Bucs’ Young WRs Step Up After Mike Evans’ Injury

Head coach Todd Bowles provided an injury update on his star wide receiver after the game. Asked if he knew the exact prognosis of Evans’ injury, Bowles said:

“Not yet. He just tweaked it right now, we’ll see how serious it is or isn’t once we get out of here and once they run some more tests on it. I thought the guys that came in stepped up, [Deven] Thompkins and Trey [Palmer], [Rakim] Jarrett. All of those guys really stepped up.”

Besides the trio of young receivers Bowles mentioned, second-year tight end Cade Otton hauled in a touchdown. It also helped having old reliable Chris Godwin for Baker Mayfield to count on in the passing game. Mayfield also shared some praise for them and brought up one key goal he still has yet to accomplish.

“Obviously, unfortunate to lose Mike during the game but our young guys are playing well,” Mayfield said. “I think you saw that firsthand. Chris stepped up in a big way, still need to get him a touchdown. I underthrew him before the half, just a bad throw on the interception.”

Deven Thompkins Was Just Doing “Some DT Stuff”

That is not to say Baker Mayfield did not have success finding Chris Godwin. Godwin had his biggest game of the young season with eight receptions for 114 yards, with the highlight being a 42-yard catch and run to put the Bucs five yards away from the end zone.

Afterward, the seventh-year wide receiver was humble in discussing his contributions after the game and whether Evans’ injury changed his usage.

“Honestly, it doesn’t really change my role too much,” Godwin said. “More than anything else, I think it provides opportunities for the younger guys in our room. They did a phenomenal job of stepping up and making the plays that came their way, but it’s no surprise to us or anybody else on the team, right? They work their asses off. I couldn’t be happier for those guys.”

Without Mike Evans, Trey Palmer did his best Evans impression by hauling in a back-shoulder fade from Mayfield for a touchdown at the end of the first half, snagging it over cornerback Issac Yiadom.

Deven Thompkins also found the end zone a few plays after Godwin nearly outran New Orleans’ defense. Thompkins capped off a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with a diving catch.

Asked about Thompkins – or “DT” for short – Godwin was bullish.

“Man, DT is probably one of the more explosive people I’ve ever been around,” Godwin added. “Day in and day out, he does some things where I’m just like, I look at him like, ‘Yeah, that’s just some DT stuff.'”

Deven Thompkins finished the day by matching his career best of four receptions while setting a new personal best of 45 receiving yards and scoring his first NFL touchdown.

Mike Evans and Chris Godwin steal the show – and rightfully so – but the young Bucs chipped in and their involvement in the offense only makes life easier for Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield to spread the ball around.