The snakebitten Buccaneers offense took a significant hit this evening. Mike Evans suffered a broken clavicle during tonight’s loss, coach Todd Bowles told reporters (via Greg Auman of FOX Sports). The injury is expected to sideline the wide receiver for the majority of the season, per James Palmer of The Athletic.
“He’ll be out mostly toward the end of the year,” Bowles told reporters (via Auman). “We’ll see what happens.”
This is a brutal blow for the veteran, who was just returning from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss the last three games. Evans suffered the injury in the first half of tonight’s game after nearly hauling in a deep pass from Baker Mayfield. The receiver stayed on the ground for a few moments before heading to the sideline. Evans was later carted to the locker room, with reports indicating he had suffered a shoulder injury and a concussion. The 32-year-old was held without a catch on four targets.
With Evans expected to miss much of the rest of the season, his historic streak of 11-straight seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards will come to an end. The receiver has also averaged more than 11 touchdowns per season over the past five years. In four games this season, the veteran has hauled in 14 catches for 140 yards and a score.
More to come…