On Monday, head mentor Todd Bowles said the team doesn’t expect Evans to return before the Class 11 break, meaning he’ll skip the final three games: against the Falcons, against the Chiefs, against the 49ers. That will give him plenty of leftover capacity before Tampa Bay faces the New York Giants in Class 12 on Nov. 24.
The surprise came when Evans went up the left back of the top zone on a deep ball from quarterback Baker Mayfield, and then he was tackled with his legs and then the ball collided with his arms, he dropped the ball and twisted in pain, clutching his hamstring. The 31-year-old receiver was unable to practice Thursday and Friday due to a hamstring issue, and practiced on a restricted basis on Saturday. That same ailment led Tampa Bay to rule him out for the remainder of the evening against the Baltimore Ravens in Class 7. After his release, Mayfield concluded the forcing with an interception in any zone.
It appears as if Evans strained his hamstring for the first time Monday in his 100th career landing on the starting field, landing awkwardly with the soccer ball with one of his legs tucked under the remains of his body while crashed the field.
As fun as reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson’s primetime home game against the Ravens is on “Monday Night Football,” the 11-year veteran probably should have done well and sat out Generation 7.
