Buccaneers place Mike Evans on IR after broken collarbone

Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Mike Evans suffered a broken collarbone and will miss a lengthy stretch of the season after being injured in the second quarter of Monday night’s 24-9 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Evans was carted off after landing head and shoulder first while contesting a long pass and did not return. The team placed him on injured reserve on Wednesday.

Evans was initially evaluated on the sideline and taken to the locker room for further testing; the injury was later diagnosed as a broken clavicle. Coach Todd Bowles said the injury will sideline Evans for the majority of the campaign and that whether he returns before the end of the regular season will depend on his recovery. The club has already filled Evans’s roster spot by promoting veteran guard Michael Jordan from the practice squad and signed wide receiver Brandon Johnson to the practice squad.

The injury occurred late in the second quarter when Evans leaped for a deep pass from quarterback Baker Mayfield and came down hard. He remained motionless on the turf for several moments before being assisted to the sideline and ultimately placed on a cart. Medical staff ruled him out for the...