The depth and strength of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are about to be tested.
In their 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night, the team lost its top two players. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are considered the best receivers in the franchise’s history and one of the most exciting duos in the NFL.
Evans, who holds records for receptions, receiving yards, touchdown catches, and scoring for the team, left the game with a hamstring injury. He had just made the 100th touchdown catch of his career, helping the Bucs take an early lead.
Godwin, who ranks second in the team’s history for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches, was carted off after dislocating his left ankle in the game’s final minute. The Ravens had a strong control of the game, even if the final score didn’t fully reflect it.
Coach Todd Bowles mentioned on Tuesday that Godwin will need surgery and is likely out for the rest of the regular season. He could possibly return for the playoffs if the Bucs (4-3) make it that far in January.
Evans is expected to miss the next three games against Atlanta, Kansas City, and San Francisco, as Tampa Bay faces three of the four teams that were in last season’s conference finals.
If everything goes well, Bowles thinks Evans might be back after the team’s bye week when they visit the New York Giants on November 24.
While the Bucs are looking at their options, it seems they are not planning to trade for any big-name receivers.
“We’ve explored options outside the team. But to bring in a true No. 1 receiver, you’d need to make big trades and give up a lot. That’s not where we are right now,” Bowles said. “We feel good about the players we have.
They might not have the same name recognition as Mike and Chris, or the same achievements at this point, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play.”
To keep Tampa Bay’s offense running smoothly, Baker Mayfield will likely need to rely more on a strong running game and a mostly young group of receivers.
This includes rookie Jalen McMillan, second-year player Trey Palmer, and veteran Sterling Shepard, who was one of Mayfield’s college teammates at Oklahoma.
“The key is that with these guys stepping up, we’re not going to expect them to be Mike and Chris. We know what they were when they made this team. We’ll ask them to do what they can do,” Bowles said. “We’ll focus on their strengths, help them play fast and play hard, and then we’ll be fine.”
