Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is the second most important player on the Buccaneers behind franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield. And that is no slight on the rest of the veteran wideout's teammates in Tampa Bay, because there are quite a few stars on both sides of the ball who are among the best in their respective positions.
But watching how the Bucs offense has struggled these past several weeks, even with Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving coming back from injuries in the past couple of games, it is apparent that Evans brings an extra dimension to this team as a focal point of attraction for defenses and a leader. Plus, having the best wide receiver in the NFL at the catch point of the last several years is a heck of a get out of jail free card for any offense.
Evans is out with a serious injury. He suffered a broken collarbone in an October 20th drubbing at the hands of the Detroit Lions, and, overall, he has only been able to appear in four games this season due to injury. Normally, in the past, a broken collarbone in late October would be a season ender, but with recent advances and with the way Evans is recovering, Todd Bowles and the Bucs opened up the possibility of a sooner return as of last week.
Latest Mike Evans injury news for Bucs vs. Saints
However, it is too soon for Evans to come back in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL season in this massive NFC South battle against the struggling New Orleans Saints - a home game for the Buccaneers that will be their easiest of the gauntlet of rivalry matches to close the season schedule before the playoffs.
According to Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles himself, via ESPN's Adam Schefter, Evans has not been cleared to play for the Bucs against the Saints. That means it will be the Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin show again, and whlie the Saints are a relatively easier opponent, these two will have to step up with the greatest wide receiver in Buccaneers history missing for one more week.
Evans should be able to return in Week 15 as the division battle with the bitter rival Panthers heats up. He will be missed this Sunday, and after the Bucs barely squeaked past the Arizona Cardinals last week to finally notch something in the win column again, how much they struggle will be down to the rest of the receivers.