The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ will be without wide receiver Mike Evans for the foreseeable future after a brutal injury against the Detroit Lions.

Evans suffered a broken collarbone and will be out most of the year, head coach Todd Bowles told reporters after the 24-9 loss on Monday Night Football.

The initial timeline to return is reportedly 6-8 weeks, according to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz.

He suffered the injury while attempting a diving catch on a deep pass downfield. Evans remained on the ground until the medical staff arrived, and he was carted to the locker room after being helped off the field.

The Buccaneers announced in the first half he was ruled out for the remainder of the contest because of a concussion and shoulder injury.

This is a difficult setback for the veteran considering he missed the last three games with a hamstring injury. 

Tampa Bay’s wide receiver room is also shorthanded with Chris Godwin sidelined by a fibula injury. Godwin has played just two games this season after he was limited to seven contests during the 2024 campaign.

Fortunately for the Buccaneers, rookie Emeka Egbuka has been sensational in his first season in the NFL. However, he was dealing with a hamstring injury coming into Monday’s game and likely isn’t 100 percent even though he did take the field.

The latest injury to Evans will force Baker Mayfield to rely on some of the team’s secondary receivers going forward, including Sterling Shepard and Tez Johnson.

Look for tight end Cade Otton to also be involved in the aerial attack, especially if the secondary is focused too much attention on Egbuka.

Ultimately, Tampa Bay has championship aspirations this season. But those hopes could take a significant hit without Evans.

He is one of the team’s veteran leaders and has never failed to tally at least 1,000 receiving yards in a season since he entered the league in 2014. However, the injuries may mean he falls short of the mark in 2025.