“Achilles Tendon Soreness” For Justin Evans

August 30th, 2019

The Bucs hoped safety Justin Evans would play last night in Dallas after finally getting an official medical clearance to play Sunday for the first time this year.

It didn’t happen.

Evans was injured — again. And Joe has to believe there’s now a slight chance his roster spot is in jeopardy.

In his postgame news conference yesterday, Arians said Evans was shelved with “Achilles tendon soreness.” Arians said he didn’t want to risk Evans on the turf  so “we just shut him down. Previously, the Bucs hadn’t served up a ton of details on the various injuries that have afflicted Evans over the past year. This is the first time Joe has heard the dreaded “Achilles” officially attributed to Evans, the No. 50 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Possibly the best thing for Evans personally is the lingering hamstring injury to rookie safety Mike Edwards, who pulled up against the Steelers three weeks ago and hasn’t played in preseason since.

Obviously, this is a setback for Evans, who Arians has called an extremely intelligent player who showed off his playbook knowledge in his limited practice time this week.

Joe wishes Evans well.

22 Responses to ““Achilles Tendon Soreness” For Justin Evans”

  1. Rod Munch Says:

    Why wouldn’t they have just stuck him on PUP, was that not an option for him? He’s clearly not ready to go, and I thought that’s what PUP was for.

  2. webster Says:

    @ rod

    Evans was on the pup list. He was taken off about a week ago. What are you talking about? I know the popular thing on this board is to bash the bucs organization but if you are gonna bash, please have your facts straight. I would think the major concern is this player can not stay healthy for longer than a couple of weeks.

  3. BucemBruski Says:

    I remember that pick on Monday night last year against the Steelers. Only player to get a pick for what half the season? Hope he gets better but if he’s on the bubble why hold him out? Maybe BA actually cares about his health.

  4. Sport Says:

    It’ll be interesting, but I think they keep him. He may have shown enough in practice and willingness to.play in the 4th Pre Game not to be needed ( along with tape eval in Smittys crappy scheme). Shut him down and be ready for week one.

    In BA I Trust!

  5. Rod Munch Says:

    webster – I wasn’t bashing, I was asking a legit question since I’m not following what is going on here. The PUP in question however is the 6-week one to start the season. I was wondering if for some reason he’s not eligible for that, or do they really expect him to come back and ready to in less than those 6-weeks?

  6. DCBucsfan Says:

    place him back on PUP.. not worth rushing him with anything that deal with achilles.

  7. Bucsfanman Says:

    IMO, Evans is on the verge of being a “bubble” player. His play has been average at best, when he’s played.
    The Bucs could use some depth at the position but, the best ability is availability.
    Get well soon Evans.

  8. Hodad Says:

    Evans is another in a long line of Licht’s second round busts. Glad someone remembers he had a pick in the Pitt game, that’s the highlight of his injury filled career. They didn’t want to risk him on the field turf, guess what, they play games on field turf. Two at least against division opponents. Looks like Bunting will be another second round bust for Licht. He’ll make the team on draft status alone. He hasn’t made one play all preseason. Pretty sad for a player picked that high, there were so many better players we could’ve taken with that pick. When both Evans, and Bunting were picked I said who, and why?

  9. Bobby M. Says:

    Licht will wait to the point of no return. He struggles with cutting the cord…..There’s been countless times where we could get trade value yet he waits and does nothing. We end up giving away players in FA or in trade due to no leverage because everyone in the league knows we will cut them. At the end of the day its about W-L…..excuses and injuries don’t impress the fans. This team is limping into the season with fumes for depth. An injury on the line….in the secondary and the wheels start falling off this thing quick. Then the focus is back on the excuses vs the results.

  10. macabee Says:

    If he is not ready for week 1, put this guy on reserve/PUP let him continue to rehab over the first 6 games and use the roster spot for another player. He returns ready to play or goes on IR for the remainder of the year.

  11. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Agree entirely with Macabee….

  12. Andrew Says:

    The Bucs aren’t good enough to let recent second rounders go. Put him on whatever list needed to exempt his roster spot until he can show up.

  13. geno711 Says:

    Don’t know for sure but my thoughts and posts since May is that JPP will be playing more games for the Buc’s this year than Justin Evans. I hope they both play a lot. Just think that neck fractures heal cleaner than chronic foot issues.

    Evans injuries since November reported:
    Toe fracture, turf toe, heal with heal surgery, Achilles injury. He has been in a walking boot on more than one occasion.

    There are so many bones, ligaments and joints affected as we are seeing in Evans. He has to use that foot to run and jump.

  14. Hodad Says:

    Or just cut bait with him. He wasn’t exactly a pro bowler when he did play. Why pay guys who under perform, and are always hurt?

  15. Sport Says:

    Hodad. A rookie contract is negligible. I hope your not a parent, you might have fired your kids for spilling cereal in the morning. Damn bro….

    In BA I Trust

  16. Architek79 Says:

    Shelf him and don’t rush him back, probably can revisit if you make a playoff push but he’s done. Injury prone but talented kid.

  17. Bucsfan77 Says:

    You can’t use any games or player evaluations prior to this coaching staff change, when our 3rd, 4th, and 5th string players are playing more skilled, harder and with more passion than any starting player we have had for the last 4 years. To judge the last 2 or 3 sets of draft pick on their performance with a inept coaching staff that had no ability to develop or create a scheme to play to the players strengths is pure assnine. We can obviously tell the difference in coaching, execution and heart, so stop calling someone a bust until they are no longer playing in the NFL. As long as they have a job in the NFL there has to be some type of tangible skill set or belief that their coach has they they can be coached up. You can say a player is not good, but as long as he is still employed then he can’t be a bust.

  18. 813bucboi Says:

    im questioning the medical staff…..

    every year we have a player or players that get injured and never recover within the predicted time frame….if he suffered a setback, imo thats on the medical staff…they’re in charge of his rehab…..

    i did hear ronde say he watched VV and LVD get some work done on the field and they looked good so maybe they are closer to returning but every year we have players that dont recover in time….

    GO BUCS!!!!!

  19. Hodad Says:

    If I was a GM I wouldn’t have drafted Evans, or Bunting, or Cappa that high. Evans has made a living on IR, not on the field. He was a high second round pick, so he isn’t exactly making chump change. Only the Bucs would pay a player to be a pro rehaber.

  20. TOM Says:

    Licht should trade the 2nd round pick (2020) for a starting OLineman, since his 2nd rd picks never seem to pan out.

  21. Isaac haggins Says:

    Certain additives to the body tend to grow muscle but also de water muscles tendons /ligaments. Result – injuries

    The mirror doesn’t make plays !!!

  22. Mike Johnson Says:

    You gotta pull certain triggers to become Winners. You gotta make the hard calls
    to be in the running. Seems like this team is somebody’s hobby. Holding on to assets they should have dumped..yesteryear. Yes it is a..BUCLIFE.