The new league year is swiftly approaching, and teams are gearing up for the opening of NFL free agency on March 11th.

Several players have already gotten the franchise tag, with more to come, which will surely affect the landscape of the market; however, the rumor mill is whirling at a rapid rate. In this edition of NFL Rumors, we take a look at the Lions’ search for a better defense and the future for Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans and Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson.

Rumor: With close to $60 million in cap space, the Lions are preparing to invest heavily in the cornerback position this offseason, according to Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network.

As strong and devastating as the Lions attack was in 2023, its defense was equally as impactful for the opposing clubs. The Lions allowed the sixth most passing yards (4,205) in 2023, and their issues were never more evident than in the second half of the NFC Championship game, where they allowed 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy to complete 13-of-16 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown in a 17-point comeback for San Francisco. The secondary market is fairly sparse, assuming both Jaylen Johnson (Bears) and L’Jarius Sneed (Chiefs) receive the franchise tag, so they may be looking at guys like Stephon Gilmore, Kendall Fuller, or the draft, but regardless of the route they take, that area of the team has to improve if they want to win a Super Bowl.

Rumor: The Bucs are hoping to keep wide receiver Mike Evans in a “major way,” and Evans wants to retire with Tampa, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

It should come as no surprise, considering Evans is one of the most beloved Buccaneers of all time and still fairly prolific to boot, leading the league with 13 touchdown receptions in 2023 and earning up his 10th consecutive 1,000-yard season. All this despite reaching 31 this August. With that said, he is going to be 31 this August, and ultimately, his output will begin to diminish, potentially as early as this upcoming season. Are the cash-strapped Bucs prepared to offer a big contract to someone whose production most likely will fall well short of his price tag for the remainder of the term? A wide receiver-needy team will most likely accept the risk (think Bills with Von Miller). The Bucs just need to decide if they are willing to as well.