The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have managed to post a 7-5 record through their first 12 games, despite dealing with a slew of injuries all year long. On offense, the passing game has never been at full health this year, as Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan have all missed significant time with injuries, which has forced rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka to step up in their absence.
Egbuka has managed to do just that, as he’s caught 52 passes for 791 yards and six touchdowns through the first 12 games of his young career. It’s clear, though, that if the Bucs are going to go on a deep playoff run this year, they need to get healthy on offense. The good news is that, after getting Godwin back recently, Evans and McMillan appear to be close to returning, which is something Egbuka is looking forward to.
Emeka Egbuka Dishes on Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan’s Impending Injury Returns
Tampa Bay entered the season with hopes of featuring one of the most lethal passing attacks in the league. Giving Baker Mayfield two top-tier stars (Evans and Godwin) and a pair of young, dynamic playmakers (McMillan and Egbuka) had folks worried about what this group could accomplish. The problem is that all four receivers have yet to take the field at the same time together.
McMillan was the first guy to get injured, as he suffered a scary neck injury in the preseason that has prevented him from suiting up yet this year. Godwin missed the beginning of the year recovering from a dislocated ankle that ended his 2024 campaign early, only to sustain a fibula injury that held him out for another month and a half. Evans missed time early with a hamstring injury before breaking his collarbone when he finally got back on the field.
The lone constant has been Egbuka, although he did suffer a hamstring injury early in the season that forced him out of the team’s win over the San Francisco 49ers. With Godwin already back, though, and Evans and McMillan having their practice windows opened, the Bucs are close to being at full strength, and it sounds like something the rookie wide receiver is very much looking forward to.
“It was amazing,” Egbuka said of seeing Evans and McMillan on the practice field this week. “Obviously, as a wide receiver unit, we’re all pretty much best friends in the locker room and in our receiver room. Whenever one of us out, no matter who it is, we can all feel it, and it hurts just as bad as the person who is out. So when we’re all back together, and we’re all out there, it’s just such a blast and such a blessing.”
Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Set to Lead Buccaneers’ Passing Attack in Week 14
GettyTampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin.
It always seemed like a bit of a long shot for either Evans or McMillan to play in Week 14, but with a favorable matchup against the New Orleans Saints on the schedule, there wasn’t much of a reason for the team to rush them back onto the field. In the meantime, Egbuka and Godwin will be tasked with getting open for Mayfield on offense.
While the Carolina Panthers have made things interesting in the NFC South, the Bucs still have the inside track to come out on top in the division, and they can put some distance between themselves and the Panthers by taking down the lowly Saints on Sunday. Kickoff for this contest is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
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