Big Play Mike Evans May Need To Carry Bucs
June 19th, 2022
Monster.
There is one Bucs player Joe believes must have his normal big season.
Yeah, Tom Brady. But that goes without saying. Joe is thinking of another guy, and that would be the greatest receiver in Bucs history, Mike Evans.
Joe is thinking Evans is going to have to extend his record of consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons to start a career to nine. Let’s look at why:
If you believe former Bucs defensive tackle and current BSPN talking head Booger McFarland, Chris Godwin may be out until after Thanksgiving. That’s a massive hit and someone would have to pick up the slack. Usually, that someone would be an established star like Evans.
Then there is the Russell Gage situation. A mystery injury has kept him off the field for an untold amount of OTA practices and all of minicamp. Even Tom Brady at minicamp mentioned how Gage has a lot of June and July work to do to get up to speed and build chemistry with Brady.
If a receiver struggles out of the gate, guess who picks up the slack? An established star like Evans.
Yeah, Joe is confident Evans can do this. Look at the Rams playoff game last year. With so many injuries at receiver, Brady went to Evans, who had a big-time catch against mouthy Jalen Ramsey to tie the game late. Evans had 119 yards receiving that day.
Brady tends to lean on guys he trusts. With Godwin out and who knows about Gage (or for that matter, foot-rubbing tight end Rob Gronkowski), Joe believes Evans is going to be required to ball out.
June 19th, 2022 at 9:20 am
Evan’s can do it !
June 19th, 2022 at 9:22 am
Joe – Perhaps you worry a bit too much. Godwin may be ready earlier than expected. And Gage likely will be fine. I also think that some of our other WRs are a bit under rated. We’ll be fine.
June 19th, 2022 at 9:27 am
Bucs have $30M/yr in the therapy tank right now. Godwin may never be the same.
We’ve still got the talent on the roster. Players either step up now or just cut them.
Im sick of dragging baggage.
June 19th, 2022 at 9:35 am
He’ll get 1078 yards and 14 TD’s
June 19th, 2022 at 9:38 am
Mike and the lil RB’s
June 19th, 2022 at 9:40 am
If you believe former Bucs defensive tackle and current BSPN talking head Booger McFarland, Chris Godwin may be out until after Thanksgiving.
Can’t we get another opinion on this?……..Will all the media, you would think someone would scrape up another opinion.
June 19th, 2022 at 9:51 am
There is Scotty Miller. Put that dude to work, to hell with trading him.
June 19th, 2022 at 9:52 am
14 TDs last year – ME13 is the best red zone WR in the NFL…
I recall one catch last season it looked like TB12 was throwing it away and Evans jumped about ten feet in the air and made a beautiful finger tip catch in the corner of the end zone.
June 19th, 2022 at 9:53 am
Evans is a hall of fame receiver period. Class act and really proud of him by how he handles his business.
June 19th, 2022 at 9:54 am
Bucs mount rushmore player when his career is over.
June 19th, 2022 at 9:56 am
While Godwin is out, I expect to see alot of double TE formations (especially assuming Gronk comes back). Brate is a better option than many of backup WR’s.
June 19th, 2022 at 10:03 am
Evans is pure class, both on and off the field. D-Rok truly respects his charities and his talent level. We are so lucky to have him!
June 19th, 2022 at 10:07 am
Mike’s one of the best in the league, no problem. However this is the NFL, where stars are always born. Someone we’re not even considering right now is in our receiver room right now. Happens every year around the league. Who’s our next unknown star?
June 19th, 2022 at 10:24 am
ME13 is the franchise. Best player on and off the field. I also think we can get some plays out of Perriman and Grayson. One of these guys has their big chance to step up.
June 19th, 2022 at 10:29 am
Booger needs to be picked.
June 19th, 2022 at 11:19 am
ME13 will put this offense on his back.
June 19th, 2022 at 11:24 am
There can be little doubt ME13 is and has been the Bucs #1 target and producer.
As D-Rok says ME13 is class! He makes his teammates better and supports even people competing for his touches like CG14.
Aside from Brady I do not believe there is a SINGLE Buc who is needed to “carry” the team. Let’s hope the team is deep enough and motivated enough to not need “carrying” from any individual.
I certainly concede the loss of a single player could impact the Bucs season if its the wrong player. ME13 is near the top of that list but again we have targets to pick up the slack.
June 19th, 2022 at 11:57 am
Evans can carry the load. Brady doesnt throw the 50/50 ball by natural instinct and in the past, goes with a better matchup not in a double team. Run the football more, and loosen some of that extra coverage they roll to ME13’s side of the field. Ultimately, we know we can pencil in 1100+ receiving and 10+ TDs from this guy, whether is the only option, or one of four that we have had in the past. Im sure Logan Ryan has a few stories of how ME13 torched the Giants in the first half before they tripled covered him and forced the bad kicking game to squeak out the loss in the end. Lenny and Evans are the two cogs that are important in a world where the GOAT is taking snaps.
June 19th, 2022 at 12:30 pm
Him and Brady’s have been good but not great together
June 19th, 2022 at 12:39 pm
@Duane. Excellent analysis! The last thing that would productive is for Brady to start forcing passes to Evans. It had bad results in the beginning of the 2020 season. Mike has always been a volume receiver. He became a more efficient receiver under Brady in 2021. How about Leftwich actually scheme people open. The fatal flaw of this offense is that it is totally reliant on the talent at the receiver position. Gage was a good pickup because he gets good separation against man coverage. The Bucs receiving core outside of Godwin were average at creating separation. Good offensive coaches know how to adjust based on the talent on the field. That’s why average receivers in GB get open. Aaron forces it to Adams, but they’ve open! How about some diversity in the offensive game plan? Otton and Gronk on the same field could yield favorable matchups.
When people say they want to run more, it’s reductive. We need to run more efficiently and be creative in our run schemes. How many times have we ran duo on first down just to gain 3 yards. We got behind the chains far too often because we wasted early downs. We don’t utilize play action enough even though Brady statically is one of the best QBs ever at utilizing it.
June 19th, 2022 at 1:38 pm
The knee capping aints must be licking their knee destroying chops😬
June 19th, 2022 at 9:46 pm
Gronk will be there. There’s been a couple rumors that Godwin will be ready sooner than I thought although I hope they do not rush him.
We will see where Gage stands come training camp.
All that said, I expect 1200 yards and 12 TDs out of Evans this year.
June 20th, 2022 at 7:31 pm
Solid nothing better than seeing ME13 in the endzone with red sash flying got his style going the honey badger imitated but there is only one originator