The Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ already-decimated receiving corps took another hit Wednesday.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles announced tight end Cade Otton was going through multiple leg injuries that could keep him out of their season opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 7.
Otton joined Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin as receiving options nursing injuries. McMillan was placed on injured reserve with what was reported as a “severely strained neck.”
Godwin has been on the PUP list and has not participated in practice while he’s recovering from an ankle he sustained in Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bucs have won the NFC South four straight seasons.
What Did Todd Bowles Say About Cade Otton’s Injuries?
Otton’s breakout, of course, was one of the highlights of Tampa Bay’s 2024 season until a knee injury cost him the Bucs’ final three regular-season games.
Otton was second on the Buccaneers in receptions (59) and receiving yards (600) and had four touchdowns. But he had 56 catches for 576 yards in 11 games between Weeks 3-13.
But even though the Buccaneers limited Otton to just part of one preseason game — he had one target but did not pull in a reception in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers — he is banged up. When asked, Bowles announced Otton was going through multiple injuries, including a lingering hamstring injury that has kept him out of practice in consecutive days.
“He’s sore,” Bowles said. “He’s got another leg injury in addition to [the hamstring injury], so he’ll be out for a little bit.”
When Bowles was asked about whether Otton’s injuries would keep him out of the season opener, he wasn’t sure.
“I won’t know until ’til next week,” Bowles said.
Who Are The Buccaneers Receiving Options?
Tampa Bay kept seven wide receivers and four tight ends on their 53-man roster, in a sign of both the team’s depth and ongoing injury struggles at the pass-catching positions.
Aside from wide receiver Mike Evans, who shows no signs of aging or letting up at even though he just turned 32 years old Friday, the Bucs are devoid of experience among their wideouts. Two of their seven wideouts are rookies, and Ryan Miller and Kameron Johnson combined for 12 catches as rookies last season.
Otton and McMillan were two valuable pass catchers for quarterback Baker Mayfield over the team’s season-closing 6-1 stretch. McMillan also emerged as a bona fide receiving threat when he had 26 catches for 341 yards and seven touchdowns over Tampa Bay’s final six games.
Still, according to Bowles, Mayfield and offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard are making preparations for Tampa Bay’s offense no matter which of his receivers are available.
“Whoever is in there, we’ll make the adjustments, offensively,” Bowles said. “We got to play. [Injuries] are part of the game. It’s going to happen. We don’t stress too much about who is playing, … and if there are wideouts that haven’t played and people go down we expect them to step up and play.”
Yet, things are looking up, especially with first-round pick Emeka Egbuka’s emergence during the preseason. Plus, Godwin is close to returning, since he passed his physical and is reportedly expected to come off the PUP list within days, leaving him open to potentially play Week 1.
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