Let’s be real—when news breaks that your WR1 just shredded a tendon, your whole offseason plan gets flipped on its head. That’s exactly what Oregon fans are dealing with after hearing the gut punch: Evan Stewart, the transfer stud from Texas A&M and projected top target for Dante Moore, is now sidelined with a torn patellar tendon. This injury is as serious as it sounds, even worse than a typical ACL tear. Now? It’s sink-or-swim time for Moore, and the water’s rising fast.

Evan Stewart was WR1 heading into the 2025 season, the one who stayed back when he could’ve bolted to the league. And now, in a cruel twist, he’s out six to twelve months—right when Oregon needed him the most. That’s not a small gap to fill, especially when Moore’s stepping into a starting role for the first time in Eugene.

Blake Ruffino didn’t sugarcoat it when he dropped the mic on ‘The Ruffino & Joe Show’: “Who are the other guys that will step up [after Evan Stewart’s injury]? Will be… the question.” Facts. Because this isn’t last year’s Ducks, and the room around Dante Moore is starting to feel more like a freshman dorm than a seasoned squad.

Joe DeLeone backed that up, pointing out that Stewart’s loss isn’t just about stats—it’s about experience and the trust blanket that Dante Moore’s going to miss out on. “Losing a veteran, experienced guy who’s been around on multiple teams when you’ve got a new quarterback stepping in, it really does help that you have a veteran leader on the field.” And Moore?

He’s not walking into the same cushy setup Dillon Gabriel had last year. Oregon’s reloading, not reloading with proven killers. We’re talking about a WR room that just said goodbye to Tez Johnson (now with the Buccaneers) and Traeshon Holden (off to Dallas). Stewart was supposed to bridge that gap. Instead, Moore’s now working with a bunch of unknowns and breakout candidates.

This isn’t just about Evan Stewart. It’s about what kind of quarterback Dante Moore is going to be without an experienced WR1. He transferred to Oregon from UCLA. Now? He’s center stage, with the spotlight damn near blinding. No more learning behind Dillon Gabriel. No more easing into the role.

Joe DeLeone gave his verdict on Dante Moore after Ewan Stewart’s injury: “There is going to be a lot of new faces. This does put pressure on Dante Moore, and I’m not saying that he crumbles under that pressure—I don’t think that he will. He seems like he’s matured tremendously in some of the quotes that I’ve read about him and what he’s been talking about, his experience, and why it was amazing that, you know, he kind of got to follow around Dillon Gabriel and sit behind him and see how things were working.”

Moore’s quotes recently hinted at maturity, saying how he soaked up everything watching Gabriel last year. Joe DeLeone kept real: “So I think that there should be not a concern but a pause. We need to acknowledge that in the middle of the season, if things not fall off the rails—but if there’s a slip up against an opponent they’re not supposed to lose to, that’s where something like this comes into play.”

But now we’re about to find out what he really learned. Because if he folds when the games get tight and the weapons aren’t there, the Oregon faithful won’t be patient. They’ve seen too much success in recent years to settle for growing pains.

Evan Stewart opens up at last as questions swirl around his future

For the first time since the injury, Stewart spoke publicly—sort of. He dropped a message on IG, thanking fans and adding, “Thank you for all the well wishes. I’m on the road to recovery. Don’t put a timeline on me. Following God’s Plan! Thank you for the Prayers! – 7,” Translation? He’s focused on the comeback, but he’s not giving Oregon fans any promises about when, or even if, he’ll be back in uniform. That part about “no timeline” is loud. It screams uncertainty, and Ducks fans have every right to be anxious.

Now, here’s where things get even messier.

The NCAA’s House settlement, set to go live on July 1st, introduces a $20.5 million revenue-sharing model for Power 4 schools. Sounds cool until you read the fine print. Some contracts come with clauses that say injured players may not get paid—straight up. “With some negotiations, we were very direct that if you’re not healthy, you’re not getting the money,” one Power 4 personnel exec told The Athletic. Stewart’s recovering from a brutal knee injury, with no clear return date, and now his financial (NIL) future might be hanging in the balance.

Worse yet, schools might demand players repay part of the NIL payout if they leave early. Stewart could technically redshirt and return in 2026—but that means passing up on the draft for a second straight year, after already gambling once. So while the Ducks are scrambling to adjust on the field, Stewart’s likely got his team of advisors on red alert, running numbers and rehab schedules. It’s a high-stakes game now, both physically and financially.

With Stewart off the field and the NCAA’s new rules dangling contracts over injury rehab, his situation becomes way bigger than a football storyline. It’s now a business decision. One that could shape the way college stars approach injuries in the NIL era. The word around the street: it would take anywhere between 3-9 months.

Still, there’s hope. Stewart has a redshirt year. He could fully rehab, train up, and return for 2026 as one of the most dangerous WRs in the country. Or he could bolt, try his luck with the draft, and start fresh elsewhere. Either way, Oregon’s WR room—and Moore’s trajectory—just got flipped upside down. And with so many eyes on Eugene this fall, one thing’s certain: the Ducks just went from playoff hopefuls to a team with something to prove.