When asked about the increased competition in the Bucs wide receiver room, Jalen McMillan said he and Emeka Egbuka had a competition today to see who could catch more passes on third down. “We tied so we’ve both gotta do pushups,” McMillan said.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver room is expected to look different without longtime Buc Mike Evans leading the group this year. However, the intensity is going to remain, according to third-year receiver Jalen McMillan. McMillan noted that the young Bucs wide receivers are using OTAs to push each other to be better.
When asked about the increased competition in the Bucs wide receiver room, Jalen McMillan said he and Emeka Egbuka had a competition today to see who could catch more passes on third down. “We tied so we’ve both gotta do pushups,” McMillan said.
It can be tough for young wide receivers to stay motivated at this time of the year, especially for McMillan, who has dealt with injuries over each of his first two seasons. However, he is embracing the challenge of this being a new receiver room, and they are presenting new challenges to each other.
GettyTampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin.
The Bucs wide receiver room will look a lot different this year, and it might look completely different a year from now. The two stabilizing forces, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, are slowly heading out the door, and a younger group of receivers is making the room their own.
Evans is gone to the San Francisco 49ers. Godwin is back for one more year and is taking on the leadership role. However, he is coming off the worst year of his career. He dealt with multiple injuries in 2025 after a debilitating season-ender in 2024.
The Bucs have Godwin for one more year before they have a tough decision to make with his contract. Based on his age, injuries, and the possible ascension of young receivers on the roster, the long term future of Godwin with Tampa Bay is up in the air.
Emeka Egbuka is entering year two, and the first half of his rookie season showed immense promise. McMillan has been up and down, but that has mostly been due to injuries. He averaged 2.14 yards per route run, which led the team.
Then, they drafted Ted Hurst in round 3. He is from a smaller school, so it might take him time to develop. However, that fits right into the Bucs plan. The hope would be that Egbuka and McMillan take steps with Godwin as the veteran leader. As Godwin moves on, Hurst is ready to step into the third receiver role. Considering Tez Johnson is a 2025 draft pick, the room is about to look a lot younger. Soon, Egbuka will be the leader of the group.
It is good to see McMillan and Egbuka pushing each other because they need the duo to be leaders after this year, but the tone has to be set this year. Both head coach Todd Bowles and quarterback Baker Mayfield are on the hot seat this season.
The team has a combination of youth and experience at wide receiver. They ran it back with Cade Otton at tight end to keep continuity. They have Kenneth Gainwell to ease the workload of Bucky Irving and give a legitimate split. Beyond that, their offensive line is expected to be healthy for the first time since 2024. The Bucs do not have excuses this year.
Parker Hurley Parker Hurley covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also covers the Chicago Bears, and San Francisco 49ers on various outlets. A veteran NFL writer and editor, his work has also appeared at FanSided, Full Press Coverage, Last Word on Sports, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated affiliates. More about Parker Hurley
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