It’s been a bittersweet offseason for the Buccaneers, who saw two legends depart the franchise. First, the Buccaneers watched longtime receiver Mike Evans leave in free agency for the 49ers. Then, linebacker Lavonte David retired, calling it a career after 14 stellar seasons in Tampa.
The departure of Evans is particularly sad for the Buccaneers, who were willing to pay the 32-year-old more than the 49ers did so he could remain a member of the franchise that drafted him back in 2014. Over his time with the Buccaneers, Evans tallied 11 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons—tying Jerry Rice’s record—and helped the franchise win its second Super Bowl. Instead of staying with the Buccaneers for his entire career, Evans opted to head to San Francisco on a three-year, $42.4 million deal with $14 million guaranteed.
