Mike Evans intends to continue his NFL career, though the exact location is to be determined.

The 32-year-old wide receiver’s agent, Deryk Gilmore, told NFL.com and ESPN on Tuesday that Evans is coming back.

“He is opening it up,” Gilmore said of Evans’ free agency in a statement to NFL.com. “He will play next season with someone. It could be Tampa. But he will definitely play a 13th season.”

Evans has played his entire career with the Buccaneers, who selected him seventh overall in the 2014 draft. He was a key piece in the Tom Brady-led squad that won the Super Bowl after 2020 season.

Evans topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 11 seasons before finishing with just 30 catches for 368 yards and three touchdowns in eight games last year. He missed three games due to a hamstring injury and six because of a broken collarbone, though he was back for the season’s final month.

The Texas A&M product just completed a two-year contract that featured an average annual salary of $20.5 million.

In 176 career games (175 starts), Evans has compiled 866 receptions for 13,052 yards and 108 touchdowns. He is Tampa Bay’s all-time leader in all three of those categories as well as scoring (662 points).

–Field Level Media

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has been ruled out for the remainder of Monday’s game against the Detroit Lions after sustaining a concussion and a shoulder injury.

Attempting to catch a deep ball from Baker Mayfield in the second quarter, Evans’ right shoulder and the side of his head hit the ground and he appeared to lose consciousness. He lay on the turf for an extended period of time while he was attended to.

He eventually walked off the field under his own power before he was carted back to the locker room in visible pain.

Monday’s game was Evans’ return to action after missing the prior three games with a hamstring injury. He recorded no catches on four targets.

Evans has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his 11 seasons in Tampa Bay since he was selected seventh overall in the 2014 NFL Draft.

–Field Level Media

Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans could be a one-man cavalry when Tampa Bay treks to Detroit in a fight atop the NFC standings on Monday night.

Tampa Bay (5-1) owns the best record in the conference and a long list of hurting wide receivers with the Lions (4-2) up next in the primetime rematch of a 20-16 win by the Bucs last season.

Evans was on the field as practice began Thursday, even if he was one of the few players at his position available for work.

Evans would be salve to the wounded offense of the Bucs, who already ruled out rookie standout Emeka Egbuka, the team leader in receptions (27), targets (42), receiving yards (469) and touchdown receptions (five). Egbuka left the Week 6 victory with a strained hamstring last week.

Tampa Bay also ruled out running back Bucky Irving for the third consecutive game with shoulder and foot injuries.

Evans missed Tampa Bay’s games against the Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday), at the Seattle Seahawks (Oct. 5) and San Francisco 49ers (Oct. 12). He was available to practice on Thursday for the first time since sustaining the injury in the fourth quarter of a 29-27 triumph over the New York Jets last month.

Chris Godwin made his return from a dislocated ankle — he was injured in Week 7 of last season and missed the first three games of 2025 — but hasn’t played in a game with Evans since they were both hurt in the Oct. 21, 2024 game against the Ravens.

As Evans primes for his own return, Godwin is dealing with a leg issue and did not play last week.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield had only 12 completions — 10 to Evans (3-42) and Godwin (7-117-1) — but accounted for both Tampa touchdowns in last year’s game, running for an 11-yard TD in the third quarter for the decisive final margin. He was sacked five times, threw an interception and lost one of his two fumbles.

Where Mayfield might be throwing the ball on Monday is unclear if Evans can’t go.

Rachaad White, the starter in Irving’s place the past two weeks, had 10 carries for 18 yards and one reception for five yards in the 2024 matchup with the Lions.

In Detroit, health issues are hitting the secondary for the second season in a row.

Lions safety Kerby Joseph, the NFL leader with nine interceptions in 2024, has separate knee injuries that kept him from finishing last week’s game. Head coach Dan Campbell said the Lions are “reassessing” whether Joseph should rest instead of playing at well under 100 percent on Monday. The other starting safety, Brian Branch, is out this week serving a suspension for triggering a brief fracas at the end of the Lions’ loss to the Chiefs on Sunday night.

Cornerback Terrion Arnold (shoulder) and D.J. Reed (hamstring) remain on injured reserve and fill-in Avonte Maddox is dealing with a hamstring injury.

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles has indicated all along the team plans to be extremely cautious with Evans. The 32-year-old also missed three games with a hamstring injury last season and has a history of hamstring ailments during his 12-year career.

He had just four catches for 33 yards against the Jets but did grab his 106th career touchdown reception. He stands ninth in NFL history.

The six-time Pro Bowler is the lone receiver in NFL history to begin a career with 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons. He is also tied with the legendary Jerry Rice (1986-96) for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons at any point of a career.

Evans is averaging a career-worst 5.0 yards per target this season. He had only 140 receiving yards through three games so an extended absence could put the streak in jeopardy.

However, Evans had just 335 yards in seven games last season when he was sidelined. He returned to action in late November for Tampa Bay’s 11th game and racked up 669 yards in seven games to end the regular season with 1,004.

–Field Level Media