The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a stranglehold over the rest of the NFC South the last several years for largely three reasons. They have gotten consistently better quarterback play than their three rivals, they have the best general manager in the division in Jason Licht, and they have had one of the best receiving corps in football throughout. That last pillar of their team took a big hit this week.
Buccaneers beat writer Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported "Jalen McMillan will be placed on injured reserve after suffering a 'severely sprained neck'". This came against Pittsburgh during the preseason and he believes McMillan could be out past the Buccaneers' bye in Week 9. Fortunately, the team has veteran stars outside the numbers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, who is banged up.
So with McMillan out for the foreseeable future and Godwin still working his way back from a dislocated ankle, it will be up to a pair of promising rookies in Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson to lessen the burden. Egbuka was a first-round pick out of Ohio State, while Johnson fell to the seventh round out of Oregon, despite putting up crazy numbers with Dillon Gabriel and his big brother Bo Nix.
Tampa Bay will also be without star bookend tackle Tristan Wirfs in the early part of the season, too.
Jalen McMillan will be placed on injured reserve after suffering a “severely sprained neck,” against the Steelers and could be out past the Bucs Week 9 bye week, the Times has learned. Team still feels fortunate the injury wasn’t worse and have depth at WR starting with Mike…
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) August 19, 2025
The Buccaneers are still the team to beat in the division, but Atlanta and Carolina are on the uptick.
Buccaneers must rely on two rookies to overcome Jalen McMillan injury
If there was a team that could overcome an injury like this to McMillan, it might as well be the Buccaneers. People questioned Licht's decision to take Egbuka in the middle of the first round when everybody and their brother had former Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell pegged to them. Now look at the Buccaneers... They really needed some depth at wide receiver, and look at what they have!
Egbuka has the potential to be a star in this league. Being the Buccaneers' No. 3 receiving option behind Evans and Godwin should give him plenty of opportunities to shine. As for Johnson, he is elusive with the ball in his hands, but is very slight of build. Regardless of if he is ready for this big opportunity or not, McMillan's injury almost guarantees that he will be making the 53-man roster.
In the end, injuries and potentially erratic quarterback play from Baker Mayfield could derail this team. This also assumes that a more hands-on approach to fixing the defense from head coach Todd Bowles works out. I have Tampa Bay as a playoff-caliber team entering this season. It will almost certainly come down to the wire like it did a season ago. How Tampa Bay responds will tell their tale.
Tampa Bay's depth is the Buccaneers' margin for error, but it is being tested before the year begins.