The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without second-year wide receiver Jalen McMillan during the first half of the season due to a significant neck sprain sustained in the second week of preseason. While Teddy Bridgewater was directing the offense, McMillan attempted to catch a high pass but ended up taking a hard hit from a Steelers defender, landing directly on his neck. Thankfully, it appears he’s going to be okay.
McMillan had a solid rookie season, stepping up to fill the void left by veteran Chris Godwin, who was sidelined with an ankle injury in week seven. He finished with 37 receptions for 461 yards and eight touchdowns, notably maintaining a touchdown streak, scoring seven times over just five games.
Godwin’s ongoing ankle injury has kept him from practicing, and there’s a good chance he could start the season on the physically unable to perform list, which would mean missing at least four games. Regardless of how Godwin’s situation unfolds, he doesn’t seem ready to take on a full snap count in week one.
With McMillan’s injury and Godwin’s absence, rookie Emeka Egbuka is stepping up as the second receiver behind Mike Evans to kick off the season. Even once Godwin returns, Egbuka might still slot in at WR3, which would give him ample opportunity to make his mark.
The trajectory of Egbuka’s season hinges more on Godwin’s recovery than McMillan’s injury. Godwin has faced some tough injuries, and there’s no assurance he’ll be able to return at full strength. If he requires time on the pup list and struggles to regain NFL speed, it opens the door for Egbuka to establish a significant role. So far, he’s been impressing at camp, especially following a standout touchdown against the Steelers. Personally, I’m not overly concerned about Godwin; Egbuka might be worth considering in your drafts.
Interestingly, Godwin’s absence seems to benefit McMillan as well. While it was clear Evans would be the primary target, without Godwin in the mix, he becomes even more essential. It looks like he’ll be a focal point early in the season.
As for Otton, McMillan’s injury may lead to increased opportunities for him as well. With Godwin out, Otton should see a noticeable boost at the start of the season.
