The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are preparing to play without one of their most important offensive weapons. Wide receiver Mike Evans is expected to miss three to four weeks after suffering a hamstring injury during Sunday’s win over the New York Jets, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
The report was later echoed by Greg Auman of FOX Sports, who added that while the issue isn’t as severe as last season’s injury, the timeline still threatens Evans’ streak of consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns.
Tied with Hall of Famer Jerry Rice at 11, Evans’ pursuit of a 12th straight season is now in jeopardy.
While the absence of Evans reshapes Tampa Bay’s passing attack, the front office made a notable move on the other side of the ball. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on X that the Buccaneers have re-signed 449-pound defensive tackle Desmond Watson to their practice squad.
The former Florida Gator, who was originally picked up as an undrafted free agent, has been viewed as a long-term developmental prospect due to his massive size and unique skill set. By bringing him back into the fold, Tampa Bay continues to prioritize depth in the trenches.
Watson’s signing gives the Bucs another option to rotate into their defensive line group, which has been anchored by Vita Vea.
While Watson is unlikely to see immediate game action, his presence provides an insurance policy for a team that is trying to remain competitive in the NFC South despite a challenging injury situation.
As for Evans, his recovery timeline remains closely tied to NFL history. Evans is sitting at 140 yards through three games, leaving him with plenty of work to do if he wants to secure the record outright.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler speculated that the chance to surpass Jerry Rice may motivate Evans to return sooner than the initial estimate. Even so, the team insists they won’t rush their star back into action.
Head coach Todd Bowles labeled the hamstring issue as “low grade,” a detail Ian Rapoport of NFL Network described as encouraging.
With rookie Emeka Egbuka continuing to emerge and Chris Godwin possibly nearing a return, quarterback Baker Mayfield will have to lean on depth while Evans recovers.
The Bucs face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4, where their depth will be tested on both sides of the ball.
