Without Mike Evans, are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in trouble against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers? – Tampa Bay Buccaneers Blog

NEW ORLEANS — While Tampa Bay Buccaneers players have stated receiver Mike Evans’ involvement in Sunday’s skirmish against the New Orleans Saints helped galvanize the team, his one-game suspension means he won’t be available against quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the Bucs’ home opener Sunday.

The Bucs are already without wide receivers Chris Godwin and Julio Jones, who are both dealing with hamstring injuries sustained in Week 1 at the Dallas Cowboys, along with a knee injury that lingered for Jones. Given the temperamental nature of hamstring injuries (and both receivers have a history of hamstring injuries), they might not be available again this week.

That means the Bucs will be in a similar predicament to where they were at the end of last season, but with more depth in the receiving corps and a defense that’s surrendering a league-best 6.5 points per game.

Bolstering receiver depth was a focus this offseason in an effort to avoid a repeat of last season, when in the NFC divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams they were lining up tight end Cameron Brate in the slot because there were no more healthy receivers available.

Stepping in for Evans, who was ejected Sunday — along with Saints defensive back Marshon Lattimore for their part in a brawl — was Breshad Perriman. Perriman caught the Bucs’ lone offensive touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter — a 28-yard grab on a corner route working against P.J. Williams that gave the Bucs a 10-3 lead with 7:49 to go.

Evans is the other Buc to catch one of quarterback Tom Brady’s two touchdown passes this season. He is the only receiver over 100 receiving yards (132) through two games, and he leads the team in receptions with eight.