Report: Bucs' Mike Evans' MRI on Knee Injury Revealed No Structural Damage

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans was diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee after an MRI showed no structural damage to ligaments. The Bucs are hopeful he will play in the Wild Card Round, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports (h/t Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).

Evans had to be helped off the field during Sunday's 44-27 victory over the Atlanta Falcons after suffering the injury.

The wideout appeared to be set for an easy touchdown before dropping the pass and going down with the injury. Evans went directly to the locker room and was later ruled out for the rest of the game by the team.

After the game, head coach Bruce Arians let it be known that the wideout may have avoided a serious injury.

"Knock on wood, we don't think there is any serious damage," Arians said.

The injury came after setting an NFL record for the best start to a career for a receiver: 

Evans has established himself as one of the league's best wideouts since the Bucs selected him with the seventh overall pick in the 2014 draft. He entered this season having reached 1,000 yards receiving in each of his six seasons while earning three Pro Bowl selections, including in each of the past two years.

He has added 13 touchdowns this season to give him 61 in his career as well.

The 27-year-old Texas A&M product has remained mostly durable throughout his ascension toward stardom. He missed just three games over his first five years in Tampa. He landed on injured reserve in December 2019 with a hamstring injury, missing the team's final trio of games.

Chris Godwin will take over as the Buccaneers' unquestioned No. 1 receiver should Evans miss time with the latest injury. It'll also create more chances for Antonio Brown and Scotty Miller, while Tom Brady will lean more on the tight end duo of Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate.

Tampa features one of the league's deepest groups of pass-catching weapons, a fact likely not lost on Brady when he decided to sign with the Bucs. Any type of extended absence for Evans would still be a significant setback for a team with legitimate Super Bowl hopes, though.