Buccaneers react to devastating Mike Evans injury news

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost more than just a game Monday night when they endured a 24-9 defeat at the Detroit Lions that dropped Tampa Bay to 5-2 on the season. 

Veteran Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans suffered a broken collarbone in the contest's second quarter, which will sideline him for a majority of the Buccaneers' remaining games. 

Mike Evans is more than just a top target for Buccaneers

"Obviously, he's the leader on the team, great teammate, great person. So just want him to have a speedy recovery," Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton said about Evans while speaking with ESPN's Jenna Laine after Monday's contest. 

Evans has only played for the Buccaneers since they made him the seventh overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. He and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice are the only players in NFL history to record at least 1,000 receiving yards for a minimum of 11 seasons in a row. Evans is also the only player in league history to tally 1,000 receiving yards across each of his first 11 campaigns. 

Evans returned to the lineup Monday for the first time since he went down with a hamstring strain in Week 3. It's now unclear if the 32-year-old will ever play another meaningful snap of in-game football, as he previously teased that he could retire after this season. 

How Mike Evans can still help Buccaneers

As it pertains to the Buccaneers' passing attack, the club won't be able to find an adequate replacement for a fully healthy Evans before the Nov. 4 trade deadline arrives. It's a brutal blow for a team that was already without receivers Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan due to injury setbacks. 

That said, Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield suggested Evans will remain around the club's facility to continue mentoring younger teammates such as rookie wideouts Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson.

"It's very unfortunate, but Mike's a professional," Mayfield explained. "He'll handle it the best way he possibly can. Being injured, not being able to play is one thing, but I know Mike will be there and support the guys no matter what, and that's really just a testament to who he is. That's not easy to do. Sometimes it's hard to stand around and watch when you know you want to be out there contributing, but Mike will help our guys out any way he can."

One piece of good news for the banged-up Buccaneers is that their bye week arrives following their matchup at the New Orleans Saints (1-6) this coming Sunday. As of Tuesday morning, ESPN BET had Tampa Bay as a 5.5-point road favorite for that game. 

"It's never good to see one of your star players go down like that, especially with him just coming back and everybody excited to see him," Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles added about Evans, per Grant Gordon of the NFL's website. "So, it's a blow and we've been holding down since he's been gone, and we just got to regroup and come back."