The Pittsburgh Steelers added a wide receiver through a trade on Monday when they acquired Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts. But while Mike McCarthy’s offense gained another weapon, the team is now dealing with a departure in the backfield. Pittsburgh has officially moved on from its 2025 team MVP.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are signing the Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell. Per Schultz, Gainwell is heading to Tampa Bay on a two-year deal worth $14 million.

The move isn’t entirely surprising if you look at the signs that were already there. Recently, Brooke Pryor of ESPN analyzed Gainwell’s upcoming free agency and suggested it could be difficult for Pittsburgh to retain him. Pryor wrote:

“He’s (Gainwell), due for a significantly higher salary in 2026 after earning team MVP honors. He led the Steelers with 73 receptions and scored eight touchdowns as he split running back duties with Jaylen Warren. Gainwell was an all-purpose threat in Arthur Smith’s scheme, but these Steelers could look a lot different with Mike McCarthy calling plays. The Steelers haven’t typically given big contracts to running backs, and it seems more likely that the former Eagle will get paid elsewhere.”

As it turns out, that projection ended up being accurate.

Reports indicate that Gainwell was earning around $2 million during the 2025 season with Pittsburgh. Fast forward to now, and the new deal means he’ll make more than triple that amount in 2026 compared to what he earned last season.

From Tampa Bay’s perspective, the investment is fairly easy to understand. Gainwell entered free agency after completing a one-year deal with the Steelers, and that season ended up being the most productive of his career.

For context, Gainwell rushed for 537 yards and five touchdowns on 114 carries during the 2025 season while averaging a solid 4.7 yards per attempt. He was just as involved in the passing game, catching 73 passes for 486 yards and three touchdowns. That all-around production ultimately earned him the Steelers’ team MVP honor.

In short, Gainwell turned into a true dual-threat weapon for Pittsburgh. And while his 2025 production made him a bargain for the Steelers, that bargain obviously didn’t last into the next offseason.

For the Buccaneers, the signing gives them a reliable secondary option behind Bucky Irving heading into the 2026 season.

That said, while Tampa Bay’s rushing depth now looks fairly settled, the franchise still has bigger questions to answer in the receiving corps, especially with veteran wide receiver Mike Evans and his future with the team still hanging in the balance.

Amid uncertainty, Mike Evans is poised to become a free agent

Mike Evans has essentially become the face of the Buccaneers over the past decade. The veteran wide receiver has anchored the team’s passing attack for years and sits as the franchise leader in both receiving yards and touchdowns. But for the first time in more than a decade, Evans may actually explore playing somewhere else.

According to reports, the veteran wideout is preparing to test the market. His agent confirmed the development.

“Wide receiver Mike Evans plans on exploring his options in free agency, per his agent Deryk Gilmore,” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported. “The Buccaneers’ franchise leader in receiving yards and TDs, Evans will see what the market holds before making a decision on his future.”

That update alone raised plenty of eyebrows around the league. But another report quickly added more weight to the situation. NFL insider Jordan Schultz later reported:

“Sources: #Bucs legend Mike Evans is poised to become a free agent next hour, and interested teams have gotten the sense he’s serious about leaving Tampa Bay after 12 seasons.”

If Evans ultimately signs elsewhere, it would mark the first time since 2014 that Tampa Bay enters a season without its all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns. However, the receiver has made it known that he and his agent will allow the Bucs to counter before he accepts a deal from another team.

What makes the situation even more interesting is that the Buccaneers themselves have been fairly open about wanting Evans to stay. Several members of the organization have publicly expressed their desire to keep the veteran wide receiver in Tampa.

Head coach Todd Bowles addressed the situation during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, saying the team would “love to have him back.” Meanwhile, general manager Jason Licht echoed a similar sentiment, noting that the organization would like Evans to “retire as a Buccaneer.”

For now, though, retirement doesn’t appear to be part of the conversation for Evans.

What seems clearer at the moment is that the situation between the two sides has grown increasingly tense, and the veteran receiver appears ready to test the free-agent market, at least based on the growing wave of reports and speculation surrounding his future.