Todd Bowles Drops Hopeful Jalen McMillan Injury Update

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are finally seeing signs of life on the injury front, and head coach Todd Bowles offered another optimistic update. 

After months of uncertainty, Bowles confirmed that second-year wide receiver Jalen McMillan is trending toward a return. 

As PFSN noted, Bowles said that the 23-year-old has begun ramping up his on-field work. 

“He’s been running. It’s just a matter of him putting on a helmet and seeing where he is strength-wise with his neck,” Bowles said. 

“He’ll start doing more this week… he will start moving around.” 

While Bowles stopped short of giving a firm timeline, the door is now open for McMillan’s practice window to be activated. 

This is a meaningful step for a Buccaneers team still fighting to regain its early-season consistency on offense. 

McMillan Nears Return After Missing the Entire Season

McMillan’s absence has been one of the quieter but more significant blows to Tampa Bay’s offense.

After a promising rookie year, the former Washington standout never made it to Week 1. 

He suffered a very scary neck injury in which he fractured three vertebrae during the August 16th preseason game against the Steelers. 

He has been on injured reserve ever since. 

The Bucs have missed his explosiveness especially as they have been without Bucky Irving, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for most of the year. 

As a rookie in 2024, McMillan recorded 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns. 

He emerged as a dynamic red-zone option and a player capable of winning big time matchups. 

Internally, the team expected an even larger jump in Year 2. 

That is still possible and now is potentially trending toward reality. 

According to reports, spine specialist Dr. Robert Watkins recently cleared McMillan to resume football activity. 

This decision sets the stage for Tampa Bay to open his practice window in the coming days.  

The return won’t be immediate as McMillan still needs to regain conditioning and get back contact in practice. 

But after months of uncertainty, a comeback for a potential Bucs playoff run is possible. 

Offensive Reinforcements Continue to Arrive 

Tampa Bay’s offensive struggles this season haven’t been about talent, but rather availability. 

At one point, the Buccaneers were without Chris Godwin Jr., Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, and McMillan, leaving Baker Mayfield with many inexperienced targets. 

Now, the tide is finally turning.

Godwin returned to the lineup last week and is expected to play an expanded role moving forward. 

Bucky Irving is also back after battling shoulder and foot injuries since Week 4. He carried a big work-load in the win over the Cardinals on Sunday. 

Evans, who fractured his collarbone in Week 7, is also “trending in the right direction,” according to Bowles, with a potential return as early as next week. 

If Evans and McMillan both return before the season ends, the Buccaneers could suddenly have one of the deepest receiving groups in the NFL.  

Bowles stopped short of guaranteeing anything, but his confidence was clear: “I think they will all be back before the season is out.”

After snapping a three-game losing streak and tightening the NFC South race, the Buccaneers may finally get the reinforcements at just the right time.

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