Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

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Jalen McMillan • WR • Buccaneers

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan

When asked to pick an offensive player who needs to step up in 2025, Tampa Bay Buccaneers new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard named wide receiver Jalen McMillan on The Ronde Barber Show. McMillan came on strong to close out the 2024 season with Chris Godwin (ankle) injured, but he'll have plenty of competition for playing time with Mike Evans, Godwin and rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka in the receivers room. The 23-year-old finished his second NFL season with 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns. In the final five games, he had 24 receptions, 316 yards and seven touchdowns. "I think that where (McMillan) left last season and the progress he showed on and off the field, and you could see that carry over into the spring with not having Chris out there and bringing Emeka along and him showing Emeka the ropes," Grizzard said.

Yesterday

Tykee Smith • S • Buccaneers

Tykee Smith Could be Every-Down Player for Bucs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers second-year cornerback Tykee Smith, who also has experience at safety, could become an every-down player for the team in 2025, according to Dan Pompei of The Athletic. Smith's production as a nickel corner in his rookie season -- 54 tackles (38 solo), two interceptions, seven pass breakups and three forced fumbles in 13 games (six starts) -- led head coach Todd Bowles to consider playing him more. The 24-year-old could be a safety-nickel combination player this year, writes Pompei, and playing next to a healthy Antoine Winfield Jr. could elevate his game. Bowles has also said that he's considering moving the former third-rounder out of Georgia to full-time safety after 589 of his 672 defensive snaps in 2024 came as a slot corner. Tampa has an opening at safety after releasing Jordan Whitehead.

4 days ago

Mike Evans • WR • Buccaneers

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is entering the final year of his two-year, $41 million deal in 2025, and The Athletic's Dan Pompei writes that the team could have a difficult time retaining the future Hall of Famer beyond this season, especially at a similar price to what they just re-signed Chris Godwin at. Despite being close to turning 32 years old, Evans hasn't shown signs of slowing down, posting 1,000 yards receiving in 2024 for the 11th straight season while also scoring 11 touchdowns. Tampa certainly doesn't want to lose one of the greatest players in franchise history who is also highly respected in the locker room, but it remains to be seen how this will play out following the 2025 season after they took wideout Emeka Egbuka in the first round this year. For fantasy purposes, Evans is a high-end WR2.

7 days ago

Tristan Wirfs • OT • Buccaneers

Tristan Wirfs Undergoes Knee Surgery, Likely to Miss Start of Season

Tampa Bay Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and is expected to begin the 2025 campaign on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list. This is a significant development for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense early in the season, as being placed on the PUP list requires a player to miss at least the first four games. Wirfs has reportedly dealt with knee soreness, so the team decided to address it now. Since being selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Iowa, Wirfs has been named to four Pro Bowl rosters and three All-Pro teams. His absence could significantly impact the fantasy prospects of quarterback Baker Mayfield and his pass-catchers. Matchups against the Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, New York Jets, and Philadelphia Eagles await the Bucs in the first four weeks of the season. All four teams have young, promising edge players or bona fide studs.

Jul 9

SirVocea Dennis • LB • Buccaneers

SirVocea Dennis has Impressive Offseason

ESPN's Jenna Laine writes that Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker SirVocea Dennis had one of the most impressive offseasons of any defender on the team. "First day of OTAs, made one of the best plays I've ever seen a linebacker make," linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. said. "He's special, man. Very cerebral and knows the game very well. Can really do everything on the field as a pass dropper, a blitzer and a run defender." Dennis only played in four games in 2024 due to a season-ending shoulder injury that he suffered in Week 4, and the middle of Tampa's defense was more vulnerable as a result. The 25-year-old was selected in the fifth round (153rd overall) in 2023 out of Pittsburgh. He looked like he was on his way toward a breakout season last year before his injury, as he had 22 tackles (14 solo) and a sack in essentially only three games.

Jul 4

Emeka Egbuka • WR • Buccaneers

Emeka Egbuka to Have Big Role in the Offense

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie first-round wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is expected to have a big role in the offense in his first year in the NFL, especially with Chris Godwin recovering from ankle surgery, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine. Egbuka is already helping the Bucs stretch the field horizontally and has looked like a running back at times while showing up in the short passing game. However, the 22-year-old from Ohio State has also made big plays down the field during offseason practices. "The thing that sticks out is how cerebral he is," quarterback Baker Mayfield said. "He's so smart. Right now, I think we could plug-and-play him at every [wide] receiver spot; he understands the offense that well. That's just him being a pro already." Egbuka is extremely attractive in dynasty/keeper leagues, but his redraft fantasy value in 2025 could depend on whether injuries in front of him open up more opportunities.

Jun 26

Bucky Irving • RB • Buccaneers

Bucky Irving Improves Footwork and Pass Protection

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving, who is expected to see more opportunities in 2025, has improved his footwork and pass protection, according to head coach Todd Bowles. "He got to where he needed to be, but his footwork wasn't always the cleanest last season," Bowles says. "He's cleaned that up." Despite only "starting" three games in 2024, Irving finished as the RB13 in point-per-reception scoring in fantasy in his rookie season by racking up 1,122 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 207 rushing attempts. He added 47 receptions on 52 targets for 392 yards through the air. The 22-year-old makes up for his lack of size and athleticism with excellent vision and a knack for breaking tackles in open space. The primary concern with Irving as it pertains to being a true RB1 is the question of whether he can be a true workhorse back and withstand all the physical punishment between the tackles.

Jun 26

Haason Reddick • OLB • Buccaneers

Haason Reddick Ready for Bounce-Back Season?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Haason Reddick had a very public and messy contract dispute with the New York Jets last year and ended up with just one sack in 10 games played (two starts). However, The Athletic's Dan Pompei writes that Reddick's presence at Tampa's minicamp was powerful. The 30-year-old veteran hasn't forgotten how to rush the passer after racking up 50.5 sacks from 2020 to 2023. Pompei adds that the expectation is that Reddick will have a very productive 2025 campaign while rushing the passer and passing on his knowledge to help his teammates. The Buccaneers signed him to a one-year, $14 million deal this offseason that could turn out to be a steal if he returns to double-digit sack production. Reddick could quickly reappear on the IDP fantasy radar with a change of scenery.

Jun 24

Bucky Irving • RB • Buccaneers

Bucky Irving Not Resting on Laurels Ahead of Second Season

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving noted last week that he aims to improve heading into his second season. "But yeah, just always going back and looking at the film and looking at things that you can get better at and improve in, and also not getting satisfied and stuck in last year," said Irving. "Nobody cares about what you did last year. It's, 'What can you do for me now?'" The Oregon alum burst onto the scene last season with a PPR RB13 finish despite toting the rock just 207 times. He displayed an elite ability to break tackles and was a catalyst for Tampa Bay with the ball in his hands. With the Buccaneers returning all of their offensive line starters from 2024, Irving could be in for a massive year with a focus on aiming higher in his second season. He's one of the more exciting picks in the first two rounds of fantasy drafts.

Jun 18

Emeka Egbuka • WR • Buccaneers

Emeka Egbuka "the Talk" of Bucs Minicamp

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka has been "the talk" of minicamp. "Emeka has really strong hands," said fellow wideout Mike Evans. "He looks like a running back, but he catches like Chris Godwin. He's a very polished, well-rounded player." The former Buckeye signed his four-year, $18.1 million rookie contract in May after amassing 205 receptions for 2,868 yards and 24 touchdowns in 49 games at Ohio State. The Bucs' receiving room is loaded, although it appears Egbuka has a real chance to move up the depth chart during training camp, potentially occupying the No. 3 spot behind Godwin and Evans. Granted, he probably won't see the volume needed to be a consistent fantasy producer throughout the 2025 campaign. However, if there are injuries within the receiving corps, that could change. If anything, Egbuka is worth selecting in the first few rounds of dynasty drafts, especially since Godwin and Evans aren't getting any younger and Godwin is coming off a serious ankle injury. He's also someone to consider late in redraft formats.

Jun 15

Baker Mayfield • QB • Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield, Bucs Offense Focused on More Explosive Plays

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield noted on Tuesday via the team's official transcript that the new offense is focusing on increasing the number of downfield shots during minicamp. "[We're] working on that, being able to connect on the chemistry we're trying to build right now," noted the Oklahoma product. "This is the time of year we're working on it. Obviously, you would love to have more down-the-field shots, but any completion is a good one." Mayfield's gripe with the offense from 2024 was that it relied heavily on YAC, and it sounds like they're trying to go away from that in 2025. It's worth noting that they weren't very efficient on deep balls last season, but they're certainly equipped to do so with their offensive skill players. More explosiveness would suit the offense well, but only time will tell if that's a suitable game plan for new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. NFL defenses have done well in recent seasons in limiting explosive plays.

Jun 11

Tristan Wirfs • OT • Buccaneers

Tristan Wirfs Sits Out Tuesday's Minicamp Practice

Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) didn't take part in the team's first mandatory minicamp practice on Tuesday and had a large brace on his right knee, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine. Head coach Todd Bowles said Wirfs is dealing with an offseason injury and that his absence from practice was "precautionary." "He'll be fine in training camp," Bowles said. Wirfs was the 13th overall pick by the Bucs in the 2020 NFL draft out of Iowa. He has started all 79 of the games that he's appeared in over his five NFL seasons and has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last four years, so he's pretty important for Tampa's offense as they enter yet another year with a new offensive coordinator. His injury will be something to keep an eye on in training camp this summer, but he should be ready to protect quarterback Baker Mayfield's blind side in Week 1.

Jun 10

Chris Godwin • WR • Buccaneers

Buccaneers Hopeful Chris Godwin Will be Ready for Week 1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said the team is hopeful that wide receiver Chris Godwin (ankle) will be ready for Week 1 of the 2025 regular season this fall after dislocating his ankle last year. Bowles said that Godwin has been working hard ahead of this week's mandatory minicamp. The 29-year-old was on his way to a career year and had five touchdowns in seven games before suffering a season-ending injury in 2024. He took less money to return to Tampa in the offseason on a three-year, $66 million deal in March. With offensive coordinator Liam Coen now out of town and Godwin coming off a serious ankle injury, fantasy managers have plenty of reasons to be skeptical that he'll look as good as he did before his injury last year. Perhaps the biggest threat to Godwin's workload in 2025 is rookie first-round wideout Emeka Egbuka.

Jun 9

Chris Godwin • WR • Buccaneers

Chris Godwin Turned Down More Money to Stay With Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin said that the New England Patriots offered him $30 million per year on a multi-year deal in free agency this offseason. However, Godwin turned down the Patriots to re-sign with the Buccaneers for $22 million per season. The 29-year-old was on pace for a career year in 2024 through the first seven weeks of the season before suffering a season-ending dislocated ankle. In addition to the Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers were another team interested in signing him this offseason. There are multiple reasons why fantasy managers should be skeptical of Godwin in 2025, with the biggest one being his recovery from his serious ankle injury. Additionally, he might not have the same volume with offensive coordinator Liam Coen now gone and Jalen McMillan and rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka in the fold.

Jun 9

Rachaad White • RB • Buccaneers

Rachaad White to Remain Involved in Passing Game

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White saw his RB1 title stripped by rookie running back Bucky Irving last season. The Arizona State product was excellent in 2023, tallying over 1,400 yards of offense and nine touchdowns. However, he saw his production and touch share dip in 2024 as he became a committee back due to the emergence of Irving. Entering his fourth NFL campaign, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Gizzard sounds like he wants to keep him involved in the team's offensive game plan. "Really good route-runner. We all know he's really good with the ball in his hands on screens, drop back pass game," Gizzard said of White. "I don't want to compare him to a lot of other guys, but he is close to, if not as good as, anybody we see in terms of pass protection in the NFL." White's days as a workhorse back appear to be over, but he continues to stay on the fantasy football radar as a handcuff with standalone value, especially in PPR leagues. White has hauled in 185 receptions in 50 career games and would have RB1 upside due to touch volume if Irving has to miss any time in 2025.

May 28

Rachaad White • RB • Buccaneers

Rachaad White Hints at Leaving Buccaaneers After 2025

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White opened last season as the No. 1 option in the backfield. That didn't last too long before 2024 fourth-round pick Bucky Irving took over as the lead back. Irving quickly ran away with the job as he posted 1,122 rushing yards with eight touchdowns in 17 games. White went from being the primary back to moving into a passing down back role towards the end of the season. Now, White recently posted a picture hinting that he's going to have one last ride in Tampa Bay. The former third-round pick is set to be a free agent after the 2025 campaign. White could reinvent himself elsewhere, but has struggled as a runner during most of his professional career. Fantasy managers should consider him a decent bench stash given his upside, but White probably won't offer anything more than RB4 value with Irving starting in 2025.

May 25

Nick Jackson • LB • Buccaneers

Buccaneers Sign Nick Jackson

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed former Iowa linebacker Nick Jackson on Sunday as an undrafted rookie free agent, according to FOX Sports' Greg Auman. Jackson impressed the coaching staff enough during his tryout with the team during their rookie minicamp to land a deal. The 24-year-old played at Virginia before transferring to Iowa and had 555 career tackles in 73 college games. Jackson had only 91 tackles in 2024 after recording 100-plus tackles at the collegiate level in four straight years from 2020 to 2023. He will now be competing for a 53-man roster spot this offseason and during training camp this summer with the Buccaneers.

May 12

Emeka Egbuka • WR • Buccaneers

Buccaneers Sign Emeka Egbuka To Four-Year Rookie Deal

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed first-round rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka to a four-year, $18.1 million contract on Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Despite the fact the Bucs still have Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (ankle), they elected to take Egbuka out of Ohio State with the 19th overall pick in this year's NFL draft. The 6-foot-1, 202-pound 22-year-old is versatile and can move around the field, but he could struggle for volume in his rookie season in 2025 as long as both Evans and Godwin stay on the field. The addition of Egbuka is bad news for second-year pass-catcher Jalen McMillan. Egbuka was highly productive for the Buckeyes, setting a school record of 205 career catches for 2,868 yards and 24 touchdowns in 49 games. He should be the favorite to be Tampa's WR3 this season and will be a very attractive dynasty/keeper draft pick for the long term.

May 9

Alex Singleton • ILB • Buccaneers

Alex Singleton On Schedule To Be Ready For 2025 Season

Despite tearing his ACL in the Week 3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2024, Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton (knee) said he feels good and that he's on track for the start of the 2025 season. "It's good. I feel like I'm on schedule. It's feeling really good," Singleton said. The 31-year-old veteran posted a video in March on his Instagram of him running full speed, and since then he's taken more encouraging steps in his rehab. Fantasy managers in IDP leagues will probably want to take a wait-and-see approach on Singleton early on, but if he returns to his pre-injury form, he should at least be a streaming consideration at the linebacker position. Before the 2024 season, Singleton had four-plus 100-tackle campaigns, including a career-high 177 total tackles (106 solo) in 2023 in Denver. If he's healthy in 2025, he'll be a starting linebacker for a strong Broncos defense.

May 7

Emeka Egbuka • WR • Buccaneers

Buccaneers Add Emeka Egbuka At No. 19

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added another outstanding wide receiver to their pass-catching corps by taking Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka with the 19th pick in the draft. Egbuka is the latest in a line of five straight OSU wide receivers selected in the first round, following the footsteps of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison Jr. Egbuka hauled in 81 catches for 1,011 yards this last season and scored 10 touchdowns for the Buckeyes. He'll join a crowded receiver room with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and last year's rookie Jalen McMillan, but he has the talent and experience to be an immediate contributor for QB Baker Mayfield as the Bucs look to repeat as NFC South champions for a fifth straight season.

Apr 25

Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

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