Dave Canales: Mike Evans Is A “First-Ballot Hall Of Famer”

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Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield has already gone on record to say that Mike Evans is the best receiver he’s ever played with. That includes the likes of Jarvis Landry in Cleveland, D.J. Moore in Carolina and Cooper Kupp in Los Angeles from Mayfield’s various stops. With Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Dave Canales having coached some Pro Bowl receivers for years in Seattle, including Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf and Doug Baldwin, does he feel the same way? Canales was asked if Evans was the best receiver he’s ever been around during Thursday’s press conference. “I think this guy is a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Canales said. “His career speaks for itself. The way that he’s able to find access and get open in any scenario, I would have to give it to Mike. “I don’t want to take anything away from Tyler, Doug Baldwin, D.K. – who are fantastic players. This is a guy who kind of puts it all together and he’s 6-foot-5 with that length, and we’ve seen in games, too, where he can flat out run by guys still at this point. He really does have it all.” Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today That is the right answer because Evans is a true Hall of Fame-caliber receiver. Whether he gets into the Hall at Canton, Ohio on the first ballot or not depends on how illustrious Evans’ career becomes in the coming years. Baldwin won’t be a Hall of Famer and Lockett and Metcalf have a long way to go before they enter the conversation. At age 30, Evans has already made NFL history with nine straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his Bucs career, dating back to 2014. Needing just 150 yards entering Sunday’s game against Carolina to post 1,000 yards for a 10th straight year, Evans keeps adding to his amazing achievement. Mike Evans Continues To Ascend Up NFL Receiving Charts Mike Evans, who is in a contract year in Tampa Bay, has already established himself as the best offensive weapon in Bucs history. The team’s all-time leading receiver, Evans enters Week 13 against the Panthers with 737 career catches for 11,275 yards (15.3 avg.) with 90 touchdowns. All of those are Bucs records. Averaging 70.8 yards per game this season, Evans has 54 catches for 850 yards (15.7) and nine touchdowns through the first 12 games. Evans is just 39 points away from passing kicker Martin Gramatica (592) for the most points scored in Bucs history. He’ll need seven more touchdowns in red and pewter to make that happen. Evans has clearly been the Bucs’ MVP on offense and Tampa Bay is not going to be a better team without him in 2024. The Bucs may have to keep Evans at all costs next year, especially with the season he’s had so far in 2023. Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR If he continues at this current pace, Evans will finish the year with 11,700 career receiving yards and pass Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson (11,619) and move into 33rd place in the NFL’s all-time receiving yardage list. Evans needs three more 1,000-yard seasons to crack the Top 10 all-time in terms of receiving yardage. Evans is now one touchdown from passing Davante Adams (active), Isaac Bruce, Tony Dorsett, Edgerrin James, Bobby Mitchell and Ricky Watters for 32nd-most total touchdowns in NFL history (91). He is also one receiving TD away from tying Adams (active) and Bruce for 13th-most in league history (91). With two more receiving TDs, Evans will pass former teammate Rob Gronkowski, a future Hall of Fame tight end, for 12th-most receiving touchdowns in NFL history (92). The post Dave Canales: Mike Evans Is A “First-Ballot Hall Of Famer” appeared first on Pewter Report.

Source: https://www.pewterreport.com/mike-evans ... -of-famer/