 7 and broke his collarbone in a loss to the Detroit Lions. Evans has already missed a career high 7 games this season and isn’t likely to return unless the Buccaneers make a deep playoff run.
Godwin and Evans haven’t played together in 21 regular season games, dating all the way back to Week 7 of the 2024 regular season.
With Evans, who is in the final season of the 2-year, $52 million contract he signed before the 2024 season, it’s obvious the relationship between player and team is no longer viable. Next year, he’ll likely be able to get a pretty decent contract from another team in free agency — $15 to $20 million per year — despite being 33 years old and in his 14th season.
The Buccaneers, no matter how beloved Evans is to the fans, should let that be somebody else’s mistake.
Unless he wants to take a massive pay cut — think like half of what he’s making now — the next time Evans signs a contract with the Buccaneers it should be one of those ceremonial 1-day contracts after he decides to retire.
Buccaneers Can Build Around Egbuka
Getting rid of Evans could free up big money to spend on a free agent in the 2026 cycle, which the Buccaneers should try and do if possible, as well as spending another early-round pick on a wide receiver. Licht is the one who drafted Evans and Godwin, so we know he’s got an eye for wide receiver talent.
If Tampa Bay is looking to make a big splash, they could go after a player like Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce and offer him a contract similr to Godwin’s.
There’s other options available that might not be as expensive. That would mean bringing in a player like San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings or Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs.
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