Bills Have Realistic Chance to Snag Future Hall-of-Fame WR for Josh Allen

Wide receiver Mike Evans, reportedly, wants to play a 13th season in the NFL, and the pending free agent will likely have his pick of attractive destinations.

If Evans decides to leave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the only team he's played for since being drafted at No. 7 overall, the Buffalo Bills appear to be a good fit for both parties.

Identifying the "Best Landing Spots for the Veteran WR in NFL Free Agency," Sports Illustrated tagged the Bills, Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots as serious potential suitors. Given his history of production, Evans is likely to garner heavy interest on the market.

Up until 2025, Evans has been the WR1 that the Bills have lacked in recent years since trading away Stefon Diggs. The 32-year-old Evans is coming off the first "down" season of his illustrious career, missing nine games due to injury and catching only 30 of 62 targets in 2025.

MORE: SI Tabs Bills as 'Likely Landing Spot' for All-Pro WR Recovering from Gruesome Injury

The 2014 first-round draft pick started his career by posting 11 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving campaigns, coming up just shy of solely possessing the NFL record that he shares with Hall-of-Famer Jerry Rice.

Pairing Evans with quarterback Josh Allen would seemingly create a wildly mutually beneficial relationship. The wide receiver would have the chance to chase a Super Bowl with an elite quarterback at the controls. Meanwhile, Allen will have one of the most reliable wide receivers of all-time at his disposal.

Mike Evans, Tom Brady — Dec 12, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) and wide receiver Mike Evans (13) talk against the Buffalo Bills | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Sports Illustrated's analysis

"Josh Allen hasn’t had a true No. 1 wide receiver since Stefon Diggs left the Bills. After falling short of their Super Bowl aspirations again in 2025, it may be time Buffalo goes out and gets one. Evans will be the best free agent receiver on the market this offseason, even at 32 years old and coming off an injury-riddled season.

Last year, the Bills didn’t have a single receiver with more than 720 receiving yards. Evans had 368 yards in eight games last season when healthy, which would put him on a 782-yard pace across a 17-game season. In an injury-free season, he’s still more than capable of reaching 1,000-plus yards and double-digit touchdowns. That is the exact type of receiver the Bills should be in pursuit of, making them a solid fit for Evans in free agency." — Karl Rasmussen

Evans still has tread on tires

Despite being slowed by injury in 2025, Evans seemingly still has something left in the tank.

The grizzled veteran had a 132-yard performance in his first game back from injury against the Atlanta Falcons this past December. He went on to make touchdown receptions each of the following two weeks against the Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins.

Welcome back, Mike Evans 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/9bkg7L2pdg
— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2025

The 6-foot-5 Evans, who has been tremendously effective as an outside receiver that can stretch the field, would be an instant upgrade amongst the Bills' receiving corps. Whether its not re-signing Brandin Cooks or dumping Curtis Samuel as a salary cap casualty, there are multiple ways Buffalo can create a spot for a future Hall-of-Famer.

Spotrac salary projection

Despite the fact that they currently stand an estimated $10 million over the salary cap, the Bills have multiple ways to make room ahead of free agency.

While the Bills won't likely have the ability to take on a huge long-term contract, they may be able to secure Evans at a reasonable price. Spotrac estimates that the wide receiver will earn a two-year, $26.6 million contract. Such a deal will provide Buffalp the opportunity to move a majority of the cap hit into 2027.

Evans would essentially be the offensive equivalent to the Bills signing defensive end Joey Bosa to a one-year, $12.6 million deal last year.

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