Buccaneers without Evans

After an altercation with New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, the NFL announced the suspension of Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans on Monday. Evans will be absent one game without pay for his part in breaking the league’s rules on unwarranted  roughness and unsportsmanlike behavior.

The scene started when Bucs quarterback Tom Brady threw an incomplete pass to Scotty Miller. Evans noticed a confrontation between his teammates and Saints’ players, one being Lattimore. Evans engaged in aggressive conduct when he knocked Lattimore down. He initiated the throwing of multiple flags and offsetting penalties, along with the ejection and eventual suspension of the both of them.

Evans plans to appeal the consequence before Sunday’s home opener against the Green Bay Packers, but the Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles mentioned that this is a teachable moment for his players. He also mentioned that there is a fine line when it comes to channeling aggression effectively, and that is something that the team will work on in the future.

The Bucs have signed Cole Beasley to the practice squad amid the recent suspension. Although he hasn’t been with a team since March, Beasley is an 11-year veteran, most recently with the Buffalo Bills for the past three seasons. During the 2021 season, Beasley had 82 catches for 693 yards, not to mention effect that the tough year surrounding COVID-19 had on him.

Julio Jones and Chris Godwin are out injured alongside Mike Evans suspension, making the team spread thin in the wide receiver position. In order to avoid a significant loss in the role, it is expected that Beasley will be added to the active roster in no time. Further supporting Beasley’s part is star quarterback Tom Brady, who advocates for 33-year-old free agent Cole Beasley even after an undrafted season.