A Word About Mike Evans’ Hamstring
October 13th, 2015
In the hours prior to Sunday’s forgettable Mike Evans performance against the Jaguars, the Bucs’ second-year wide receiver said he heard those questioning his game and stating it was in decline since November 2014.
Evans touched on this subject during his Buccaneers Radio Network show Thursday evening.
Evans said he didn’t really make sense of that and didn’t spend time thinking about it because he was too focused on performing one game at a time.
Also of note, Evans took a fan question about what he does to continue rehabilitating his healing hamstring, and Evans replied that his hamstring is 100 percent already so that’s a non-issue, though Evans explained that he’s focused on training to prevent future hamstring woes.
Joe mentions this today because Joe has heard — and seen — many fan comments questioning whether Evans really is healthy after the hamstring issue that shelved him for about a month — much of preseason and some regular-season action.
Barring something new occurring against the Jags, Evans is 100 percent. His problems, it seems, are mental. Why else would he not be squeezing footballs? And perhaps, defenses are catching up to him a bit, which often happens to second-year players.
For those who want more evidence of Evans’ health, watch him bounce up and down like a rabbit when Lovie Smith tells the team they got Monday and Tuesday off.
October 13th, 2015 at 8:47 am
Have a hunch that Dirk Koetter will keep Jameis in conservative mode for awhile. Gut feel says that Jackson, Murphy, Martin and Sims will benefit from that, as well as ASJ when he returns. Evans? Not so much.
October 13th, 2015 at 9:01 am
Mike Clayton Evans until he proves otherwise
October 13th, 2015 at 9:02 am
He’s not fast enough to get separation and now he’s not attacking the ball at its highest point and making the catches he did last year. Something is up with him
October 13th, 2015 at 9:09 am
He dropped a beautiful deep throw for a TD last week to add to his other drops this year. It’s becoming a trend now. I hope he gets it together soon. We need him to be a successful offense.
October 13th, 2015 at 9:10 am
Not fast enough?@ Tampa Tony
I thought Mike had 4.40 speed?
October 13th, 2015 at 9:13 am
Last year He caught people by surprise, he was a rookie, expectations were lower, …
Now he has to face a new situation he is one of the star, people expects results from, him, defenders are more watching him, due to his injury V jax became more the number 1 receiver, Jameis Winston and him has still have to find a connection.
I think it will come, I still believe Mike evans is a great (I mean talented) receiver !
October 13th, 2015 at 9:19 am
It’s disturbing to see him struggle after all the time he spent with Randy Moss in the off season.
October 13th, 2015 at 9:26 am
They have a bye.. They were getting the days off anyway…
October 13th, 2015 at 9:31 am
@Wyomingfan:
Google it, Evans is a 4.5-4.55 guy on a good day, with a hammy, you decide….
October 13th, 2015 at 9:42 am
Tom are you really quoting and living by 40 times like it matters? The guy is 6’5″ 240 running a 4.5, if you think Him running a 4.4 would make a huge difference then it tells me a lot about why you are on these here message boards…. I’m sure jerry rice running a 4.2 helped his career tremendously…. Oh wait…
October 13th, 2015 at 10:01 am
Why don’t we just nickname him Gimpy until he puts up some big numbers in a winning effort????
October 13th, 2015 at 10:03 am
Don’t y’all remember all those times at the park or in the street when you caught those passes with the back of your thigh?
October 13th, 2015 at 10:11 am
I’m not too concerned with Evans receptions drop off. All of the factors that have been mentioned for the decline are valid. In my opinion, he will readjust his maneuvers to excel with the given coverage. 13th overall pick in the draft worthy? The answer to that is not that far off for those questioning it.
October 13th, 2015 at 10:21 am
“Chemistry” takes time to develop people. I’m pretty sure he had the DB beat when Jameis underthrew him!! Underthrew and threw late. Jameis will get better with the timing and develop chemistry with Evans as the season goes on. Stop panicking….
“It’s as simple as that” – Lovie Smith aka “Were 1-0 in the 2nd quarter”
October 13th, 2015 at 10:38 am
People talk about size and speed chemistry I don’t believe that I believe in doing a job you get thrown the ball it hit you in your hands you catch it. Paid millions of dollars for that you can’t do that its not chemistry to lack of effort
October 13th, 2015 at 10:44 am
Like ASJ, they’re just not hungry.
October 13th, 2015 at 10:46 am
Give Evans a break, he’s not Mike Clayton or Mike Williams. He’s the #2 receiver in a bad passing offense with his third, and least accurate, quarterback in two seasons.
I think Lovie and Koetter have found a winning formula. Pound the running game and neuter the Rookie QB to a game manager. Evans will get 2-3 passes thrown his way each game, he should make the most of those opportunities.
October 13th, 2015 at 10:56 am
@ Santos: I could care less what Evans ran in his shorts and t-shirt I was simply giving the Wyoming fan the info he needed to be more accurate…..
4.53-4.55 is not 4.5…….it simply means that Evans does not have elite speed and that is what the Bucs currently lack at the receiver position….something they have been unable to solve….
The problem with a hamstring is that they can nag and nag and nag and you never know when it might “pop” ……. I was fast for a lacrosse guy back in the olden days and did not run fast enough to pop a hammy, thank goodness.
October 13th, 2015 at 11:14 am
I certainly hope the guy is not 100%. He is not winning on contested balls, and that was to be our bread and butter. He’s a big body, ex basketball player… Just throw it up and give him a chance to get position, go up and make a play.
We have seen him do it, the potential is there. However, he is simply not making those plays that he has in the past currently. Maybe there is a mental aspect to it, maybe he still is not all the way right with the hammy.
Whatever the case, we need this dude to make the type of plays that we grew accustomed to seeing last year. I love the talent It’s in there, he just needs to get back to being the explosive playmaker that he can and will be. It’s just not happening right now.
October 13th, 2015 at 11:33 am
Why is nick oleary not on the practice squad yet? Oh cuz we have Brandon “5y out” Meyers on the team. Oh okay great!
I’ve seen Jaboo throw 2 balls to ME that were short. ME doesn’t appear to jump very high for a BB player, he’s not using his hands to catch the ball but rather letting the ball hit his chest. But most importantly he needs to stop pushing off on the DBs.
oh and I noticed when he jumped up n down, these guys are still very young.
October 13th, 2015 at 11:46 am
@37
He was picked 7th.
October 13th, 2015 at 12:10 pm
Word on Evans is that he doesn’t need separation because he is open “when he is even with the corner” due to his size physicality and advantage. Nothing has been further from the truth this year. Winston, love him or hate him, has made some really nice “jump ball” throws to Evans in nearly every game, and Evans has either been flagged for offensive PI, or has not even attempted to go up and fight for the ball. If he truly is healthy, the latter is inexcusable. He’s not a legit #1 at this point, and frankly is not a very productive #2 through 5 games this season.
October 13th, 2015 at 12:13 pm
Needs to stop using his chest to catch and use his hands.
October 13th, 2015 at 1:17 pm
Espo.. thanks for that reminder, 7th overall is a high pick.
October 13th, 2015 at 3:01 pm
Mike Evans is going to be just fine. Winston has something to do with it as well. I mean he has been thrown at 33 times with only 13 receptions? They need to build chemistry between the two. Winston needs to overthrow him not under throw or make him come back to the ball every time. PFF only has Evans at 3 dropped passes in the Houston game. In the Jaguars game the defender was able to get his hands on the ball. Both Evans and Winston will get better as the season progresses.
October 13th, 2015 at 6:44 pm
He’s lazy, He takes off every training camp with a minor hammy issue and has back into college. Now he’s not using his hands and not attacking the ball.
He better wake up or he will be behind Murphy where he deserves.
October 13th, 2015 at 7:44 pm
Michael Clayton all over again. If he stops dropping passes and starts catching touchdowns I will stop saying it.
Until then…
Mike Evans = Michael Clayton