“I Need Those Preseason Games”
June 28th, 2020
It’s adjustment time for Mike Evans.
The greatest receiver in Buccaneers history is one guy who says he absolutely counts on preseason games to prepare him for a regular season.
Evans may not really need those games. But based on his previous firm comments, it’s at least in Evans’ head that he needs them — and the NFL preseason is currently an unknown and joint practices have been cancelled.
“I need those preseason games,” Evans told the I Am Rapaport podcast. “I need at least one or two preseason games to get right and know where I need to be at. Because receiver is one of the hardest as far as being tired and being fatigued. So you get about 50 or 60 plays as a starting receiver per game. And you gotta run those plays full speed, take the hits. Yeah, I wouldn’t be able to play next week.”
Those comments came in June 2018. Evans didn’t catch a pass during the 2019 preseason while he battled minor leg issues. Ironically, he started the season slowly with just 6 catches for 89 yards and no touchdowns through the Bucs’ first two games. Those must of been like preseason games for Evans’ body, because he exploded after that en route to the Pro Bowl.
Joe hopes Evans finds the magic potion to get his body and mind just right for opening day in New Orleans.
Who could forget Evans lighting up the Saints on opening day of 2018 with 7 catches for 147 yards and a touchdowns? The Bucs might need that kind of effort again this year to come up with a “W.”
June 28th, 2020 at 8:41 am
Love ya ME13, but aren’t you usually nursing your annual hamstring “injury” that time of year?
June 28th, 2020 at 9:21 am
Totally makes sense. ME13 is a huge receiver. He’s not like an Antonio Brown who just looks ready to play all the time. Evans is a big bodied guy who needs to condition that huge body to the demands of the position. He struggled with conditioning issues big time in the past, but it seems he found out how to get in shape but I can definitely see where it’s harder for a guy like him compared to say, a TY Hilton type. That being said he’ll have to take it upon himself this year. He can’t depend on the meaningless preseason games to do it for him. I love the guy but he doesn’t seem like the Jerry Rice type who is self motivated and constantly perfecting his craft. He’s what we call a gamer. All the tweeked hammies and other nagging injuries provide proof of that.
June 28th, 2020 at 9:55 am
He said what he said …he is ME13 and he knows what he needs..
June 28th, 2020 at 11:36 am
Everybody needs PS to get into the game rhythm, but if no team has PS games, all teams are even.
I don’t necessarily buy how veteran teams have an advantage with less practice. Few teams are remotely the same, top to bottom, from season to season. Everything changes.
June 28th, 2020 at 12:55 pm
I look at preseason as like scrimmage games, where you can work out the kinks before playing at full speed when it counts. No preseason will likely lead to more early season injuries. Hopefully we can avoid that concern.
June 28th, 2020 at 1:54 pm
So, let’s give him his reps. Two games should do the trick. Let the starters play a full half both games. That’s all they get in the current preseason schedule anyway. They play the first quarter of Games 1 and 2, the first half of Game 3, and then sit Game 4. If the timing is not quite right on opening day, so be it. The other teams will be in the same situation, so no harm, no foul. Let’s just hope that the season goes off on time and the NFL has a plan to ensure we’re able to enjoy a full season. I’m not very positive about it at this point.
June 28th, 2020 at 2:47 pm
Preseason is for the bubble players, high value veterans don’t play anyway.
The thing I like most about them is watching Griffin lead the league, like he has the last two years.
June 28th, 2020 at 6:54 pm
Craig
Indeed preseason is MOST critical for all the bubble guys…those diamonds in the rough we need to find…including UDFA’s like Brate and Hump and Peyton.
So if teams know less about their “depth” players this of all years could make that costly. Do we believe that teams are going to get through entire seasons with no
players infected. Obviously we’ve already had some around the league.
So when we replace these guys for two weeks…if there are no complications in their health…who takes their spot?
June 28th, 2020 at 8:15 pm
He needsto work on those calves. 😉