The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a long history of great players. From Lee Roy Selmon to Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp to Lavonte David, the Buccaneers have always produced Hall of Fame quality players. But as you may have noticed, they have always been defensive players.
But things have changed over the last decade. I’m talking, of course, about star wide receiver Mike Evans, who recorded over 1,000 yards receiving every season and at least 12 touchdowns in five of those ten years. He’s arguably the best offensive player in Buccaneers history.
But I want to look at the bigger picture than just Buccaneers history, and Evans’ greatness has cemented him as one of the best wide receivers to ever play the game, and I think it’s something that doesn’t get a lot of attention nationally.
We often hear the rhetoric that “Evans was never the best player at his position” or that “his performance was just a years-of-service award.” But the reality is different. Evans has achieved rare heights, and he has done so at a faster rate than almost any player in NFL history.
Keep in mind that Evans is still writing his story. He’s currently under contract for two years heading into his age-31 season. Realistically, Evans has two years to reach the milestone that would cement him as one of the all-time greats and a first-round Hall of Fame candidate.
Here’s what I want to say.
Mike Evans is looking to join a team that has recorded 14,000 yards receiving and 110 receiving touchdowns.
Only six players in NFL history have recorded at least 14,000 yards receiving and 110 touchdown catches: Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, Larry Fitzgerald and Tony Gonzalez. Arguably, this is a short list of the greatest pass catchers of all time.
It’s that group that Evans is looking to join. He currently has 11,680 yards and 94 touchdowns. If he maintains his current level of play, he’ll need to average 1,160 yards and eight touchdowns over the next two seasons to reach those marks.
On paper, this looks like a pretty average season for Evans. He’s reached those receiving yards four times and those touchdowns seven times in his career, and it’s very possible he could reach those totals over the next two seasons if he stays healthy.
Assuming Evans plays all 17 games in both years, he’ll have 188 career games played, putting him well ahead of Gonzalez and Fitzgerald and putting him up against arguably the four greatest receivers of all time.
What happens after the next two years seems like just a bonus for Evans. If he plays another five years after that, he might follow Larry Fitzgerald’s path and try to finish in the top two or three in these categories, but at that point he’ll already be a sure thing for the Hall of Fame.
For us Buccaneers fans, these are the only two years that matter. To hit these milestones with one team is special (only Rice, Harrison and Fitzgerald have done so with one team), not to mention what the team can accomplish on the field if Evans continues to play at a high level.
Enjoy the next two seasons from Mike Evans, Buccaneers Nation. You will probably never see a player in a Buccaneers uniform make a play like this again because no one has ever made a play like this before. This is an incredible play that most fans will never get to experience.
For more information on JT, click here and follow him on Twitter.
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