One dream that was always far-fetched is no longer possible for the Cleveland Browns.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers are keeping future Pro Football Hall of Fame member WR Mike Evans around for a couple more years. The two sides came together on a deal that prevents Evans from hitting free agency.

Evans was set to be at the top of the free agent market at the wide receiver position and he was going to have interest from quite a few teams. If Evans was going to leave the Buccaneers, it was to go to a team that is going to compete. Cleveland is a team that hopes to be competing in 2024.

BREAKING: Mike Evans is resigning with the #Buccaneers, source tells @BleacherReport.

It’s 2 years $52M with 35M guaranteed. pic.twitter.com/tgvv1QXRjJ

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 4, 2024

Paying Evans $26 million a year over the next couple of years would have been a rough pill to swallow for the Browns but they could have done it. It is a move you make when you’re all in.

While the more likely pathway for the Browns was always to grab a middle-tier wide recovery and perhaps draft one — the thought of Evans in a Browns jersey is a special one.

Evans has 10 straight seasons to begin his career with 1,000 yards receiving. That is a pace that will lead him to Canton and his staying with the Bucs makes it a bit more special. While the Browns would have done their due diligence on the price because that is who Andrew Berry is, I can’t point out enough how much of a pipe dream it was.

Cleveland will round out their fee cover group over the next couple of months for the 2024 season and it’s not going to include pairing Evans with Amari Cooper.