The Buccaneers’ offense will be notably shorthanded against the Lions in Week 7. Mike Evans could be back in the fold in time for that game, however. 
Evans is expected to practice today, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Given the Buccaneers’ decision not to place him on injured reserve, the 32-year-old is eligible to return to game action at any time. Provided he manages to avoid any setbacks in his recovery process from a hamstring injury, that could mean he is back in the fold on Monday night.
Once Evans suffered his latest hamstring ailment, it became clear a multi-week absence would be necessary. Still, it was reported at the time this injury was not as severe as the one which resulted in three missed games in 2024. Evans has been sidelined for the same number of contests this season, so a return should be close.
Tampa Bay has two more games until the bye week, and having Evans available for that span would be key given the team’s other offensive injuries. Fellow starting receivers Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka are set to miss Week 7; the same is also true of lead running Bucky Irving. With that many key contributors out of the picture for at least the short term, Evans managing to return to action would be crucial in helping the 5-1 Buccaneers continue their hot start to the campaign.
Of course, Evans’ recovery timeline will also be worth watching closely given his streak of 1,000-yard campaigns. The six-time Pro Bowler has reached that mark in each of his first 11 seasons, and topping 1,000 yards again in 2025 would break a tie with Jerry Rice for the most consecutive campaigns at that level of production. Just like last year, Evans will need a strong output upon return to be able to reach the 1,000-yard threshold.
The Lions’ secondary is currently ravaged by injuries, and safety Brian Branch will miss the game through suspension. That will add intrigue to the matchup with Detroit’s ability to defend the pass a question mark regardless of who the team lines up against. A number of Tampa Bay’s complementary pass-catchers will be counted on in any case, but Evans could very well be in the mix.