When March 13 rolls around, Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort and the front office will have a heavy workload on their plate when the NFL Free Agency opens.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!There are many positions that they will try to pinpoint and target as they look to rise in the NFC West Division.
In particular, wide receiver is an area in need of stardom and depth since they finished 26th as a team in overall receiving yards (3,430) and 30th in yards per reception (9.7).
While Cincinnati Bengals’ Tee Higgins and Pittsburgh Steelers’ Michael Pittman Jr. are both available, a name that could also be on the Cardinals’ radar with coveted experience is Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Evans to the Valley?
Ever since he was drafted seventh overall by Tampa in the 2014 NFL Draft, Evans has recorded 1,000-plus receiving yards each season since.
The 30-year-old gathered 11,680 total receiving yards from 762 receptions and scored 94 touchdowns in his 10-year NFL career (2014-23) so far.
Adding to his storied career in Tampa Bay, he has racked up some series accolades along the way.
The Texas native is a five-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro and a Super Bowl LV Champion.
In 2023, Evans collected his third-most yards in his with 1,255 from 79 catches and stashed the highest amount of touchdowns he has ever had (13) in a single season.
Recently, speculation arose as to whether Evans would return to the Buccaneers or test free agency before The Athletic senior NFL insider Dianna Russini clarified his situation on Friday.
“WR Mike Evans plans to hit free agency for the first time in his career, per sources,” Russini said. “Tampa and Evans are in discussions but he wants to explore his options. This doesn’t mean Evans’ time as a Buc is over, but he plans on hearing from all teams before making a decision.”
WR Mike Evans plans to hit free agency for the first time in his career, per sources. Tampa and Evans are in discussions but he wants to explore his options. This doesn’t mean Evans' time as a Buc is over, but he plans on hearing from all teams before making a decision.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 2, 2024
Some warning signs that may keep teams away are his age (30) and considered an “injury risk.”
Even though it is not a guarantee that Arizona will reach out, picking up a receiver of Evans’ caliber deserves at least some amount of consideration if they want to improve upon a 4-13 season like last year.
Arizona Cardinals Free Agency: What should the team prioritize?
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers Phoenix Sports News for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
