Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans never wanted to imagine Mike Evans suiting up for any other team in the NFL, but that's exactly what will happen this fall when the Bucs take the field without No. 13, and the future Hall of Famer plays his first game in a San Francisco 49ers jersey.
But beyond the emotional aspect of Evans' legendary 12-year run in Tampa Bay coming to an end, his absence will also force the Bucs' approach to change when it comes to their passing game for the upcoming 2026 season.
Evans has long been a reliable staple at the top of Tampa Bay's depth chart at wide receiver, and his rare combination of size, length, physicality and playmaking ability as a downfield threat made him a dominant player in his prime, and still a valuable weapon when healthy over the past few seasons. Obviously, Evans could make big things happen when the ball came his way, but he was also the type of receiver that always forced opposing defenses to roll coverage to his side of the field, and start all of their game-planning focus with "find 13, and then figure out the rest" energy.
When the Bucs got down inside the five-yard line, Evans was near-automatic for a touchdown, whether on a fade route to the corner of the end zone where he could outleap just about any defensive back, or on a quick slant where he could use his massive frame to shield his defender from the ball.
Throw in his valuable leadership forged through years of experience with the franchise, both in times of losing and through their recent run of success, and you've got an irreplaceable player whose absence will force Tampa Bay into a completely different offensive philosophy in many ways.
For starters, there's simply no way to replicate the skill set Evans brought to the table. There have been very few receivers in NFL history with a 6-5, 230-pound frame, 4.5 speed, and the combination of physicality, mental prowess, and competitiveness that will eventually land Evans a gold jacket. The Bucs know they have to do things differently without him in the mix, and it'll be about shaping their new scheme around the specific skill sets of the receivers who will be in the room this year.
That starts with Chris Godwin Jr. as the new elder statesman, Evans' running mate since he entered the league as a third-round draft pick out of Penn State back in 2017. Godwin ranks second behind Evans in franchise history in just about every major receiving category, and the team will benefit from his experience and leadership, especially without Evans in the mix now. Godwin has struggled to stay healthy over the past few seasons, but is heading into the 2026 campaign as healthy as he's been in years, and with a new offensive coordinator in Zac Robinson who should know how to maximize his intelligence and versatility as a movable playmaker who can line up all over the formation. Even when Evans was still around, it was Godwin who led the Bucs with 1,333 receiving yards in 2019, and then again in 2021 with 1,103 yards. Godwin led Tampa Bay in receptions four times while playing alongside Evans.
Godwin just turned 30, and if he's able to stay healthy, the Bucs will rely on him heavily as their go-to target in the short and intermediate passing game. Robinson is from the same coaching tree (Sean McVay) as Liam Coen, who called plays for the Bucs in 2024, when they were extremely successful running screen passes to their receivers. Don't be surprised if Godwin reprises that kind of role, taking advantage of his ability to break tackles and create tons of extra yardage after the catch.
Leading the Bucs in receiving last year was rookie Emeka Egbuka, who made the most of his chance to shine while injuries decimated the rest of the receiver room for much of the year. A savvy route-runner with polished technique and a great feel for the game, Egbuka will be expected to take his game to an even higher level in Year 2. While he's not a burner, Egbuka proved last season he can create big plays down the field by setting up defenders with his elite route-running skills, using double-move routes to get wide open on the deep ball. He'll have to do more of that in 2026 now that Evans isn't around.
Jalen McMillan missed the majority of last season after suffering a scary neck injury in the preseason, but now that he's back to full strength, he should be a huge part of Tampa Bay's passing attack this year. Similar in build and skill set to Egbuka, McMillan flashed his high-end potential multiple times over the past couple of seasons. The key for him will be maintaining a high level of consistency now, as well as proving he can stay healthy for the long haul.
In order to recreate what Evans brought to the deep passing game, the Bucs will be counting on a couple of young playmakers. Tez Johnson fell to the seventh round of last year's NFL Draft due to his small frame, but he created some of Tampa Bay's most explosive deep passing gains last season, proving size doesn't matter if the defense can't catch you. Lacking a receiver with anywhere near the size profile Evans brought to the group, the Bucs spent this year's third-round pick on Georgia State's Ted Hurst III, who has an impressive blend of size and speed that gives him limitless potential at the next level. Even with such a deep receiver room, the unique tools Hurst brings should get him on the field early and often.
Without Evans, the Bucs will have to be more effective on the ground when they get close to the goal line, too. Without Evans' above-the-rim presence on those short passes into the end zone, Tampa Bay will have to be more effective with their short-yardage running game than they've been in recent years. The key to that will be Sean Tucker, who brings size and power to a backfield that features two explosive but undersized playmakers in Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell. Tucker carried the ball just 86 times while operating behind Irving and Rachaad White on the depth chart last season, but still led the team with seven rushing touchdowns. He'll need to be just as effective on a consistent basis this year if the Bucs want to turn those deep red-zone trips into touchdowns instead of field goals now that they can't just throw it up to Evans.
Things will look different for Baker Mayfield and the Bucs when they go to the air this season, but they've got the talent and the scheme to still have a high-flying passing attack despite losing one of the league's most dangerous pass-catchers.
