WR Mike Evans (hamstring) likely out until after Buccaneers’ Week 11 bye Oct 22, 2024

The losses keep coming for Tampa Bay.

Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is likely to be out through the team’s Week 11 bye after sustaining a hamstring injury in a 41-31 Monday night defeat to the Ravens, head coach Todd Bowles told reporters Tuesday.

Evans entered the contest against Baltimore already trying to work through a hamstring issue that had kept him out of practice the preceding Thursday and Friday. He was limited Saturday, however, and did not carry a designation into Monday night.

The five-time Pro Bowler managed to collect his 100th career touchdown reception on the Bucs’ first possession, although he appeared to be laboring after that play — his lone catch of the game — and ended another attempt at a TD catch in the second quarter writhing in pain before departing for good.

Evans’ timeline for recovery means he’ll miss at least the upcoming NFC South showdown with the Falcons, plus successive games against last season’s Super Bowl representatives, the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.

Through seven weeks, Evans has 26 receptions for 335 yards and is tied for the league lead with six touchdown catches. His counterpart Chris Godwin, currently the league leader in receptions (50), will be missing for Tampa Bay even longer. He suffered a likely season-ending ankle dislocation with just over a minute remaining amid an ill-fated comeback attempt by the Bucs.

Sitting at 4-3 in a tie atop the division with Atlanta, the Buccaneers will now have to find wins without their top two receiving threats for the foreseeable future.

Third-round rookie wideout Jalen McMillan could see plenty more work. He has just six catches on the year but appears the most natural replacement for Godwin in the slot. Trey Palmer and Sterling Shepard will also be counted on to fill the void left by Evans’ injury, as will tight end Cade Otton.

In just a few quarters of action, the outlook for Tampa Bay’s fourth-ranked scoring offense changed drastically.

Baker Mayfield, also a league leader with 18 touchdown passes, has his work cut out for him to keep up the best start of his career as he and the Buccaneers move forward.