Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans bounce back year is crucial

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will need wide receiver Mike Evans to return to form after an off-year in 2017, especially without Jameis Winston out of the gates.

If 71 receptions for 1,001 yards and five touchdowns seems like a fantastic season, that’s because it normally is. For Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, however, it was the worst of his four-year career.

The 71 receptions were second lowest only to the 68 he had in his rookie season (2014). At the same time, the five touchdowns were second lowest to the three he had in 2015. Meanwhile, the 1,001 yards were indeed a career-worst for the wide receiver. The craziest part about the 2017 stat line however is that Evans was coming off a season that saw career-highs in all three of the categories mentioned above.

Unsurprisingly, the Buccaneers saw their record drop from 9-7 the previous year, to 5-11 in last season.

Now, the fault can’t be put just on Evans. There were a lot of factors that led to the regression in Tampa Bay. However, completely absolving him of any guilt isn’t right either.

The biggest hurdle for the team this upcoming season will be the absence of quarterback James Winston for the first three weeks. A suspension means that Ryan Fitzpatrick will be at the helm to start the year. Fitzpatrick’s an experienced quarterback with some above-average years under his belt. However, it’s tough to replace Winston and the rapport he’s built with the offense.

In Winston’s absence, a lot of pressure will be put on Evans to help keep the offense afloat. He has the ability to hit on the home run plays, while also being a reliable target. This makes him the obvious choice to see the brunt of the targets from a quarterback in Fitzpatrick that isn’t as familiar with the offense (appeared in six games last season).

That, coupled with the fact that Evans and Winston seem to have a solid connection, leaves very few excuses when it comes to the potential of a bounce back year.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers face plenty of obstacles in their attempts to head the franchise in the right direction. That being said, Mike Evans returning to his dominant form would go a long way in helping the cause.