The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one step closer to getting a key member of their offense back. Wide receiver Mike Evans returned to practice and will play against the New York Giants in Week 12 on Sunday, according to The Athletic.
Evans has been sidelined since Week 7, when fell with a hamstring injury in their loss against the Baltimore Ravens. He missed three games with what head coach Todd Bowles called a “moderate” hamstring injury. Evans had not previously missed a game since the 2022 season.
The 31-year-old missed games against the Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers before the team’s Week 11 bye. Evans was not placed on injured reserve, meaning he can return when he’s ready.
So far this season, Evans has 26 receptions on 45 targets for 335 yards and six touchdowns in seven games.
When he suffered the injury, he was able to leave the field alone and enter the locker room. In that same game, he became the 11th player in league history to score 100 receiving touchdowns and just the fifth to record them all with the same franchise.
That loss to the Ravens wasn’t just a loss of a game, but they also lost Evans and fellow receiver Chris Godwin in that matchup. Godwin dislocated his ankle and He is out for the rest of the season.. Without the pass-catching duo, the Bucs have lost their last three games after a 4-3 start.
Tampa Bay is now 7-6 and in second place in a close race for the NFC South.
