Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (toe) appears to have avoided a significant injury after leaving Wednesday's practice early. According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Egbuka is dealing with a toe issue that is considered minor. The second-year receiver limped off with athletic trainers and spent time being examined on the sideline before failing to return to practice. No timetable for his return has been reported yet. Egbuka is coming off an excellent rookie season, catching 63 passes for a team-high 938 yards and six touchdowns in 17 games. Tampa Bay has him settling into the Z receiver role this year after the departure of Mike Evans, so even a minor issue is worth tracking this close to the season. For now, the encouraging part is the early description of the injury. His practice participation over the next few days should tell us more about how much time, if any, he will miss.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea kept his contract situation in the spotlight Wednesday without actually saying a word. Vea shared a post from NFL Network's Mike Garafolo comparing his production with several highly paid interior defenders and added only a shrugging emoji. Garafolo credited Vea with 101 pressures and 11.5 sacks over the past two seasons, numbers that stack up well alongside Jeffery Simmons, Quinnen Williams, Jalen Carter and Dexter Lawrence. Vea requested a trade in late July after extension talks with Tampa Bay stalled and is entering the final year of the four-year, $71 million deal he signed in 2022. The two sides have continued talking, but general manager Jason Licht said last week that he has no plans to trade the 31-year-old. There is no way to know exactly what Vea meant by the shrug. Given everything surrounding his contract, though, the post certainly keeps an already unresolved situation alive.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (undisclosed) limped off the practice field on Wednesday with athletic trainers, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Egbuka was being examined on a sideline table before eventually taking both cleats off. He walked back to the sideline to watch the rest of the practice. We'll have an update on Egbuka's status when more information comes out regarding why he was forced from Wednesday's training camp practice. The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud reports that the 23-year-old former first-rounder was "rolled up on" by a teammate. The fact that Egbuka remained on the sideline to watch the rest of practice likely means that he's not dealing with a significant injury. When healthy, Egbuka figures to have a bigger role in Tampa's new-look offense in 2026 after the departure of veteran wideout Mike Evans. Egbuka nearly had 1,000-receiving yards in his rookie campaign in 2025 and contributed six touchdown receptions on 63 total catches. He's a fine WR2 target in fantasy football drafts going into his sophomore season in the NFL.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that quarterback Baker Mayfield will not play in the team's preseason opener on Friday against the New York Jets, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Mayfield will not play, even though backup Jake Browning, who was expected to start on Friday, appeared to injure his back on Tuesday. It's no surprise that Mayfield won't play in the preseason contest this week after he didn't play at all in the preseason last year. The 31-year-old veteran was unhappy that the Bucs didn't try very hard to work out a contract extension with him before the start of training camp this summer, and he'll enter the final year of his deal with the team in 2026 with a chip on his shoulder as he looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 campaign in which the team failed to make the postseason. Mayfield played all 17 games, but he wasn't 100% for most of the year, ending up with 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. In a new offense without future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans, fantasy managers shouldn't be viewing the veteran signal-caller as anything more than a low-upside, low-end QB2 in superflex leagues.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) returned to individual position drills Tuesday, according to Scott Smith. That is a step forward after McMillan missed several practices with the knee injury he suffered earlier in camp. Head coach Todd Bowles initially said the team was being cautious after McMillan banged the knee, then acknowledged last week that he was not sure how long the receiver would be out. McMillan is not all the way back yet, though. Smith noted that it remained to be seen whether he would take part in team drills, so this should not be treated as a full return to practice. McMillan played only four games last season after a serious neck injury, finishing with 12 catches for 178 yards. Getting him back into individual work is encouraging, but his participation in team periods will give a better indication of how close he is to resuming a normal workload.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker has flashed standout moments throughout training camp, and a practice update from Pewter Report credits him with a number of catches out of the backfield during Sunday's session. The Buccaneers boast one of the best pass-catching running back tandems in the league in Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell, so how much Tucker is actually used in that capacity in the regular season remains a question, but the fourth-year back is adding to a profile that could see him serve as an important piece of Tampa's goal-line offense. Tucker converted on four of his nine carries from within the five-yard line in 2025, and if he can hold the role in 2026, he could play his way into the weekly streaming conversation as RotoBaller's RB53.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton had a nice one-handed touchdown catch from quarterback Baker Mayfield during a red-zone period in training camp practice on Friday, according to Brianna Dix of Buccaneers.com. Otton has an elite catch radius and is a QB-friendly target for the veteran Mayfield, and Dix notes that Otton became a threat underneath on Friday for new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. Despite injuries to Tampa's receiving corps last year, the 27-year-old Otton failed to take advantage. The former fourth-rounder from the University of Washington did match his career high of 59 receptions, but he produced 572 yards and only one touchdown catch on 81 targets through 16 regular-season games in his fourth year in the NFL. Future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans is gone, but the Bucs still have a capable trio of receivers in Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., and Jalen McMillan, leaving Otton as the No. 4 option for Mayfield. Robinson's new offense could involve Otton more, but for now, he profiles best in fantasy as a touchdown-dependent TE2 streamer.

The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud writes that Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving is making a big impression on new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson in training camp. "His feet are always in the ground," Robinson said. "So he's always able to change direction and, obviously, that keeps him so balanced to be able to break tackles." Irving missed all of the team's organized team activities in May and June while rehabbing a shoulder injury, but he is back now and is looking quick and decisive since pads went on this past week. "Bucky is a stud," Robinson said. Irving had a great rookie year in former OC Liam Coen's outside-zone running scheme, and Robinson's and Coen's offensive styles are similar. The 23-year-old had a 1,000-yard rushing season with eight touchdowns as a rookie, but injuries slowed him down in 2025, and he finished with 588 rushing yards and only one TD in 10 games. A bounce-back in 2026 should be coming for Irving if he stays healthy, but injury risk and the addition of pass-catching back Kenny Gainwell figure to limit Irving's overall ceiling as more of an RB2 in his third NFL campaign. Stroud also mentions Gainwell's seamless transition to Tampa's RB room.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell is not practicing on Friday, as indicated by Pewter Report. Gainwell has drawn praise from the local beat as a training camp standout, with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson recently telling reporters, "He is super versatile, and he is great with the ball in his hands," adding, "we will continue to find out where we can put him in the best spots." Gainwell's 73 receptions were the fourth most by a running back in 2025, and assuming his absence is not a prolonged one, he could step seamlessly into Rachaad White's vacated pass-catching role that has allowed for at least 50 receptions in three of the last four seasons. How much additional work he sees on the ground remains to be seen, but at RotoBaller's RB36, Gainwell is a potential late-round sleeper who could thrive in Robinson's wide zone offense.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said he still views veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield as the team's franchise signal-caller, even though the two sides were unable to agree on a contract extension before the start of training camp this summer, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. Tampa offered Mayfield a two-year deal, but he turned it down and felt disrespected by the organization. "We love Baker. Baker's in a great place right now. We're in a very good place," Licht said. The GM also acknowledged that using the franchise tag on Mayfield is an option for 2027. Mayfield gave the team a deadline of the start of training camp to get a deal done, but Licht said the Bucs have left the door open if Mayfield and his agent, Tom Mills, decide they want to resume negotiations. Whether the two sides eventually agree on an extension might come down to how Mayfield plays in 2026 after taking a step back in 2025 after back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons in 2023 and 2024 in his first two years with the team. For fantasy purposes, Mayfield's arrow is pointing down after an injury-plagued year as he heads into his ninth year in the league in a new offense that won't feature Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans. He'll go undrafted in single-QB, 12-team fantasy leagues, and he's merely a low-end QB2 in superflex formats without a ton of upside in his age-31 season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Thursday that he's unsure how long wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) will be out in training camp, according to Pewter Report. McMillan has been sitting out of practices this week and was seen wearing a sleeve on his left calf on Tuesday. The Bucs are being careful with the 24-year-old wideout, who played in only four regular-season games a year ago due to a scary neck injury that he suffered in the preseason. Barring a setback once McMillan returns to the field, it seems like he'll be fine for the start of the regular season in September. With future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans no longer in Tampa, the former third-rounder in 2024 from the University of Washington is going to have a bigger role in new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson's scheme alongside Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. Fantasy managers will want to target him as a potential late-round sleeper as a WR4/5 for depth in upcoming drafts as long as his knee injury doesn't linger this summer.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is back in action on Thursday after being held out of Tuesday night's indoor practice session with lower body soreness. With a scheduled off day on Wednesday, the team was able to exercise an abundance of caution, holding the second-year receiver out along with Chris Godwin Jr. and Jalen McMillan. While Egbuka and Godwin have returned to practice, McMillan remains out after banging his knee, as does Tez Johnson, who exited Tuesday's session with a groin strain. Egbuka's play trailed off in his rookie season, following a historically strong start, but an improving connection with quarterback Baker Mayfield has expectations high for his second season, and he is being drafted as the WR18.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, potentially eyeing a big-bodied long-term replacement for franchise legend Mike Evans. In recent days, the Buccaneers' receiver depth chart has been thinned by injury, and Hurst has taken advantage of the opportunity to build chemistry with quarterback Baker Mayfield. With Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., and Jalen McMillan all absent from the team's last practice, and Tez Johnson exiting early with a groin strain, Hurst became Mayfield's go-to target according to team staff writer Brianna Dix, and head coach Todd Bowles spoke on their growing rapport. "Baker trusts him," he said of the rookie. "He knows he goes where he needs to go with the football. Ted was open at the right time, so we know he's got a good vertical, and he's got very good hands." The crowded depth chart in Tampa could still make consistent fantasy viability difficult to come by, but at RotoBaller's dynasty WR72, Hurst is a player well worth stashing with a future that will only be made brighter if he can continue to stack productive days in his first training camp.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles confirmed on Wednesday that wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (lower body) did not practice on the turf on Wednesday as a precaution due to some lower-body soreness, according to Brianna Dix of Buccaneers.com. Egbuka caught 63 of his 127 targets for 938 yards and six touchdowns in 17 games in his rookie season in 2025 after Tampa took him with the 19th overall pick from Ohio State. The 23-year-old was looking like a beast early on before petering out down the stretch while having to learn the entire route tree because of a banged-up WR corps. Entering Year 2, Egbuka has breakout potential with future Hall of Famer Mike Evans gone and in a new offense led by Zac Robinson. As long as he's able to stay healthy, Egbuka should have a strong floor as one of quarterback Baker Mayfield's top targets, with his first 1,000-yard season looking extremely likely. Fantasy managers should be targeting the sophomore pass-catcher as a strong WR2 option early on in drafts this fall.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. never had a real chance to settle in last season. He returned from the dislocated ankle that ended his 2024 campaign, played two games, then suffered a fibula injury in Week 5. By the time he was back for good, the season was already slipping away. Godwin still closed with 24 catches for 291 yards and two touchdowns from Weeks 13 through 17, which matters more than the ugly 33-360-2 full-year line. He has since completed a full offseason and is back in his familiar slot role under new coordinator Zac Robinson. Mike Evans is gone, but this is not an empty target tree. Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Cade Otton, and the backs will all be involved. The injury history is impossible to ignore, too, after Godwin played only 16 games over the past two years. RotoBaller ranks him WR48 in PPR. That is a fair place to account for the risk, but it may undersell the weekly usefulness of a healthy slot receiver who still showed something late last season. Godwin makes sense as a WR4 with a chance to become a regular flex.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers second-year wide receiver Tez Johnson sustained a groin strain, as reported by senior team writer Scott Smith. Head coach Todd Bowles shared the injury news on Wednesday, also noting that receiver Jalen McMillan banged his knee a couple of days ago and that the team would be careful with him. While neither injury sounds like a long-term concern, the absences could create more opportunity for rookie Ted Hurst to work with the first-team offense after drawing positive reviews in recent practices. Johnson made 28 catches as a rookie for 322 yards, but in a deep receiver room, he's unlikely to hold more than a rotational role in 2026 and is RotoBaller's WR108.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan has been a regular standout in his third training camp with the team, but he could miss some time as he tends to a knee issue. Head coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Wednesday that McMillan banged the knee a couple days ago, and that they're being careful with him. While the injury does not sound to be overly serious, his status will need to be monitored over the coming days. Second-year receiver Tez Johnson also sustained a groin strain, which could open a path for rookie Ted Hurst to see more work with the first team offense. McMillan suffered a serious neck injury during the 2025 preseason, which caused him to miss 13 games, and with an expanded role potentially on tap following the departure of six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans, a cautious approach from the team would be understandable.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that "it feels" as if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Baker Mayfield "are on a collision course for the franchise tag" next season, which would pay him at least $47 million next year. Tampa could not get a deal with Mayfield done after offering two years and $100-plus million, and the veteran signal-caller has been very disappointed with the team's lack of interest in getting something done before training camp started. The last three Bucs players who received the franchise tag -- Antoine Winfield Jr., Chris Godwin Jr., and Shaquil Barrett -- all eventually got long-term deals. Another option would be to franchise tag Mayfield and trade him to a QB-needy team. If that were to happen, Fowler speculates that Mayfield could be a short-term option for the Los Angeles Rams after Matthew Stafford retires if they think Ty Simpson isn't quite ready. Mayfield has always played with a chip on his shoulder, but he'll have extra motivation in 2026. His dip in production last year could have been due to multiple injuries he played through, but fantasy managers should have their doubts about a rebound in 2026 now that future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans is no longer around.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea remains unhappy with his contract situation, but the team does not plan to trade him, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Fowler added that Vea has drawn interest from other teams and is "highly upset." The 31-year-old requested a trade after extension talks failed to produce a new deal. Vea is entering the final year of the four-year, $73 million extension he signed in January 2022, which began with the 2023 season. He started all 17 games last year and recorded 34 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 13 quarterback hits. Vea has spent his entire career in Tampa Bay and remains a key part of the team's defensive front. The Buccaneers' current stance does not resolve the contract dispute, but it makes a trade appear unlikely unless their position changes. His presence remains especially important to a defense built around stopping the run and creating pressure from the interior.

After missing most of the 2025 season with a significant neck injury sustained during preseason action, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan has been a full participant in the early days of training camp, regularly flashing the underrated abilities that allowed him to finish as the fantasy WR19 or better in six of his last 10 games played. With the Buccaneers working on two-minute drills during Friday's practice, team staff writer Brianna Dix highlighted a perfectly run dig route that resulted in a long touchdown, and pointed out the contagious energy he brought to the offense by skipping into the end zone. The play came with McMillan aligned on the outside of the formation, which could prove to be a spot he finds himself in more frequently following the departure of six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans. McMillan is RotoBaller's WR56 and a candidate to greatly outperform ADP if he can stay healthy and earn a regular spot on the outside.