5 Buccaneers that could be done in Tampa Bay after the draft
By Rob Leeds
Continuing with the same reasoning from Beckwith, safety Justin Evans could find himself replaced soon if constant injuries don’t recede.
In a similar scenario to Beckwith, Evans was able to play for almost two full seasons before he was sidelined with injuries. After being drafted in 2017, Evans has ended all three seasons on injured reserve.
Evans’ talent is undeniable, but constant injuries and question marks surrounding an eventual return are just the tip of the iceberg for the obstacles that remain in the way of a full NFL return.
The biggest of these problems is the drafting of Antoine Winfield Jr. by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Winfield was a steal where he was selected and stands to start at free safety from day one of training camp, the position that Evans played when healthy.
The Buccaneers could start Winfield alongside Evans, but that would also be leaving out Jordan Whitehead-who had a solid 2019 season, Andrew Adams-who just got an extension to stay in Tampa Bay, and Mike Edwards-a 2019 draft pick who is best suited to play the strong safety role.
With the pieces already on the roster and with Evans’ constant injuries, there is a genuine chance that Tampa Bay decides to cut Evans before the start of the season or trade him for whatever compensation that they can receive before any negative consequences surface.