Josh Allen’s Bills linked with ‘aggressive’ move for $155million wideout to finally end Super Bowl jinx

Mike Evans is desperate to add another Super Bowl ring to his collection — and Tampa Bay may not be his best bet.

The Buccaneers icon has been a loyal contributor to the organization that drafted him with the seventh overall pick in 2014.

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Evans’ agent Deryk Gilmore confirmed to ESPN that he will return for the 2026 season and is planning to keep his options open.

The six-time Pro Bowler missed 10 games in 2025 because of a broken collarbone and a hamstring injury and will turn 33 in August.

But he remains one of the NFL‘s elite red zone threats and there will be plenty of interest in securing his signature.

Evans won Super Bowl LX with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay and has described himself as a “Buc for life” but is entering the final years of his career.

After missing the playoffs last season, Evans may decide to head to Brady’s old division where he could help the Buffalo Bills finally break a decades-long drought that dates back to four successive Super Bowl defeats in the 1990s.

Josh Allen is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL but has still never made it to the big game.

He saw Stefon Diggs — the only elite receiver he has played with — walk away in 2023 and nobody has stepped up.

Deploying a mash-up of different weapons ever since, the Bills have relied on running back James Cook and Allen to get the job done.

It hasn’t worked and a 33-30 loss to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round sent Buffalo back to the drawing board.

New coach Joe Brady may decide it is time to give his talismanic quarterback an undisputed alpha at X receiver.

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“A return to Tampa Bay is clearly an option for Evans, but becoming the top receiver in Buffalo with quarterback Josh Allen makes a lot of sense, too,” wrote ESPN’s Matt Bowen.

“Under new coach Joe Brady, Evans could be that boundary X target for Allen and create matchups in the low red zone. I like the idea of Buffalo getting aggressive to add a proven and reliable target.”

When can Mike Evans speak to teams?

Evans started his career with 11-straight 1,000-yard seasons and only injury snapped his streak.

If fully fit, he would provide a game-breaking target for Allen that could open up huge holes for the rest of the offense.

Good luck shutting down the 6ft 5in matchup nightmare on the perimeter while ensuring there is no space for Allen and Cook to operate.

Other teams could well emerge in the race for Evans.

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His free agent negotiating period begins on March 9 and he could officially sign a deal two days later.

But the Bucs are likely to make a bid as well to try and keep hold of Baker Mayfield’s top target.

The last time Evans was a free agent in 2024, he re-signed on a two-year deal worth $52 million a week before he was eligible to speak to other teams.

Tampa Bay have only missed the playoffs once since a Super Bowl triumph in the 2020 season and will be confident of challenging again.

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