Report: Mike Evans Offered Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cap Relief

The Buccaneers will need some cap help to retain several important free agents. Wide receiver Mike Evans is reportedly willing to pitch in.

The Buccaneers have some work to do in order to run it back and contend for Super Bowl LVI. Fortunately for Tampa Bay, wide receiver Mike Evans is willing to help his team out.

Evans offered the Bucs to take less money to play for the team moving forward in order to keep the team together, according to Peter King of Pro Football Talk, who spoke with head coach Bruce Arians after their 31-9 Super Bowl LV victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. 

31 Tampa Bay players are set to become free agents this offseason, including stars such as edge rusher Shaquil Barrett, inside linebacker Lavonte David, and wide receiver Chris Godwin, notably along with tight end Rob Gronkowski, defensive end Ndamukong Suh, running back Leonard Fournette, and wide receiver Antonio Brown, among others. And while the Bucs aren't in salary cap trouble by any means - the latest 2021 projection sets the Bucs with around $38 million to spend - it won't be easy to retain everybody.

Therefore, Evans ' potential pay cut could provide a huge benefit. With three years remaining on a five-year contract extension that Evans signed in 2018, Evans is set to account for $16.6 million against the cap in 2021 and over $18 million in each of the following two seasons. However, there isn't any guaranteed money remaining on Evans' deal, so a modified contract - in which Tampa Bay shed some of Evans' salary, and Evans receives new guarantees - could benefit both parties.