Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans will likely return from a hamstring injury Sunday against the New York Giants, according to Evans and Bucs coach Todd Bowles on Friday.
The franchise’s all-time leading scorer, Evans was diagnosed with a moderate hamstring strain after suffering the injury in the second quarter of a 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7. He has missed three games since, tying the longest stretch of absences in his 11-year career.
Evans, 31, will play against the Giants “as long as he’s healthy and fresh,” Bowles said Friday. He was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Friday but a full participant on Thursday.
However, given that Evans’ Week 7 injury was an aggravation of an existing hamstring injury, he may have a short leash, especially given that Tampa Bay’s top wide receivers are already banged up.
The Bucs are without their No. 2 wide receiver for likely the rest of the season, as Chris Godwin suffered a dislocated left ankle in the same game as Evans’ hamstring injury. Tampa Bay’s No. 3 wide receiver, rookie Jalen McMillan, also suffered a hamstring injury but has fully participated in practice every day this week.
“If he needs to be in there, he’ll be in there,” Bowles said of Evans, “but we’ll get him out when we have to.”
For his part, Evans seems ready to take the field.
“This week definitely built my confidence, and last week, going through all the conditioning I had to do,” Evans said. “I feel really good. Like I said, I feel better than I did going into the Ravens game. I was a little hobbled going into that game. I probably should have sat that one out, but I always try to tough it through. This time off definitely helped me, so I’m confident.”
The Bucs have struggled in Evans’ and Godwin’s absence, losing four straight after a 4-2 start.
“It hurt to see your team out there fighting in really tough, close games that we could have won,” Evans said. “I wish I could (have been) out there to help them. I’m excited for this week.”
In seven games (all starts) this season, Evans has 26 receptions for 335 yards and six TDs.
He jumps back into the lineup as the team’s leader with six touchdown receptions. However, his 10-season streak of 1,000-yard campaigns is in peril. Evans will need to average 95 yards per game in the final seven games.
