Evans trying to hang on during topsy-turvy start

TAMPA — He has four dropped passes, three touchdown catches, one potential score taken away by a batted ball, a gimpy hamstring and a contract ultimatum that fell incomplete.

The start of what could be his final season in Tampa Bay has been a wild ride for Bucs receiver Mike Evans.

“There’s a lot of unfortunate plays that have happened throughout my career,” the fourtime Pro Bowler said. “I’ve got a lot of lowlights as well. But it’s football, and those things happen. And I had opportunities to get the ball last week. I missed one. But other than that, (the Lions) did a good job of game-planning against me.”

If the Bucs offense is going to average more than 18 points per game under new coordinator Dave Canales, Evans will need to be a bigger part of it.

Despite being the most prolific offensive player in club history, Evans has only 41 targets this season, which is tied for 33rd in the NFL.

Evans had a breakout 171-yard, one-TD receiving game in a Week 2 rout of the Bears. The next week, he had his third touchdown in as many games in a loss to the Eagles.

That was followed by a solid first half, with three catches for 40 yards, against Marshon Lattimore and the Saints before Evans was forced to leave with a hamstring strain.

Then came Sunday’s 20-6 loss to the Lions. Evans was left alone and ready to walk in for a 92-yard touchdown early in the first quarter, but Baker Mayfield’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted.

“That’s what’s frustrating about it,” Evans said. “But also, there’s some positives in there. (The Lions) were a good team. They’re playing good ball this year. But watching the film, there were a lot of plays we should’ve made.”

That included rookie Trey Palmer twice getting behind the Detroit defense only to have Mayfield overthrow him.

To say this is an important year for the 30-year-old Evans and the Bucs is an understatement, so each game becomes a referendum on his future with the team.

In hopes of not becoming an unrestricted free agent next March and playing his entire career with the Bucs, Evans gave the team until the eve of the regular-season opener Sept. 10 at Minnesota to reach an agreement on a contract extension. Instead, the organization did not even make him an offer.