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When the Buccaneers got on the field Tuesday for the first day of mandatory minicamp, third-year safety Justin Evans remained on the sidelines. Greg Auman of The Athletic reported that Evans was wearing a boot on his left foot:
Bucs safety Justin Evans, who finished last year on injured reserve with a toe injury and hasn’t practiced this spring, had a boot on his left foot today. Some kind of setback.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) June 4, 2019
The toe injury that ended his 2018 season has kept Evans out of practice all spring, but the boot popping up on Tuesday indicates that a return is still a ways off. Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said after practice Tuesday that Evans underwent another procedure on the injury:
When asked about #Bucs Justin Evans returning to a walking boot, HC Bruce Arians said that he had another procedure and they just wanted the walking boot on to let things, "calm down."
— Taylor Jenkins (@TJenkinsTampa) June 4, 2019
The idea that the boot was worn just to help things “calm down” lines up with a report from ESPN’s Jenna Laine, which said the boot isn’t indicative of a setback:
Bucs safety Justin Evans was in a walking boot and limping at practice. Told there was no setback for him. He underwent a procedure on it.
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) June 4, 2019
Laine would later expand on the previous tweet:
I should say that he didn’t seem to think it was a setback...will find out more... https://t.co/IseEL4WzSR
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) June 4, 2019
Regardless, it’s tough for Evans to not be on the field right now, especially considering the team is installing a new defensive scheme under new coordinator Todd Bowles. With Evans sidelined, other guys are getting a chance to step in and get his reps. Tampa Bay added to the safety position through free agency and the draft, so there is no shortage of guys working to earn Evans’ starting job. This injury and the progress of the team’s secondary is a major storyline to follow throughout minicamp and training camp later this summer.