Jalen McMillan: Everything you need to know

McMillan brought in his only target for 11 yards in the Buccaneers' 16-14 win over the Panthers on Saturday. He finished the 2025 season with 12 receptions for 178 yards on 15 targets and one carry for one yard across four games. A neck injury suffered in a preseason game against the Steelers would end up wiping out most of McMillan's second season, as the fleet-footed wideout didn't make his 2025 debut until Week 15. McMillan went on to record multiple receptions in each of his first three games and even posted one 100-yard effort in Week 17 against the Dolphins, but the small sample functioned almost as another exhibition slate to help him get in some reps ahead of 2026. McMillan should have no restrictions for OTAs and therefore have a good opportunity to bounce back next season, with the possibility of returning to a top-three role in the wideout corps if Chris Godwin and the team can't come to terms on restructuring his onerous 2026 salary and cap hit.

McMillan secured seven of nine targets for 114 yards in the Buccaneers' 20-17 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday. McMillan stepped up in a critical game for the Buccaneers, co-leading the team in receptions while setting the pace in receiving yards and targets. The second-year wideout's yardage tally was also a new career high, and it came in only his third game following a very delayed season debut due to a serious neck injury. McMillan could play a key role again in a Week 18 home matchup against the Panthers that will decide the NFC South title, as well as whether Tampa Bay makes the postseason.

McMillan brought in two of three targets for 15 yards and rushed once for one yard in the Buccaneers' 23-20 loss to the Panthers on Sunday. Playing in just his second game of the season, McMillan had a modest role, albeit within the context of a day in which Baker Mayfield threw for just 145 yards and averaged 5.6 yards per attempt. McMillan did enjoy a solid snap share relative to the rest of the team's front-line receivers, as his 34 snaps (53 percent) were just two behind Emeka Egbuka and six and eight fewer than Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, respectively. McMillan should continue essentially splitting the No. 3 role with Egbuka during a favorable Week 17 road matchup against the Dolphins.