5 Buccaneers who needed the bye week the most right now

After a hot start to their season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers skidded into their bye week this past Sunday after losing four straight games. It was the hardest stretch of the team’s schedule, and the Bucs were absolutely pummeled on all fronts the entire way.

The losses extended beyond just what the Bucs felt in the standings, as key players were sidelined with injuries that have further depleted a team that is already on the ropes. It’s those injuries which has both made it difficult for Todd Bowles to navigate things but also put pressure on the guys who are healthy to try and Make up the difference.

It was a late bye week for the Bucs, but one that comes at a perfect time. Not only can coaches take a step back and reassess things for the home stretch, but some players used the time to rest up in order to hopefully come back ready to turn the tables over the next seven games.

Buccaneers players who needed the bye week the most right now

Mike Evans, WR

While nothing has been made officially official, the indications seem to be that Mike Evans will be ready to return from his hamstring injury in Week 12 against the Giants. Essentially every week since the Monday Night Football loss to the Ravens has been a bye for Evans, but the week off helps negate his absence to a certain extent since the team isn’t being forced to play without him.

Over the last four weeks we’ve seen what that looks like and it hasn’t been pretty.

Liam Coen has, for the most part, managed to keep the offensive train on its tracks without Evans being healthy. That doesn’t mean not having him out there hasn’t reared its ugly head and bitten the team.

Chances are the Bucs win at least one of their last four games — if not more — if Evans is on the field. Whether it’s the last drive against the 49ers, the decision to not go for two points against the Chiefs, or the failed comeback against the Falcons, one of those likely swings the other way if Evans is on the field.

Hopefully we’ll see that again next week.

Jalen McMillan, WR

Evans is the marquee player who has been missing on offense but he’s not the only wide receiver who needed the bye week to get healthy. Jalen McMillan has been battling a hamstring injury as well and given how shallow Tampa Bay’s depth at receiver is, getting their rookie back healthy is huge.

With Chris Godwin out for the season, a lot of pressure falls on McMillan to grow up fast, but if he’s fully healthy then he’s in the best position to take advantage of the massive opportunity in front of him.

Vita Vea, DT

Back in Week 2 the Bucs suffered the second of what would be a rash of major injuries to key players. Vita Vea sprained his MCL but barely missed any time, something that was both miraculous and also dangerous.

Getting the week off to rest up as much as he can is big for a struggling defense. Vea has still been a wrecking ball on the defensive line, and the Bucs are going to rely on him pretty heavily to keep leading the way as the rest of the unit struggles to be held together by duct tape and bubblegum.

The last thing Tampa Bay needs is to lose Vea, and while his MCL has held up since his injury over a month ago this week off to give him even more time to rest could help pay off in the long run.

Tristan Wirfs, OT

No player needed the bye week more than Tristan Wirfs. Just before halftime of Week 10’s loss to the 49ers, Wirfs went down awkwardly and needed to be helped off the field and to the locker room. It was initially feared that he had torn his ACL, but test almost immediately came back showing an MCL sprain, which was the best case scenario.

The timeline is still a little all over the place, but Wirfs not suffering as serious an injury as we all feared also puts him on track to return sooner than expected. He's not going to be rushed back, but there's a chance that thanks to the bye week he'll only miss a few games rather than a larger chunk of the schedule.

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