Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Evans says he 'forgot about' beef with Keenan Allen: 'That's my boy'

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Chargers face off this week in a battle for wide receiver supremacy. Both are expected to be key to their respective team's gameplan. 

And it seemed there might be an added element of drama, as Evans admitted during the offseason that he didn't think Allen was on his level as a receiver. However, the beef may be a thing of the past, as Evans said he forgot even saying that before going on to praise Allen's abilities as a receiver. 

"I forgot about that," Evans said. "No, Keenan, that's my boy. He thinks he's one of the best receivers in this league and he should. He's a really great player. I like his game a lot. He's a dog out there too. He's a little smaller than me, but he'll be out there blocking and he plays real tough. Hopefully, we can shut him down and get a W."

This whole saga began when the NFL 100 Rankings were released this summer, as Allen complained about his low placement (77) in comparison to Evans (30) and his teammate Chris Godwin (38). Evans tweeted back that while he appreciated Allen's confidence, thinking that they were on the same level as players was not "realistic."

So is Evans just trying to keep Allen and the Chargers from having bulletin board material as motivation for Sunday? Perhaps, but he is right that Allen is one of the best in the league. While he may not get the same recognition as the league's elite, like Julio Jones or DeAndre Hopkins, or even Evans or Godwin, Allen has put together three-straight 1,000-yard seasons. He also dominated the Panthers' secondary last week, catching 13 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown.

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