The only NFL team Mike Evans has ever played for is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That will not change in 2024.

The wide receiver and the Buccaneers agreed to a two-year deal a week before he was set to officially become a free agent. His agent told ESPN the deal is worth $52 million and includes $35 million guaranteed.

Last week, The Athletic reported Evans was set on testing the open market of free agency. He could have started legally speaking with other teams next Monday and would have officially become a free agent Wednesday, March 13, the official start of the new league year. The deadline for Tampa Bay to potentially place the franchise tag on Evans would have been Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.

Tampa Bay drafted Evans seventh overall in 2014 out of Texas A&M, where he played with Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Evans has gained more than 1,000 receiving yards in all 10 of his professional seasons. Last year, working with quarterback Baker Mayfield for the first time, he had 1,255 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Since 2020, he’s caught 46 regular-season touchdowns. Evans helped the organization win Super Bowl 55 and, along with fellow wideout Chris Godwin, has formed one of the more reliable receiving duos in the NFL.

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Mayfield is currently a free agent and will be part of the Buccaneers’ next order of business this offseason.

Separation was the theme this weekend in men’s college basketball, as the leaders of the power conferences took care of business. As a result, most regular-season titles are all but wrapped up.

That hardly means there won’t be any madness in March though. A number of games weren’t decided until the closing minutes. One, in fact, came down to the final second. But in the end, the teams best positioned to be top regional seeds in the upcoming NCAA tournament enhanced their cases.

We’ll begin our rundown of winners and losers with the current No. 1 team that provided the most memorable finish of the weekend.

Winners

Houston

The Cougars got Oklahoma’s best shot in Norman, but Jamal Shead got the last one. His follow of his own miss with 0.4 seconds remaining gave Houston the 87-85 win, allowing the Cougars to retain the lead in the Big 12 and likely securing a second week atop the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Tennessee

At nearly the same time Saturday night, the Volunteers used a late surge to close out a huge road victory at Alabama, a significant result on a number of levels. For one thing, Tennessee showed it could win when Dalton Knecht isn’t having his best shooting day. It also gave the Vols a head-to-head sweep of the Crimson Tide, meaning one more win will lock up the top SEC tournament seed for Tennessee.

Purdue

The Boilermakers were also pushed a bit by Michigan State, but in the end Zach Edey and Braden Smith made sure Purdue clinched at least a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship. The Boilermakers stay two games clear of Illinois with two to play in Champaign on Wednesday night.

Connecticut

This year’s Huskies can claim something the national championship squad of a year ago couldn’t, wrapping up the Big East regular-season title Sunday with a convincing triumph against Seton Hall. The 30-point demolition avenged a December loss to the Pirates and gave UConn its first outright Big East crown since 1999.

Arizona

The Wildcats kept their names in the No.-1 seed conversation with an equally drama-free outing against Oregon on Saturday. Arizona maintains a one-game lead over Washington State in the Pac-12 and closes with a road swing against the Los Angeles schools.

Creighton

The Bluejays put on another impressive shooting display against Marquette for their fans in Omaha, adding the Golden Eagles to their list of home victims that also includes Connecticut. There’s a good chance they’ll see Marquette again in a couple weeks in the Big East tournament semifinals, but however that one turns out they’re sure to be in the upper quadrant of the NCAA bracket.

North Carolina and Duke

Despite the occasional stumble, the Tar Heels and Blue Devils have distinguished themselves from the muddled Atlantic Coast Conference. UNC pulled away from N.C. State late while Duke throttled offense-challenged Virginia from the outset. Their rematch in Cameron Indoor Stadium next Saturday could determine the top seed in the ACC tournament, though both have double byes locked up.

South Florida

The newly-ranked Bulls were all business in a 76-61 victory at Charlotte that ran their winning streak to 14 and secured the outright regular-season title in the American Athletic Conference. They are now hoping not to be the subject of debate in the committee room in two weeks should they not claim the league’s automatic berth via the tournament.

Richmond

The Spiders avenged an earlier loss to cross-town rival Virginia Commonwealth on Saturday to stay one game ahead of Loyola-Chicago in what has become a very interesting Atlantic 10 race. The Ramblers picked up a huge home victory against Dayton a night earlier – with Sister Jean in the house of course.

Indiana State

With ‘Arch Madness’ right around the corner, the Sycamores used a late surge to pull away from Murray State for an 89-76 win that earned them the Missouri Valley regular-season title and top seed in this week’s tournament They needed the victory to stay a game clear of Drake, which had won its home finale over Bradley earlier on Sunday.

Losers

Kansas

While it’s true that there are few easy wins in the Big 12, it’s looking like this year’s Jayhawks are not the elite unit their fans are accustomed to seeing. Saturday’s setback at Baylor was KU’s seventh league loss – their most since 1989, which was a season they were on probation after winning the NCAA tournament the previous year. A deep run in March Madness is hard to envision.

Wisconsin

The Badgers entered February with a 16-4 record and appeared destined for a top 16 seed when the field was announced. But Saturday’s loss to Illinois was their seventh in nine games, and they’re running out of chances to regain their momentum before elimination season arrives.

Saint Mary’s

On its face, the Gaels’ loss to Gonzaga didn’t alter the big picture. Saint Mary’s is still the West Coast Conference tournament top seed and will see its name as a high seed on Selection Sunday. But the way the Bulldogs did whatever they wanted against a Gaels’ squad that built its winning formula on its defense was troubling. They’ll undoubtedly see the Zags again, so they’ll have to figure out how to get points when they can’t get stops.

Florida

The Gators’ loss to South Carolina was by no means fatal, but it did damage their chances for a top-four spot and double bye in the SEC tournament. It also raised questions about where their points might come from when facing defense-first teams, which they’re sure to encounter in the Big Dance.

The Philadelphia Phillies, who made it a priority to make sure that ace Zack Wheeler wasn’t going to hit free agency in a year, signed him to a three-year, $126 million contract extension Monday morning.

The deal is the highest annual average salary in a contract extension in baseball history.

The Phillies and Wheeler compromised on the deal, with Wheeler accepting a shorter-term contract than he wanted, but in return received the fourth-highest annual salary by any player. The only players who earn more are Shohei Ohtani ($70 million), Max Scherzer ($43.3 million) and Justin Verlander ($43.3 million).

The deal does not contain any opt-outs, while Wheeler will have no-trade rights after the season since he will have 10-and-5 rights being with the organization five years with 10 years of major league service.

The Phillies have now spent $298 million keeping their rotation intact after earlier signing Aaron Nola to a seven-year, $172 million contract after hitting free agency.

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Wheeler, 33, has yielded a 3.06 ERA with 675 strikeouts in four seasons with the Phillies, throwing 629⅓ innings, fourth-most among all pitchers. Only Gerrit Cole, Sandy Alcantara and Nola have thrown more innings.

Wheeler had one year remaining on his original five-year, $118 million contract.

The Phillies privately say they still have potential interest in adding free agent starter Blake Snell on a one-year contract-term contract, but not a long-term deal.

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Now that the NFL scouting combine is complete, it’s time to look ahead to the next big item on the NFL schedule: free agency.

It’s the time when teams looking to infuse a significant amount of veteran talent onto their rosters can do so, albeit at a premium price. It’s also the time when teams looking to emerge as contenders can add a calculated piece or two, looking to get them over the hump. In any case, it’s a period of frenetic activity, one of the busiest of the NFL calendar, and the one that churns rosters over.

Here’s everything you need to know about NFL free agency:

When does NFL free agency start?

The free agency signing period coincides with the beginning of the new NFL league year. This year, that falls on Wednesday, March 13, after 4 p.m. ET. At that time, any player contracts that were due to expire at the end of the 2023 season will formally expire and the NFL league calendar will officially transition to 2024. This is also the time when trades can be officially consummated, even if the framework for one was arranged before the start of the new league year.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Despite the start of the new league year officially marking the free agency signing period, teams also have another tool to enter negotiations with prospective free agents, commonly known as the ‘legal tampering period.’

What is the NFL legal tampering period?

Beginning Monday, March 11, at noon ET, teams are allowed to contact the certified agents of prospective unrestricted free agents to discuss terms and enter contract negotiations. This period runs for two days, until Wednesday, March 13 at 3:59:59 p.m, ET, the instant before the start of the new league year. Contracts cannot be officially executed until the start of the new league year.

During this period, if a prospective unrestricted free agent is not represented by an agent, he will be able to communicate directly with the front offices of interested NFL teams, but he will not be allowed to communicate with head coaches or any member of a team’s coaching staff regarding contract negotiations.

When is the NFL franchise tag deadline?

All NFL teams must allocate their franchise or transition tag designations by Tuesday, March 5, before 4 p.m. ET.

Now, once the tags have been designated, teams will still have the chance to work out long-term deals with those tagged players until mid-July. Typically, the mid-July deadline has fallen on July 15, though the NFL has moved the deadline if July 15 falls on a weekend; this year, July 15 is a Monday.

A player cannot become an unrestricted free agent by refusing the terms of the tag. If the player does not sign the tender, he will be unable to join his team, but also won’t be fined or penalized for absences. A player can extend his absence into the regular season, but he’d forfeit additional salary for each game missed.

Who are the top free agents available in the NFL?

Ahead of the start of free agency, USA TODAY Sports’ Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz ranked the Top 25 available free agents. Here’s an excerpt of the list:

1. Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs2. Josh Allen, OLB, Jacksonville Jaguars3. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals4. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings5. Brian Burns, DE/OLB, Carolina Panthers6. Justin Madubuike, DT, Baltimore Ravens7. Jaylon Johnson, CB, Chicago Bears8. Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers9. L’Jarius Sneed, CB, Kansas City Chiefs10. Danielle Hunter, DE, Minnesota Vikings11. Christian Wilkins, DT, Miami Dolphins12. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts13. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers14. Leonard Williams, DT, Seattle Seahawks15. Tyron Smith, OT, Dallas Cowboys

The longtime ESPN NFL reporter died at the age of 72 on March 3, a year after his retirement from the network which he called home for over 30 years.

Mortensen was a stalwart of NFL coverage for ESPN, appearing on ‘Sunday NFL Countdown,’ ‘SportsCenter’ and ‘Outside the Lines,’ among other programs. Prior to joining ESPN, Mortensen won the George Polk award in 1987 for sports reporting while with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In 2016, Mortensen revealed he had been diagnosed with stage IV throat cancer, but he would return to the network later that year after positive strides were made fighting the disease.

Mortensen leaves behind a storied career. More than that, however, he left a bigger mark on his colleagues and the industry as a whole, as evidenced by the outpouring of love and heartfelt tributes shared in the wake of his passing.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Here are some of the more touching and telling tributes of Mortensen:

Expect to see many college football players when the EA Sports College Football 25 video game is released.

EA Sports announced Monday that more than 10,000 college football players have opted into being in the video game, less than two weeks after announcing real-life players would be featured in the newest game.

‘The response to the athlete opt-in opportunity for EA Sports College Football 25 has been phenomenal,’ Daryl Holt, senior vice president and group general manager for EA Sports’ Tiburon Studios and American football division, said in a statement. ‘In the little over one week, over 10,000 athletes across the FBS have opted-in to the offer with more saying ‘yes’ every hour. We’re excited to welcome more athletes in the weeks ahead and to debut this first class of athletes in the game when it launches this summer.’

Player likeness without compensation was the reason why the NCAA Football franchise folded in 2013, and why a college football video game hadn’t been done since then. But with name, image and likeness running rampant in college sports, EA Sports will compensate players in exchange for their likeness with $600 and a free copy of the game.

As of Monday, the more than 10,000 players that will be in the game means EA Sports has reached 87% of its goal before the game is released. More than 11,000 players are eligible to be in the game with 85-man rosters available for each team in the game.

In order for a player to be in the game, they must be on the team’s current roster and have a valid school email address. Upcoming freshmen can opt into the game once they enroll in college, but EA Sports wants players to opt in by April to ensure they get compensated for using their likeness. Several current players like Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel have already announced they will be in the game.

EA Sports College Football 25 will have a full reveal in May and the game is slated to be released in the summer.

The separation between the NHL’s playoff contenders and the league’s likely non-playoff teams is starting to become clearer.

This week, the first group will try to acquire players from the second group, and the second group will attempt to acquire prospects and draft picks to get younger and aid their future. They have until Friday’s NHL trade deadline to get that done.

The Vancouver Canucks (Elias Lindholm) and Winnipeg Jets (Sean Monahan) made moves during the All-Star break, then the Dallas Stars added Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev last week. More deals will be coming.

Here’s a look at this week’s NHL trade deadline:

When is the 2024 NHL trade deadline?

The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8.

Who could be buyers for the 2024 NHL trade deadline?

Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning, among others.

Who could be sellers for the 2024 NHL trade deadline?

Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins and Seattle Kraken, among others.

What are team needs heading into the 2024 NHL trade deadline?

Plenty of contenders would benefit from acquiring Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin. The GoldenKnights have been slumping without injured Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. Eichel is skating again but Stone is week-to-week. If he’s out for the rest of the regular season, Vegas could seek a replacement winger. The Rangers lost winger Blake Wheeler to injury and could use help there. The New Jersey Devils could use a goalie upgrade but might be too far back.

NHL TRADE DEADLINE: Contenders’ needs | Who could move this week? | Tracker

Which players could be traded before the 2024 NHL trade deadline?

Hanifin is the biggest name remaining, but plenty of others could move. Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel is currently injured but would add elite scoring to a team that acquires him. Kraken forward Alex Wennberg is being held out of the lineup for ‘trade-related’ reasons, coach Dave Hakstol said, according to the Seattle Times. Other possibilities: Anaheim Ducks forwards Adam Henrique and Frank Vatrano, St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich and Philadelphia Flyers defensemen Nick Seeler and Sean Walker.

How busy was last season’s trade deadline day?

Most of the big trades happened in the week leading up to deadline day. But on deadline day, there were 19 trades involving 34 players and 14 draft picks. The Penguins made a couple moves but weren’t able to keep their playoff streak alive.

What was the busiest trade deadline day in NHL history?

There were 32 trades in both 2022 (52 players, 26 draft picks) and 2020 (55 players, 22 picks). There nearly was a 33rd trade in 2022, but the Vegas Golden Knights’ trade of Evgenii Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks was rescinded because it violated the terms of the player’s modified no-trade clause. The fiasco eventually cost the Senators a first-round pick and general manager Pierre Dorion his job.

With her many records in tow, Caitlin Clark’s next goal is quite clear.

A national championship.

That journey begins in earnest this week, as the Big Ten tournament gets underway Wednesday. Clark and Iowa are the No. 2 seeds, which gives the Hawkeyes a pass to Friday’s quarterfinals.

Clark broke Kelsey Plum’s women’s basketball career scoring record Feb. 15 and became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I basketball Sunday by passing Pete Maravich. Clark announced Friday she will not return to Iowa next season and instead enter the WNBA draft.

But Clark isn’t finished yet as she looks to help Iowa to its first national title in women’s basketball. The Hawkeyes lost to LSU in the championship game last year.

Here’s how to watch and stream Clark and Iowa’s next game Friday.

When is Iowa women’s basketball next game?

As the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament, Iowa gets a bye through the first and second round. Clark and the Hawkeyes will take the floor Friday at the Target Center in Minneapolis at 6:30 p.m. ET. They’ll play the winner of the Penn State-Wisconsin game, which will be played Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

How to watch Iowa women’s basketball at Big Ten tournament

Iowa’s quarterfinal game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

How to stream Iowa women’s basketball at Big Ten tournament

Iowa’s quarterfinal game can be streamed on Fubo.

How to get tickets for Iowa women’s basketball at Big Ten tournament

The Big Ten tournament takes place at the Target Center in Minneapolis and begins Wednesday, March 6 and runs through Sunday, March 10. Get tickets by clicking here.

Women’s Big Ten tournament bracket

First round

Wednesday, March 6: Purdue vs. Northwestern, 6:30 p.m. ET
Wednesday, March 6: Minnesota vs. Rutgers, 25 minutes after Purdue-Northwestern ends

Second round

Thursday, March 7: Maryland vs. Illinois, 12:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, March 7: Nebraska vs. Purdue-Northwestern winner, 25 minutes after Maryland-Illinois ends
Thursday, March 7: Penn State vs. Wisconsin, 6:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, March 7: Michigan vs. Minnesota-Rutgers winners, 25 minutes after Penn State-Wisconsin ends

Quarterfinals

Friday, March 8: Ohio State vs. Maryland-Illinois winner, 12:30 p.m. ET
Friday, March 8: Michigan State vs. TBD, 25 minutes after first quarterfinal ends
Friday, March 8: Iowa vs. Penn State-Wisconsin winner, 6:30 p.m. ET
Friday, March 8: Indiana vs. TBD, 25 minutes after third quarterfinal ends

Semifinals

Saturday, March 9: Quarterfinals winners, 2 p.m. ET and 25 minutes after first semifinal ends

Championship game

Sunday, March 10: Semifinals winners, noon ET

Caitlin Clark’s stats against Penn State/Wisconsin

Iowa beat Penn State 111-93 at home on Feb. 8, a game in which Clark scored 27 points and had 15 assists but also had 12 turnovers.

Iowa played Wisconsin twice this season, winning both games in blowout fashion. Clark scored 28 points in their first matchup, an 87-65 win on Dec. 10, and she had 32 points in a 96-50 victory at home against the Badgers on Jan. 16.