Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans missed practice on Thursday and is dealing with a hamstring injury and possibly a knee injury. Evans caught Baker Mayfield’s first pass in New Orleans and seemed to get banged up on the play. He wound up catching two passes for 34 yards on the opening drive of the Bucs’ 51-27 win over the Saints, but did not record another catch despite being targeted five more times in the game.

“He tweaked his leg,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said on Thursday. “He didn’t practice today. He’s getting better. We’ll see how the week goes.”

Evans stayed in the game on Sunday, but the Bucs didn’t need him as fellow receiver Chris Godwin caught 11 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns and the running game took over in the second half as the team outscored the Saints 27-0. Tampa Bay finished the game with 277 yards rushing and a franchise-record 594 yards of total offense.

Mike Evans Dealing With Lingering Knee Injury, Hamstring Injury

Bucs WR Mike Evans Photo by: USA Today

When asked if Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans had a new injury on Sunday after that opening catch or if one that he had a new one occur in New Orleans Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said, “It’s been nagging.”

Evans was listed on the injury report in Week 5 prior to the Thursday night game in Atlanta with knee and calf injuries, but he wound up playing against the Falcons had two touchdown catches in the first half of the team’s 36-30 overtime loss.

The Bucs already had an extra day off this week with the team’s next game being on Monday Night Football against the visiting Baltimore Ravens. Even if Evans isn’t able to practice on Friday or Saturday he could still be available to play because the game isn’t until Monday night, which will give him addition time to rest, recover and rehab.

Evans is a gritty competitor who typically plays through injuries. The fact that he is off pace to reach 1,000 yards receiving this season could be a motivating factor for him to play on Monday against the Ravens. Evans is tied with teammate Chris Godwin and others for the NFL lead with five touchdown catches this season. But he has just 25 catches for 310 yards (12.4 avg.) through six games, which puts him on pace to reach 878 yards receiving.

Godwin, who is in a contract year, leads Tampa Bay with 43 catches for 511 yards (11.9 avg.) and five scores.