NFL Rumors: Latest Buzz on Mike Evans Injury, Alshon Jeffery Contract, More

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans made history on Sunday, but it came at a cost.

The 27-year-old passed Randy Moss for the most consecutive seasons (seven) with 1,000 or more yards receiving to begin his career. However, Evans would suffer a knee injury at the end of the first quarter.

The former Texas A&M star was taken to the locker room and promptly returned wearing street clothes. Such a sight undoubtedly gave fans and teammates some pause, especially with the playoffs just one week away. Fortunately, he might have dodged a bullet.

Here are the latest rumors on Evans' status for Wild Card Weekend, as well as some early moves from the Philadelphia Eagles and an impending decision for New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas.

Bucs 'Somewhat Optimistic' Evans Will Be Available Saturday

Mark LoMoglio/Associated Press

Evans' injury looked gruesome at that moment in time.

He planted awkwardly in the end zone while attempting a catch with under a minute to go in the first quarter. He crumpled to the ground and immediately grabbed the knee before being helped off the field.

It was a tough scene, especially considering Evans battled through injuries all year and had been especially productive over the course of the final few weeks.

However, Jenna Laine of ESPN reported an MRI revealed no structural or ligament damage to his hyperextended knee. She added the diagnosis has the Bucs feeling "somewhat optimistic" Evans can play Saturday against the Washington Football Team.

The three-time Pro Bowler had seemingly found a rhythm with veteran quarterback Tom Brady in the past three weeks. Evans had six receptions for 110 yards in a Week 15 win over the Atlanta Falcons before thrashing the Detroit Lions for 10 catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns. He also had three receptions for 46 yards Sunday prior to sustaining the injury.

Despite the sub-.500 record, Washington boasts one of the stronger pass defenses in football. Washington ranked second in both passing yards and touchdowns allowed, and it also ranked second in interceptions.

The Bucs, meanwhile, have had varying degrees of success running the ball and will likely have to move it through the air. That becomes a whole lot easier should Evans be available, as even an injured Evans is likely to garner more attention from Washington's secondary.

Eagles Restructuring Contracts to Preserve Cap Space

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

The Philadelphia Eagles had little to play for Sunday, and their questionable personnel decisions drew the ire of plenty around the league, especially the New York Giants and head coach Joe Judge.

Nevertheless, the offseason has already begun for the Birds, and Philly is getting right down to business.

The Eagles have reshaped the contracts of veteran wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and defensive tackle Malik Jackson, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

These adjustments mean Philly will have to either sign Jeffery and Jackson to new deals or release them prior to the start of the new league year. Fowler also added Jeffery took a "significant" cut.

Jeffery had nine touchdown grabs and became something of a playoff hero in 2017 as the Eagles stampeded to the Lombardi Trophy. The former Pro Bowler then had 65 catches for 843 yards in his second season with the Eagles. But the past two years have been rough.

The 30-year-old played just 10 games and averaged a career-low 11.4 yards per reception in 2019. He suffered a Lisfranc injury at the end of the season, requiring surgery and (eventually) knocking him out of the early portion of the 2020 campaign. He did not make his 2020 debut until Week 10 and was a non-factor upon return.

Jeffery finished with a mere six receptions for 115 yards in seven games. Now, it appears he may have played his last snaps in an Eagles uniform.

Jackson's Eagles tenure has been equally ill-fated. The former Pro Bowler had signed a three-year, $30 million deal with Philly in 2019. He, too, suffered a Lisfranc injury that year, but his occurred in the first game of the year. The 30-year-old was mostly a depth piece on the interior this year.

Fowler reported the Eagles are "more likely" to release both Jeffery and Jackson in order to maintain projected cap space.

Jets Expected to Make Big Move

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

The New York Jets are in a transitory period after firing head coach Adam Gase on Sunday. Whether the team will face a transition at the quarterback position has yet to be determined.

New York was tracking for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft for the majority of the season. This presumably would have given the franchise the right to select Clemson star Trevor Lawrence. But the Jets won two of their final three games and slipped to the No. 2 spot.

Now, there is some uncertainty as to how they will proceed.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported New York is expected to make a "big trade" this offseason. However, he added that it remains to be seen whether that trade would involve incumbent starting quarterback Sam Darnold or the No. 2 pick.

Darnold regressed in his third season, completing under 60 percent of his passes and throwing just nine touchdowns against 11 interceptions. But there could be optimism the former USC star would show more improvement under a new head coach and with some upgrades in the trenches and at the skill positions.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas could still shop Darnold and see what kind of offers he attracts. New York is unlikely to exercise his fifth-year option, even if it elects to keep him.

That said, perhaps Douglas chooses to leverage the No. 2 pick to acquire a future star, draft compensation or a combination of both. It is also possible New York looks to trade back and still selects a quarterback, who could then replace Darnold in the event he continues to struggle in 2021.

Regardless, there is a general feeling the Jets will make a move to define the direction of the franchise going forward. 

All stats obtained via Pro Football Reference, unless otherwise noted.