Mike Evans’ time in Tampa Bay may not last much longer.
The Buccaneers are opting not to give Evans, a four-time Pro Bowl receiver, a contract extension before the 2023 season, ESPN reported Saturday.
Evans, who the Bucs selected with the No. 7 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, had set a Saturday deadline for extension talks, the report said.
The Buccaneers had not approached Evans with a contract offer after the star wide receiver went public with his demands.
Evans, 30, will play out the 2023 season before he enters free agency this offseason.
He signed a five-year, $82.8 million contract in 2018, which kept him in Tampa for Tom Brady’s arrival and 2020’s Super Bowl win.
Evans, who had been engaged in contract talks with the Buccaneers for the past two years, has been a 1,000-yard receiver every year of his nine-year career.
ESPN reported that the decision not to extend Evans came directly from ownership.
He isn’t the only wideout having trouble getting a contract extension before the season.
Tee Higgins, a second-year receiver for the Bengals, is also mired in contentious contract talks with Cincinnati.
Tampa Bay plays the Vikings on Sunday at 1 p.m.