As if this opening day of free agency couldn't get any better for the Atlanta Falcons, we were just proven wrong in a serious way. Mike Evans has been a thorn in the Falcons' side for years now, but finally, the NFL gods answered fans' prayers about finding a way to get him out of Tampa Bay.
Following the only season of his career in which he didn't surpass 1,000 receiving yards, the six-time Pro Bowler left the Buccaneers and quickly agreed to terms on a three-year, $60.4 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers. I bet you didn't have Evans leaving Tampa Bay on your offseason bingo card.
ESPN sources: former Buccaneers six-time Pro-Bowl WR Mike Evans is expected to sign a three-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers. pic.twitter.com/wXhuDjqX0N
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2026
So not only have the Dirty Birds already signed five players (including two ex-Falcons), they get to sit and watch as the top weapon of their biggest rival just cashed in elsewhere. And the only things the Bucs have done to respond are sign Kenneth Gainwell and Alex Anzalone and re-sign Cade Otton. Ha.
The Falcons' hopes of winning the NFC South in 2026 just received a massive boost thanks to Mike Evans
Not only are they an archrival, the Bucs are the Falcons' biggest competition to win the division in 2026. They finished within one game of each other in each of the last two years, and it was Atlanta's Week 18 victory over the Saints that sent the Panthers to the playoffs as the NFC South champions. And the Panthers are also making stupid choices in free agency.
Evans and was originally not expected to leave Tampa Bay, but that reality that he could rapidly set in across the last couple of days, and those in Atlanta are loving it. It's kind of a bummer to see him land in San Francisco with Raheem Morris, but I'll take playing him just once next season instead of twice.
You know what's even worse? Even though he's entering his age-33 season, Evans is only set to make roughly $20 million a season, which is genuinely pathetic given how the receiver market has shaken out. If 25-year-old Alec Pierce can make nearly $30 million a year, $20M AAV for Evans is just wild.
The Bucs have made some good moves and they still have Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Chris Godwin at receiver, but the two-time All-Pro was the one who opened up their offense. He was their best red zone threat and Baker Mayfield's favorite red zone threat, yet they still fumbled the bag.
It would've been really easy for Jason Licht to ensure that Evans retired a Buccaneer, but instead, the door just flung open for the Falcons now that their kryptonite is now out of the NFC South and is in a different Bay Area.