Mike Evans Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and superstar wide receiver Mike Evans have been unable to come to terms on a contract extension. And with the team opting not to use their franchise tag on him to keep him with the team next season, he is set to become a free agent next month. But it sounds like the team is still going to do everything they can to get him back on the roster next season.

During a press conference this week, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles had a pretty clear message to Mike Evans about how the team sees him and how badly they still want him on the team next year.

“He had a career year last year,” Bowles said of Evans according to Pro Football Talk. “He’s been doing it for a decade now and obviously we want him to retire as a Buc and everything we’re trying to do, putting all our resources into signing him back as well because Mike is great for the community, he’s great for the team, he’s great for the guys and he’s a heck of a ball player.”

Obviously, these are just words, however. We’ll have to see whether or not the two sides can actually agree to a contract.

[Pro Football Talk]