TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans has agreed to a five-year, $82.5 million contract extension that makes him the second-highest paid receiver in the NFL.
The deal confirmed Friday includes $55 million guaranteed and also makes Evans the highest-paid player with the Buccaneers with an average annual salary of $16.5 million. That’s second among NFL receivers behind Antonio Brown’s $17 million.
Evans acknowledged the extension, which runs through 2023, in an Instagram post, noting he will be “spending the next several seasons in Tampa Bay” with a singular focus on helping the Bucs win a Super Bowl.
The 24-year-old entered the league as the seventh overall pick in the 2014 draft. He has topped 1,000 yards receiving in each of his four pro seasons, amassing 309 receptions for 4,579 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Evans had 71 catches for 1,001 yards and five TDs in 2017, when the Bucs finished 5-11 and missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season. Two years ago, he had 96 catches for 1,321 yards and 12 TDs.
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