Last offseason, the Seattle Seahawks rolled the dice on a former star wide receiver on the backend of his prime. That gamble paid off, as Cooper Kupp came in huge in the playoffs and was a solid complementary piece to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
That's why, now that Mike Evans will test free agency for the first time in his career, one could assume that general manager John Schneider might be tempted to replicate that formula. More than that, Evans may also be interested in taking his talents to Seattle.
According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, Evans has some clear demands for his new team. Only a handful of clubs can give him what he's looking for, and the reigning Super Bowl champions just happen to be one of them.
The Seattle Seahawks shouldn't fall for the Mike Evans trap
"Mike Evans will limit his choices to a handful of teams in part because of his criteria. He wants a quarterback he believes in, a chance at a Super Bowl, a top-shelf offensive coordinator, and the promise of high-volume touches," Fowler wrote.
This would've been great news a couple of years ago, but a move for Mike Evans reeks of fool's gold in 2026. He's coming off the first injury-riddled season of his career, and that usually gets worse over time, not better.
Evans has struggled with hamstring injuries, and soft-tissue ailments tend to linger. Spotrac projects his market value at two years and $26.6 million, and while the Seahawks can certainly afford that -- they have $58 million in available cap space, per Over The Cap -- that doesn't mean they should.
He's been one of the most consistent pass catchers the game has ever seen, logging 11 consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. That said, all good things come to an end, and he's going to be 33 years old next season, and he suffered a concussion and a broken collarbone last season.
The Seahawks might lose the speedy Rashid Shaheed in free agency, but even with Klint Kubiak gone and Kenneth Walker also likely off the roster, the Seahawks should continue to deploy a run-heavy offense. Evans is a big-bodied wideout and a physical blocker, but he may not be what this team needs right now.
If the Seahawks truly want to spend big bucks to add more firepower to their offense, younger options like Jauan Jennings, Romeo Doubs, or maybe even Alec Pierce would make much more sense for the defending champions. Evans will probably wear a golden jacket at one point, but not for what he'll do in 2026.