Evans: Ready To Rock Week One
August 27th, 2015
Sidelined for the remainder of preseason, Bucs WR Mike Evans says he will be ready for the regular season opener.
Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans spent time chatting in the Bucs’ locker room prior to practice today and, like he did after Monday night’s win over the Bungles, proclaimed himself fine for the regular season opener against the Titans.
Evans suffered a hamstring injury on his left leg Monday night.
On the sideline during the win, one couldn’t tell Evans had any injury. He had his toes on the sidelines with his helmet tucked under his shoulder, as if ready to bolt on the field if needed.
But it is preseason and he is not needed. Thus, Bucs coach Lovie Smith, smartly, has Evans shelved for the remainder of the preseason. No need for “a risk,” Evans said. “I’ve already proven myself. Just trying to get back for Week One.”
After Monday’s game, Joe asked Evans how bad his injury was. Evans broke out into a wide smile and said, “I’m fine.” He reiterated that Thursday.
“If I necessarily had to, yes,” Evans answered when asked if he could play Saturday night against the Browns at the Den of Depression. “But it is not necessary so I won’t play.”
This is the second year that Evans has had a hamstring issue. Last year during OTAs, Evans injured his right hamstring.
August 27th, 2015 at 1:33 pm
Again I believe you can call this the Jordy Nelson/Kelvin Benjamin move.
How sick are the Pack and the Panthers to lose their top receiver in meaningless contests? And Nelson’s injury in particular was hard to swallow. Pooor dude just came down wrong, no contact at all.
Why risk Evans at this point?
I believe there is another factor at play although not as important as that first one. This will give the “Bucs a chance to check out which of our young receivers are real? Bell has gotten all the ink and pub but it seems as if Rannell Hall is playing just as well. Louis Murphy is playing like Louis Murphy a solid if unspectacular third WR. But what if one of the young kids gets enough snaps and actually holds on to the ball to challenge him.
Obviously we have some great potential targets…but ASJ is still a project…Evans and VJAX are the only proven targets along with Murphy who is less than spectacular. After that which WR gives you any hope?
Let’s play the kids and see who emerges.
August 27th, 2015 at 1:50 pm
If Evans is fine, I’m fine. He has come back from this issue before so that’s great that he heals quickly.
August 27th, 2015 at 1:56 pm
I hope we sit V-Jax too. Pretty sure he knows how to play. I know they want to build chemistry between him and Winston, but in my opinion it’s not worth the risk. We need to be as healthy as possible for the Titans, and Jackson and Evans are two guys we must have. The Titans aren’t a good football team, so we should be able to work out some of the kinks against them and still prevail. All these injuries around the league have got me pretty terrified. Sept. 13 can’t get here soon enough.
August 27th, 2015 at 2:02 pm
To be honest, why not just put aside Martin VJax Murphy and Evans for this game. Let’s give the guys fighting for the last three spots with the receiver corps a chance about without especially give them a chance to see Winston tossing passes their way. its not like we don’t have an idea who’ll be the day one starters. Give these guys more chances to show what they can do with Winston this week and the backup qbs next week. It’s not like more game film wouldn’t hurt. The only offensive group that you don’t screw with is the offensive line. They need the time to gel so they gotta play plus we need the best five protecting Winston. This is a way to keep guys fresh and recuperate for the season opener.
Side note: @Joes Does anyone know the severity of Pamphile’s injury?
August 27th, 2015 at 2:15 pm
While were at it pull Jaboo as soon as he has a good drive.
August 27th, 2015 at 2:33 pm
Evans is prone to hamstring injuries apparently. It seems like this has been ongoing since his first practice last year. He needs to stretch out properly and constantly.
August 27th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
if Winston marches us down field on the opening drive and cashes in with a td I say pull him and the rest of the starters on offense..if the defense goes 3 and out I say pull them too..this is the time in preseason where we need to see who can play, who is prepared, who is focused and who knows what they’re doing..r.hall has looked great along with a.humphries..I really want to see what our depth looks like..GO BUCS!!!
August 27th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
From what I gathered coming from Lovie’s presser yesterday he takes hammies very seriously and always has. He even kind of elaborated a little bit on it.
Jameis will be out there though. So the ankle must be okay.
August 27th, 2015 at 2:44 pm
Eric Says:
August 27th, 2015 at 2:15 pm
“While were at it pull Jaboo as soon as he has a good drive.”
According to Lovie he says JW needs as much pre-season snaps as he can get.
August 27th, 2015 at 2:55 pm
Yea, I think JW will probably play the whole first half. He missed out on a drive or two on Monday night following the ankle and the third preseason game is the one where you normally play the starters into the third.
I’d be for sitting Martin & Vjax — definitely Vjax — I worry about Sims & Rainey in pass protection so I may want Martin in there just for blitz pickups
August 27th, 2015 at 3:09 pm
Lovie has proven to be malleable.
August 27th, 2015 at 3:16 pm
@Cream…to tell you the truth I STILL think Martin and Jameis need as much reps in preseason as possible.
You know what I think is kind of funny, although I’ve yet to comment on it. I’ve seen nothing great from Winston yet and I’m his biggest fan. Many others on here thought he played great on Monday. Truth be told, Glennon did play just as well, even though some his time wasn’t against the ones.
What I’m trying to say is. Bucs fans ain’t seen nothing yet, but some of them are already excited about him, because of Monday night. Pshh I don’t think he played as well as some people are saying. Again, I’m trying to say. We haven’t seen nothing yet. So don’t everyone freak out on me thinking that I’ve given up on Jameis or something because it might look like I’m being negative.
For those Buc fans that think Jameis played great Monday night….you guys are going to be over the top in love with this kid by mid season. I just hope us fans can deal with all the guff us fans are going to take from opposing fans about JW’s past off field crap. There WILL be fist fights in the stands over JW. That’s is going to happen. Once Buc fans fall in love with the kid, oh yes there will be fist fights in the stands.
August 27th, 2015 at 3:20 pm
Let’s not get too excited about ASJ as a Tony Gonzales clone. He plays too soft n lacks killer instinct. Hasn’t proven nothing but false hope thus far. Can he get in the trenches during crunch time? Is he reliable to catch n hold on to the ball? I would think if ME or VJ go down he would fill the void but again I doubt it.
August 27th, 2015 at 3:28 pm
Jimminy Cripes Christmas Lovie, u kno, V -Jax is the 30+ yr old not Evans…How bout u sit him too because there ain’t no gurantee that Evans can produce like everybody THINKS he can without V-Jax on the other side DAAYUM!!!
August 27th, 2015 at 3:38 pm
I just want to see the O line play with Winston. Everyone else can drink pickle juice.
August 27th, 2015 at 4:06 pm
Once again I get all caught up with Jameis. I forgot about Martin. Martin still needs to carry the rock in pre-season as much as he can, because I’m still not convinced he’s the Dougie of 2012. I’m a big Martin fan too, I have his jersey. So I’m not down on him. I just want to see more of him.
The O-line? Well every Bucs fan wants to see that in pre-season.
As far as Evans goes. Sure he’s shown nothing in preseason, but does he really have to? Perhaps he has to for fans that are worried about the sophomore jinx and get bad thoughts of Michael Clayton, but I don’t see the need.
August 27th, 2015 at 4:37 pm
87
OK you’ve seen him and so you have higher standards. But what if two passes that were dropped were caught.
The drop that Wright made was just a freaking killer. That’s all I heard from you guys during the draft debate. How Fameis was able to fit the ball through tight windows. I don’t know that I’ve seen a better example of that when Fameis threaded a TINY needle to put the ball right on Wright’s hands. Like Ian B said that’ll get you cut. But it also took away from Fameis exploits. That would have been a 3rd and very long 1st down completion as I recall.
That’s what has me excited about Fameis. You guys were right. Dude is a football junkie and he can thread the needle!
He is still a rookie and this isn’t the NCAA I get that. But that’s what makes it more exciting. He and the other three rookies are making great strides and are right on schedule and perhaps even a little ahead of schedule.
August 27th, 2015 at 5:04 pm
SPBF…well we only waited 40 years for him, but to tell you the truth, I’m not that impressed with him yet. I have a good feeling he’s going to be everything I thought he would be though. I said after the draft, that it’s hard for me to gauge just how good he will be in his first season, because he’s a rookie. One side of me says exactly that… he’s a rookie. The other side says….he’s Jameis Winston the one that wowed you repeatedly in 2013 and parts of 2014. So I’m just going to sit here somewhere in the middle for now. Lot’s of wow plays and lot’s of rookie plays for this season. Still too early to tell for me though.
Do I think he will have a better game than he did against the Bengals when we play the Browns? Yes I most definitely do. If he plays the whole half, I predict 2 TD’s 0 INT’s and about 150 yards. With or without Evans.
August 27th, 2015 at 5:06 pm
Buc1987 Says:
August 27th, 2015 at 3:16 pm
@Cream…to tell you the truth I STILL think Martin and Jameis need as much reps in preseason as possible.
You know what I think is kind of funny, although I’ve yet to comment on it. I’ve seen nothing great from Winston yet and I’m his biggest fan. Many others on here thought he played great on Monday. Truth be told, Glennon did play just as well, even though some his time wasn’t against the ones………
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Kudos and much respect to you sir! Most of the JW3 fans have completely gone off the deep end, as expected. I have to admit, he is growing on me too.
But I still don’t understand the hate directed at Glennon, who has done amazingly well, even though he has had very little support from his team or coaches. He did not look good rolling out to his left, but he threw the ball out of bounds, rather than take a sack. Another pass to one of the tight ends was placed just so well between two defenders. His TD pass was after calling an audible against a “jailbreak” blitz, and simply a thing of beauty. He even would have had a second TD pass, but the receiver was pulled over backwards by the shoulder pads for a DPI. On the ensuing series from the one yard line, four straight running plays were called?? Why not let Glennon try for a 2nd TD pass on the night? Just a reminder that no one on this board knows. Glennon averaged 259 yds a game in his five starts last year, and had the lead in the 4th quarter in four of those five games. If he played as well for all 16 games in the season, that would be 4144 yds, 29 TDs, and 19 INTs. With that OL and no O.C.
tickrdr
August 27th, 2015 at 5:16 pm
tickdr
Don’t worry the hate for Glennon only exists for a few posters on JBF. The rest of the league is well aware of MG8. Chucky can gush too much sometime but he clearly believes in MG8.
I’m thrilled we have Fameis because he IS clearly a franchise QB. But I feel a bit sorry for MG8 who has never gotten a fair chance here. He will flourish under Koetter’s direction and in that offense as was shown against the Bungles. We didn’t drop off a bit and before we hear all the yammering about 2nd teamers that pass he threw was with freaking Geno Atkins in his grill and the Bungles starting CB in coverage.
Again MG8 has great value to us this year. Fameis may not make it unscathed through the season. But hearing the commentators talk about the Steelers signing of Vick and the total lack of quality QB’s available right now we should all be THRILLED to have MG8. To trade him for a 3rd rounder at this point would be stooopid. We still control him for two years and even if we only got two years of backup play from him at the quality he would bring that’s well worth burning a 3rd round pick.
Now IF somebody finally pays us what he’s worth in a really high pick or multiple picks then I say hold on to him. A great backup, comfortable in the system, is far more valuable than a 3rd round draft pick.
August 27th, 2015 at 5:31 pm
Thank tickrdr…I am what I am. 1 part homer, 1 part realist. I call it like I see it if that’s the way I see it. Others are entitled to their opinions, but most likely I won’t agree with them as I’m a very opinionated person. I’m kind of like TBBF in a way when it comes to all Buc players. I’ll support them and hope for the best for the best for them as long as he’s a Buc. When Glennon entered to game for his first start at home in 2013 I had end zone seats pretty close to the field. When our team was starting on our side of the end zone. I called out come on Mikey, let’s do this. I kicked Freeman to the curb by the 3rd came. I just wanted to see what the rookie could do. That was the only fun part of that whole season as far as I’m concerned, watching the rookie and rooting for the rookie. So I still have some love for Glennon. I’ve always said that. You just have to find it in the archives. I am Glennon fan.
Buc1987
August 27th, 2015 at 5:33 pm
Forgot to add… so opinionated that my mom bought me one of those t-shirts last Christmas that read : ” I’m Not Arguing I’m Just Explaining Why I’m Right.” lol
August 27th, 2015 at 6:07 pm
@Buc1987:
LOL.
I’m always trying to explain why I’m right as well.
tickrdr
August 27th, 2015 at 9:57 pm
I dont know that he’s proved anything yet this preseason with his 0 catches.
August 27th, 2015 at 10:09 pm
Danr…Vincent Jackson has caught 2 passes in 2 games…
Is that concerning for you too?
Louis Murphy has caught 6 catches in 2 games…
Does that make Murphy a better WR than Evans and Vjax?
August 27th, 2015 at 11:52 pm
No, but neither one of them quit on passes, one of which lead to an interception.
August 27th, 2015 at 11:56 pm
i would prefer evans redeem himself before the season starts is all.
August 28th, 2015 at 1:38 am
Well Danr….you seem to be concerned about Evans lately. So that makes me concerned.
I don’t think we have anything to worry about, seeing how Evans and Moss got together over the summer. Also Jameis, Murphy and Evans had a private workout together over the summer at FSU.
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2015/07/jameis-winston-hosts-private-workout-with-mike-evans-louis-murphy/
Are you questioning his work ethic?
August 28th, 2015 at 1:31 pm
not his work ethic. his desire to make plays. randy moss also had a history of playing ‘when he wanted to’. or ‘taking plays off’