Detroit Lions signing the 30 year old in free agency is still an absolute pipe dream

Mike Evans is expected to sign with a new team in free agency after failing to reach an agreement with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by the end of the day Monday. The Buccaneers could still keep him before the new league year begins on March 13, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, but the two sides “remain far apart”. Monday’s “deadline” was tied to a void contract, which now results in a dead money charge for Tampa Bay.

Evans had his 10th consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2023, and he matched for the league lead with 13 touchdowns. He is a huge receiver who still wins contested catch situations as effectively as he ever has, and many teams will be waiting to offer him a deal when the opportunity arises.

The Detroit Lions have few offensive holes as they enter free agency. Guard could become one if Jonah Jackson and/or Graham Glasgow depart, but only time will tell. Some may argue that having a huge wide receiver fills a need and raises the offense’s ceiling.

2024 Free Agency: Detroit Lions have an extremely limited probability of signing Mike Evans.
The prospect of Mike Evans signing with the Lions in free agency is appealing, and it stretches back to the fall. But it didn’t feel plausible at the time, and it still does (if not less so now). Amon-Ra St. Brown is expected to get a contract deal worth $20-$25 million per year this offseason, although the entire salary cap impact will not be felt until 2025.
Evans has a Super Bowl ring (thank you, Tom Brady), and his numbers today, before he plays another down, indicate he is a Hall of Famer.
So, will money motivate him and determine where he signs? He has $110.3 million in career earnings, thus the money aspect is difficult to determine. He is a native Texan, so the Houston Texans are a likely top landing location. Who the quarterback is seems to be a big priority for him.
Perhaps Evans would accept a one-year agreement with a rival and then return to the market in March 2025, at the age of 31. That is his lone chance of joining the Lions, and it is extremely unlikely. That also presupposes the Lions have more than a fleeting, “don’t rule anything out” interest in him, knowing they won’t be able to land him amid all the other potential suitors with a considerably greater need.