Baker Mayfield breaks silence about Mike Evans leaving Buccaneers for 49ers

Quarterback Baker Mayfield lost who had been his favorite target during his Tampa Bay Buccaneers tenure when wide receiver
Mike Evans left the club to sign with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency. 

While speaking with reporters about his contract situation and other matters on Friday, Mayfield addressed Evans' departure. 

Baker Mayfield: Mike Evans signing with 49ers "disappointing"

"There's no way to sugar-coat it -- it's disappointing to not have him back," Mayfield said about Evans, per Jenna Laine of ESPN. "Just the caliber of player he is -- he's a Hall of Famer -- I thought he deserved to be a Buc for life. Things happen. But luckily, him and I have a great relationship. We'll still be friends for life. I'll be cheering him on except when we play them, if it comes down to it."

Some suggested back in March that Evans took a shot at Mayfield when the receiver said that he was "looking at contenders" and at teams "with good quarterbacks" while considering his options. The perception exists that Evans left some money on the table when he signed with the Niners so early into free agency that questions arose regarding whether or not San Francisco had violated rules related to tampering.

Baker Mayfield challenges Chris Godwin, others following Mike Evans' departure

2025 rookie Emeka Egbuka is on track to replace Evans as the Buccaneers' WR1, while 30-year-old Chris Godwin is expected to take over as the lead voice in the team's receiving room. 

"He's always been an unbelievable leader, but for him to really take charge of that room, and for the guys that, with all the injuries that we had, a lot of guys played last year," Mayfield said about Godwin. "To also have [Jalen McMillan], Chris and Emeka really, really healthy right now, feeling good -- to lead those guys and just to watch the steps from Year 1 to Year 2 when it comes to Meck and [Tez Johnson] and watching them help (rookie) Ted Hurst out as well. There's a lot of weapons in that room. And so when you lose a guy like [Evans], you got to have a lot of people fill those shoes, not just one person, and we have that."

Unlike with Evans, it seems unlikely that the Buccaneers will let Mayfield reach free agency next year unless disaster strikes at some point over the next seven months. That said, it remains to be seen if the two sides will work something out before Mayfield's declared deadline for talks -- the start of training camp -- arrives in late July.