Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) warms up before a game against the New York Jets at Raymond James Stadium.

Did you hear that?

That was Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield letting out a sigh of relief as he and the Buccaneers finally got good injury news on one of his top targets.

According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, wide receiver Mike Evans is returning to practice on Thursday. It'll be his first time back in action since he sustained a hamstring injury in Week 3.

Tampa Bay has been dealt a rough hand with injury luck this season, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.

Veteran wideout Chris Godwin returned from his dislocated ankle for just two games before he landed back on the injury report. Meanwhile, lead running back Bucky Irving is dealing with shoulder and foot issues, and rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who has quickly become a rising star for the Buccaneers, just sustained his own hamstring injury.

Evans' return to practice on Thursday is a good indicator that Mayfield will get back one of his top targets in Week 7's clash with the Detroit Lions on Monday night. It's just in time, too, as it comes right after he lost another one in Egbuka in Week 6.

Here's the latest of what we know about Evans' injury:

Mike Evans injury update

Evans is returning to practice on Thursday for the first time in three weeks, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Evans has missed the Buccaneers' last three games with a hamstring injury he suffered in a Week 3 game. In his stead, Egbuka has taken over as Tampa Bay's leading receiver through six weeks.

Now, Egbuka will miss some time with his own hamstring injury as Evans makes his comeback. The veteran's return to practice on Thursday is a good indicator that he'll be available to play for Monday night's game against the Lions. Barring any setbacks, Evans should be back in action for prime time in Week 7.

Mike Evans stats

  • Targets: 28
  • Receptions: 14
  • Receiving yards: 140
  • Touchdowns: 1

After sitting out for the last three weeks, Evans is fifth on the Buccaneers in receiving yards and sixth on the team in receptions. However, he's also still tied for second in targets among all Tampa Bay pass-catchers.

That's a good indication that Evans will return to his spot as Mayfield's top target if and when he returns from injury, especially with the rookie Egbuka sidelined with a hamstring injury of his own.

Evans will need to stay healthy and put together a good string of games to get back to 1,000-yard pace for a 13th straight season to open his career. He's currently on pace for 654 receiving yards in 2025.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Mike Evans playing this week? Buccaneers WR injury update

Reporting by Jack McKessy, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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