Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Emeka Egbuka put the Bucs in unfamiliar territory ahead of crucial playoff stretch
The Bucs offense could see Evans, Godwin, and Egbuka on the field for the first time in 2025 and there’s a bit of mystery behind all of it.
It only took (checks notes) nearly 15 weeks, but hey, better late than never, I guess?
I’m talking about the opportunity of seeing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ top-4 receivers in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan together and on the field during a regular season game.
In all seriousness, it comes at the perfect time as the slumping Bucs need all the help they can get entering a crucial final month of the year.
Bucs activate Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan from IR
Both players are officially off IR and have a very good shot at playing against the Atlanta Falcon on Thursday night. Todd Bowles said Evans and McMillan “looked like they never left” after Wednesday’s practice/walkthrough. So, the Bucs could finally have all four of their top receivers healthy and ready to go.
Josh Grizzard will be able to call his full play sheet for the first time all year, as the Bucs offense will be very close to 100%. The unit will be down both starters at guard in Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson, which is a big deal. However, the combined abilities of this quartet can easily help Grizzard offset whatever issues are dealt through those absences. It’s not a perfect situation, but it’s a very good situation and the first-year OC should be able to find success.
Baker Mayfield and Co. are looking at a resurgence
You don’t have to be an expert to tell the Bucs offense has struggled for basically the entire second half of the season. There has been zero rhythm and Baker Mayfield and Co. have barely established any kind of identity. Sure, the offense was far from perfect during the first half of the year, but at least it had a distinction in the fact it was clutch and came through when absolutely needed.
Each player provides their own unique skillset and Godwin and Egbuka can line up all over the formation, which allows Grizzard to find all kinds of mismatches and dish out eye candy for the opposing secondary.
Hell, imagine all three lined up in trips on one side or in a bunch during a neutral or favorable down-and-distance. Good luck figuring out how to decipher that both pre- and post-snap if you’re an opposing defense.
Not only should Mayfield and the passing attack bounce back, but Bucky Irving and the rest of the Bucs’ ground attack should find more success than they’ve had, recently.
Injuries are what kept Evans, Egbuka, Godwin, and McMillan apart
It actually harkens back to 2024, when Godwin fractured his ankle against the Baltimore Ravens. It was a devastating injury that held him out for almost a calendar year. While awaiting his return, Jalen McMillan hurt his neck against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was place on IR. Then in Week 3, Mike Evans injured his hamstring and didn’t return until Week 7, where he broke his clavicle and needed surgery.
Egbuka has been the lone receiver standing through everything and even he missed the second half of Week 6’s matchup against the San Francisco 49ers with a hamstring injury. The hope, now, is the quartet can actually stay together for the remainder of the year. However long that may be.
Rest of Bucs’ season looks as promising as ever
It’s strange. Typically, one doesn’t say a team is in “unfamiliar territory” heading into the final month of a regular season. That’s the case for the Bucs, though, as this will be the first time all of these guys have played together, at once, in 2025.
Frankly, it’s hard to see how this doesn’t help. Sure, they may be some adjustments for McMillan since he hasn’t played all year, but the trio of Evans, Godwin, and Egbuka should be able to hit the ground running pretty much.
Therefore, as long as everyone stays healthy, I think this is the boost that gets the Bucs over their recent hump and back in firm control of the NFC South.
I’m not saying this is the ticket that gets them back on the Super Bowl train or anything like that, as the team has a lot to figure out internally. At the same time, it’s enough to get them to the Big Dance and as we all know, anything can happen from that point-on.
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