Buccaneers WR Mike Evans and Bengals WR Tee Higgins have both left their games Sunday with hamstring and rib injuries, respectively.

Evans had 40 yards on three catches while Higgins finished with 19 yards on two catches. Evans tried to return for the second half and was on the bike trying to get back into the game but wound up returning to the locker room. For Higgins, a tough start to the season continues. He had 10 catches for 110 yards coming into today's game but 8 catches and 89 yards came in Week 2 against the Ravens.

Mike Evans has set a Week 1 deadline to receive a new contract from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with his representation indicating the wide receiver will look to play elsewhere in 2024 if no deal is reached.

Related Players: Chris Godwin

This is a bit of odd timing, as we are one week away from the regular season kickoff. There were rumors during the beginning of the offseason about the team possibly looking to trade Evans or Chris Godwin and eye a rebuild, but those died down quickly.
Deal or no deal, all signs point towards Evans suiting up for the Bucs in Week 1 and throughout the 2023 season.

This is consistent with Dave Canales’ philosophy of “taking the quarterback off the high dive” and making him “more of a distributor.” Taking less risks through the air and incrementally moving the ball downfield can work as long as the ground game is consistent, and avoid penalties, which was a huge problem in the first preseason game (12 of them).

Related players: Baker Mayfield, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Rachaad White

The story said the offense did just that in the final preseason tune-up. Mayfield went 6-for-6 for 43 yards. Godwin accounted for 39 of those yards on four catches, with 22 coming after the catch - which also included a TD. Evans missed the game with a hamstring injury, but the team says he'll be good to go in Week 1. Mayfield is currently ranked 31st among our QBs with Godwin and Evans more WR3 targets in drafts heading into this season. Both WRs can be had between rounds 6-8, according to ADPs.

It's actually six Bucs players ruled out, as Russell Gage was also ruled out (hamstring). So Gage, Cameron Brate, Goedeke, Davis, Winfield, Murphy-Bunting all out. Akiem Hicks would make it seven out, meaning Kyle Trask dresses as third QB.

Related players: Julio Jones, Breshad Perriman, Scott Miller, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans

Reports also say Jones will come down to a game-time call, meaning Miller and Perriman should see more time behind the big-two of Godwin and Evans.

Julio Jones, Mike Evans upgraded to limited participants on Tuesday injury report.

Both players were listed as DNP on Monday so this is an upgrade ahead of this week's Thursday night game. Jones hasn't played since Week 4. Jones is dealing with a knee issue while Evans has an ankle injury.

Julio Jones joined Chris Godwin on the sideline Thursday afternoon, and now it's possible the team will be without their top-three receiver options on Sunday, with Mike Evans serving a one-game suspension.

Related Players: Russell Gage, Cole Beasley

Tom Brady is going to have an uphill battle in Week 3 with Gage, Beasley, and some rotation of Breshad Perriman, Scotty Miller, and Cameron Brate operating as his receiving options. It's as if he's back in his final years with the Patriots. Brady is ranked as a borderline QB1/2 this week with Russell Gage likely having the highest ceiling in Sunday's matchup against the Packers.

The NFL upheld Mike Evans’ one-game suspension for hitting Saints’ CB Marshon Lattimore. Evans is now officially out for Sunday’s game vs. the Green Bay Packers.

Related players: Chris Godwin, Julio Jones, Russell Gage, Breshad Perriman, Scott Miller

Evans appealed the suspension but will still have to sit for Week 3. The Bucs could be hurting a bit at WR when they take on the Packers. Goodwin is dealing with a hamstring injury and doesn't look like he'll play. Jones was reportedly close to playing Week 2 and is still dealing with a knee injury. Gage, Perriman and Miller would be up next on the depth chart.

The NFL is not anticipating a ruling on Mike Evans’ appeal of a one-game suspension Tuesday, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Former NFL receiver James Thrash heard Evans’ appeal Tuesday.

It seems likely a decision will come Wednesday as the Bucs begin their on-field work for Sunday’s game against the Packers.

Evans got a running start and shoved Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore to the ground after Lattimore chirped at Tom Brady and bowed up on running back Leonard Fournette. It set off a brawl. The decision was supposed to be made Tuesday. The Bucs could be without Evans and Christ Godwin (hamstring) in Week 3.

Mike Evans ragdolled longtime foe Marshon Lattimore en route to being thrown out of Sunday's game, and now his actions are under review from league officials.

"It gets spicy when you come to New Orleans," Evans was later quoted as saying. The wide receiver was previously suspended for one game in the 2017 season for getting in an altercation with —you guessed it— Marshon Lattimore, and it would come as no surprise if that were the same outcome this time around. There's no guarantee that the suspension would take place immediately, but Evans being off the field would impact Russell Gage, Chris Godwin, Julio Jones, and anyone else healthy enough to play in the receiver room.

Buccaneers WR Mike Evans and Saints CB Marshon Lattimore were ejected from Sunday's game for fighting.

The scuffle began after Leonard Fournette went after Lattimore who jarred a bit with Tom Brady. Evans came sprinting from the sideline and shoved Lattimore to the ground and the teams all met in the middle of the field as the refs tried to take control. Both Evans and Lattimore were sent to the locker room and given offsetting penalties. The Bucs will now rely heavily on Scotty Miller and Russell Gage, who have both stepped up very well thus far today, though the Bucs only have three points on the board.