Mike Evans got his first taste of NFL training camp yesterday. Josh McCown talked about what Evans must accomplish.

Yes, Josh McCown is an NFL old-timer.

When Anquan Boldin had his astounding 101-catch rookie season for Arizona in 2003, Josh McCown had a front row seat. In fact, McCown made three starts that season for the Cardinals and the NFL’s most anemic offense (14 points per game).

But that rough season in Arizona had a profound impact on McCown, in part, because of Boldin’s rookie magic. What McCown witnessed are lessons he’s trying to impart to Bucs rookie receiver Mike Evans, who was just 9 years old in 2003.

McCown told Joe and other media last night that Evans needs to learn what quickly will make him an impact receiver.

“In college, consistently, you don’t see great corners,” McCown said. “In this league, man, every week there’s another guy and another guy and another guy. You have to be on your A-game. And so I think that’s the key is consistency for [rookies], and having plans for different things. Because you’re going to see different coverages, different techniques. And it’s having plans for that and then being able to have the poise to execute that.

“I had the fortune to play with Anquan Boldin, who had one of the best rookie years of all-time. I had a front-row seat for that one. That was the key for him. He was very poised for a young player, but he always had an answer for what he was doing at the line of scrimmage.

“He was able to get releases and different things and then he was consistent with his hands. He made plays and he knew what he was doing. He was the type of guy, when you walked in you felt he had been there before. You know, you felt like he had been around. But it came with a lot of hard work, and so that’s what the young guys have to embrace is that it’s going to take a lot, and you have to be diligent in just the little things. Because when the lights turn on, and this guy that you’ve been watching for the last four years on Monday Night Football is standing across from you, and you gotta beat him, you gotta have a plan for him.”

McCown spent extra time, 1-on-1 time with Evans this summer. McCown said it was good to get to know Evans personally, as well as what they could accomplish on a local practice field.

But Joe’s taking a measured approach to Evans. He’s super talented, but his route running is raw and he’s just 20 years old. He should be a great receiver, but it’s an awful lot to expect him to dominate the league in six weeks.