Over the last 2 years, the 1 thing that’s defined Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers is injuries.
In an interesting twist, both starters Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan have missed 17 regular-season games each over that time. Over this offseason, it’s been 2025 1st-round pick Emeka Egbuka who has been dealing with a toe injury.
With the 2026 regular season kicking off Sunday, September 13, for the Buccaneers on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals, it appears Egbuka and McMillan won’t have any impediment to joining their teammates in what could be 1 of the NFL’s best opening-week games.
“Bucs WRs Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan,T Justin Skule are practicing today,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud wrote on his official X account on Monday morning. “Did not see RB Sean Tucker working.”
Egbuka hasn’t practiced in almost a month, since hurting himself in a joint practice with the New York Jets on August 12.
Emeka Egbuka Started Off on Fire in 2025
Egbuka didn’t just look like his team’s best wide receiver as a rookie. He looked like 1 of the NFL’s best wide receivers to start the season.
By the time the season came to a close, you couldn’t find many people singing that tune despite Egbuka leading the Buccaneers with 63 receptions for 938 yards and 6 touchdowns.
They weren’t saying that because the most incredible part about Egbuka’s stat line is that, after the 1st 9 games, he had 40 receptions for 678 yards and 6 touchdowns. That put him on track to not just be the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year but also possibly a Pro Bowler.
Not everyone is selling Egbuka’s stock, however. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton is screaming like Bud Fox on the trading room floor to buy, buy, buy on Egbuka’s upside headed into his 2nd season.
“In a strong start to his rookie campaign, Emeka Egbuka eclipsed 100 receiving yards and scored a touchdown in Weeks 4 and 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks,” Moton wrote. “However, after a 115-yard, one-score performance against the New England Patriots in Week 10, Egbuka saw a drop-off in production. In the final quarter of the season, he saw fewer targets with fellow wideouts Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan healthy. This year, Egbuka should see an uptick in target share. Tampa Bay lost Evans to the San Francisco 49ers in free agency. He averaged nearly eight targets per game last season. Keep in mind that 10th-year wideout Chris Godwin has missed 18 games over the last two years because of injuries … Egbuka is in a position to be a rising star with the opportunities he’ll get in the Buccaneers’ passing attack.”
Injury Issues for Jalen McMillan Since College
McMillan’s injury issues date back to his college days at the University of Washington, where he missed time in his senior season in 2023 with a hamstring injury.
His rookie year in 2024 also saw him miss 4 games with similar injury issues, although he finished the season with 7 of his 8 touchdown receptions in the final 5 games of the regular season.
McMillan suffered a terrifying neck injury in the 2025 preseason that was initially called a severe neck strain but actually ended up being a broken neck that cost him the 1st 13 games of the regular season.
Bucs Get Positive Injury News on Starting WR Duo