The Facts: Evans now has just three weeks until the Bucs report for preseason training camp, even less until rookies are due back in town, but the first-round pick is hard at work at getting himself in shape for the 2014 season. "Physically, I'm not in tip-top shape. I'm getting back into my game shape," said Evans, who is training in Miami with a group of players that includes Bears receiver Brandon Marshall. "As far as injury-wise, I feel good. I've been running, and I feel 100 percent."
Diehards Line:
Evans missed much of his first month of practice with the Bucs with a hamstring injury suffered on the first day of voluntary minicamp on May 20. He was able to return in a limited capacity for the team's mandatory minicamp last month, and he expects to be fine when camp starts July 25. Evans said his focus is dropping "7 to 10 pounds" with a goal of playing at about 230 pounds this fall. He was measured at 231 pounds at the NFL combine after playing at about 235 at Texas A&M. The hamstring injury was a physical setback for Evans, but he said he was pleased with the "mental reps" he got in learning a far more complex offense under Bucs OC Jeff Tedford, compared to what he worked in college. "I feel good. It's a lot more than we did in college, but I'm getting the hang of it," he said. Meanwhile, there's no shortage of veteran leaders who have helped Evans already -- asked for an example, he mentioned eight: Josh McCown, Vincent Jackson, Doug Martin, Anthony Collins and Evan Dietrich-Smith on offense. "We have a lot of leaders," he said. "I'm real excited because we have great leaders and a great work ethic. They make the younger guys want to work even harder."