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Emeka Egbuka Emeka Egbuka Harnessing perfectionist mindset
Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 4:57 PM
Egbuka has looked like a polished veteran in several aspects of his game during the early portion of training camp, in no small part due to his perfectionist mindset, Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Analysis: The rookie first-round pick has had praise heaped on him by coaches and teammates for his precision on routes and high football IQ since he first took the field this offseason, and those traits are the byproduct of Egbuka's approach to the game since he began playing it. The Ohio State product noted Monday he's never needed additional external motivation because of the high standards he already sets for himself, and Dix reports that's already helped Egbuka stand out in his nuanced route running, timing, control at the catch point and quickness as he comes in and out of breaks. |
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Baker Mayfield Baker Mayfield Reworks contract
Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 2:31 PM
Mayfield and the Buccaneers agreed Monday to a reworked contract that gives the quarterback $30 million guaranteed in 2026, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million contract after throwing for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2023, only to come back in 2024 with 4,500 yards and 41 TDs. He's now drastically underpaid relative to other quarterbacks, but this show of good faith by the Buccaneers should at least buy them until next offseason. Tampa Bay's offense is well positioned to continue the success, albeit with LT Tristan Wirfs (knee) expected to miss the start of the season and Mayfield now playing for his third offensive coordinator (Josh Grizzard) in as many years as Tampa Bay's starting QB. |
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Cade Otton Cade Otton Sidelined by hamstring
Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 9:44 AM
Otton missed practice Sunday and Monday because of a mild hamstring injury, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Analysis: Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said the team wants to be cautious with Otton and a few other players that have minor injuries. The tight end may continue to miss practices, but it doesn't sound like there's concern about his Week 1 availability. Otton led all TEs in snap share (in active games) each of the past two seasons, logging 96.3 percent in 2023 and 91.9 percent in 2024. |
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Cade Otton Cade Otton Missing practice again
Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 9:19 AM
Otton (undisclosed) is missing a second straight practice Monday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.
Analysis: He likely has an unreported injury, though not necessarily a significant one. Including playoffs, Otton has played 51 of a possible 55 games since the Buccaneers made him a fourth-round pick in 2022. He's mostly put up mediocre receiving numbers on huge snap counts, except for Weeks 7-9 of last season when he put up a 25-258-3 line over a three-game stretch while Chris Godwin (ankle) and Mike Evans were injured. Otton led all TEs in snap share (in active games) each of the past two seasons, logging 96.3 percent in 2023 and 91.9 percent in 2024. |
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Devin Culp Devin Culp Raising expectations for Year 2
Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 9:30 PM
Culp, who showed some late-season promise as a rookie seventh-round pick in 2024, has stood out in the Buccaneers' early training camp practices, Brianna Dix of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Culp posted a 5-88 line on six targets over Weeks 17 and 18 of the 2024 regular season when Cade Otton sat out due to a knee injury, flashing some downfield chops with a pair of catches of 20+ yards. With 6-foot-4, 237-pound dimensions, Culp's athleticism, which was on display with an acrobatic catch on the sideline in Thursday's training camp practice, and ability to beat linebackers down the seam is something that has Baker Mayfield excited for what it can bring to the offense. "Devin has taken a lot of steps," noted Mayfield. "He is a guy that is extremely athletic for his size and can really run, so just being able to have a guy like that [is huge]. Cade [Otton] is trustworthy and is more of our dominant meathead guy but having an athletic guy like Dev to stretch the field at the tight end position will create mismatch problems." |
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Tez Johnson Tez Johnson Impressing early in camp
Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 9:11 PM
Johnson, whom the Buccaneers selected out of Oregon in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, has been impressing early in camp with his shiftiness and ability to make defenders miss, Brianna Dix of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: The rookie wideout is renowned for his ability to gain yards after the catch, and his dynamic skill set enabled him to post the top two single-season reception tallies in Oregon school history. Johnson is starting his NFL career deep down a talented wide receiver depth chart, but he also has experience as a returner and is making a very positive early impression with his ability to start and stop quickly and what is termed as "explosive" burst when running vertically. |
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Michael Pratt Michael Pratt Week to week with back injury
Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 2:14 PM
Head coach Todd Bowles announced Sunday that Pratt is week to week with back soreness, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Analysis: Pratt spent the majority of the 2024 campaign on Tampa Bay's practice squad but didn't appear in any regular season games despite having been elevated multiple times. Once healthy, the 23-year-old will compete with Connor Bazelak for the team's third quarterback spot behind Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask. |
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Emeka Egbuka Emeka Egbuka Gets high praise from Mayfield
Fri, Jul 25, 2025, 9:33 AM
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield told the New Heights podcast that Egbuka is "the real deal" and can "plug and play at any of the three receiver spots right now."
Analysis: Mayfield was effusive in his praise, also saying Egbuka has "YAC potential out the wazoo" and is "an absolute stud." It's a good sign for the rookie first-round pick's early involvement in the Tampa Bay offense, although there's still a lot that could happen this summer to impact his playing time, including Chris Godwin (ankle) rejoining the mix or Jalen McMillan building on his strong work from the end of last season. |
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Chris Godwin Chris Godwin No timeline to practice yet
Wed, Jul 23, 2025, 2:21 PM
Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday that Godwin (ankle) is "on track" but doesn't have a specific timeline to return to practice, Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Analysis: Godwin is coming back from an ankle dislocation suffered in Week 7 last season and hasn't resumed practicing. He's on the PUP list for the start of training camp, with Bowles' comments suggesting a return isn't imminent. The Bucs were confident enough in Godwin's recovery to give him $44 million guaranteed on a three-year, $66 million contract in March, but the rehab process does seem to be coming along more slowly than many expected (at least outside the organization). |
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Michael Pratt Michael Pratt Starts camp on PUP
Tue, Jul 22, 2025, 5:36 PM
Tampa Bay placed Pratt (undisclosed) on the active/PUP list Tuesday.
Analysis: Pratt spent most of last season on the Bucs' practice squad and was elevated to the active roster numerous times throughout the year. He's yet to appear in a regular-season game and is trying to push for a spot on the roster behind Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask. |
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Chris Godwin Chris Godwin Officially on active/PUP list
Tue, Jul 22, 2025, 3:20 PM
The Buccaneers placed Godwin (ankle) on the active/PUP list Tuesday, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: On Monday, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported that Godwin wouldn't participate in team drills at the start of training camp, but he won't take part in any on-field work as he continues his recovery from the dislocated left ankle that he suffered Week 7 of last season. Coach Todd Bowles told Stroud in early June that the team was "hopeful" Godwin will be healthy by Week 1, which is six-and-a-half weeks from now (Sunday, Sept. 7 in Atlanta). Prior to the injury, Godwin had put together a sterling 50-576-5 line on 62 targets in seven contests, and he re-signed with Tampa Bay this offseason via a three-year, $66 million contract. |
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Chris Godwin Chris Godwin Not cleared for team activities
Mon, Jul 21, 2025, 8:58 AM
Godwin (ankle) will not participate in team drills at the start of training camp, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Analysis: Godwin is finishing up his rehab from the ankle dislocation that ended his 2024 campaign in Week 7. He averaged a career-high 7.1 catches per game before the injury, which led to a three-year, $66 million contract this offseason -- with two-thirds guaranteed at signing -- even though he's 29 years old and coming back from a major injury. Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said in June that he was hopeful Godwin would be ready for Week 1, but neither player nor team have elaborated on whether that's the expectation or merely a possibility. Tampa Bay has solid WR depth in the meantime, with first-round pick Emeka Egbuka joining Godwin, Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan. |
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Baker Mayfield Baker Mayfield Left tackle out to begin season
Wed, Jul 9, 2025, 10:53 AM
Mayfield's All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs will begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list after undergoing knee surgery on Tuesday, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Analysis: This means that Wirfs will miss at least the first four games of the season. Those games include a big division game at Atlanta on the road in Week 1, a tough road game at Houston in Week 2 and a Week 4 matchup against the Eagles. With Mayfield was already a regression candidate following a career year and the departure of offensive coordinator Liam Coen, this news is a significant setback as well. |
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Chris Godwin Chris Godwin Optimism for Week 1
Mon, Jun 9, 2025, 1:15 PM
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said Monday that Godwin (ankle) is "working hard" approaching mandatory minicamp and that the team is "hopeful" he'll be ready to go Week 1, Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times reports.
Analysis: Godwin began the 2024 campaign on fire, averaging 7.1 targets and 82.3 yards per game while scoring five times across the first seven weeks of the season, but a dislocated left ankle cut what could have been a career year short. That injury didn't impact Tampa Bay's decision to extend Godwin a three-year, $66 million contract in March, another indication that the team expects him to be at full strength for 2025, though Bowles did indicate that his most significant recovery benchmarks won't occur until training camp. The 29-year-old returns to familiar offensive circumstances alongside quarterback Baker Mayfield and star wideout Mike Evans, though the selection of rookie first-round receiver Emeka Egbuka and replacement of Liam Coen with Josh Grizzard at offensive coordinator are both notable developments. Even when he's back at full health, Godwin will have difficulty replicating the workload and efficiency that buoyed his production to an elite tier in 2024. |
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Jalen McMillan Jalen McMillan Facing tough target competition
Mon, Apr 28, 2025, 2:58 PM
McMillan is part of a crowded WR room that just added Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall draft pick.
Analysis: One might assume no concerns about job security for a 2024 third-round pick who scored seven TDs over the final five weeks of his initial NFL regular season. Unfortunately for McMillan, there's a chance Egubka proves to be the superior player, and not much chance of Mike Evans or Chris Godwin (ankle) getting benched. Of course, it's also possible the concerns prove unfounded and McMillan cements himself as a quality starter, with Egubka either brought along slowly or getting most of his snaps when Evans/Godwin miss time. There does seem to be a lot of overlap between McMillan, Godwin and Egubka in terms of relative strengths and weaknesses, whereas Evans is a different animal altogether, largely running downfield routes on the perimeter. |
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Mike Evans Mike Evans Clears up cap space
Wed, Apr 2, 2025, 2:45 PM
Evans agreed Wednesday to restructure his contract, converting part of his base salary into a bonus, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Analysis: Evans' restructured deal will allow Tampa Bay greater room to maneuver as the team continues to work through free agency and prepare for the 2025 NFL Draft. Coming off his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season, and with teammate Chris Godwin (knee - ACL) having re-signed with the Buccaneers, Evans is primed to run things back with quarterback Baker Mayfield in a familiar -- and ideal -- situation. Evans will turn 32 less than a month before the 2025 regular season kicks off, in what will be a contract year. He's yet to show any signs of slowing down and remains positioned as Mayfield's go-to receiving option, though former offensive coordinator Liam Cohen's departure to take on the Jaguars' head coaching position is notable. Replacing Cohen via the internal promotion of last year's pass-game coordinator, Josh Grizzard, still gives the Buccaneers' offense some amount of continuity at even the coordinator spot. |
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Sterling Shepard Sterling Shepard Staying in Tampa Bay
Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 2:54 PM
Shepard is re-signing with Tampa Bay for one season, according to Buccaneers GM Jason Licht.
Analysis: Known for a promising career that was derailed by a series of severe injuries, Shepard left the Giants for the first time last year and ended up spending much of 2024 as Tampa Bay's No. 3 or 4 receiver. He'll likely enter camp somewhere between fourth and sixth on the depth chart, unless Chris Godwin's recovery from an ankle dislocation comes along slower than expected. Godwin, Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan are locked in as the team's top three wide receivers, leaving the likes of Shepard, Trey Palmer and Rakim Jarrett to compete for depth roles. |
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Kyle Trask Kyle Trask Slated to back up Mayfield again
Wed, Mar 12, 2025, 8:32 PM
Trask and the Buccaneers agreed on a one-year, $2.787 million contract Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Trask will spend his fifth straight NFL campaign with Tampa Bay after the organization selected him in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The 27-year-old has yet to see much regular-season action, taking just 32 offensive snaps and completing four of 11 pass attempts for 28 yards during his time in the league. Trask is slated to serve as the backup to Baker Mayfield again now that he's re-signed with the Bucs. |
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Chris Godwin Chris Godwin Re-signs for three years
Mon, Mar 10, 2025, 11:16 AM
Godwin (ankle) and the Buccaneers reached agreement Monday on a three-year contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Godwin will stay with the only NFL team he's ever known, reportedly getting a $66 million contract that has two-thirds of the money guaranteed at signing. He would've signed an even larger deal if his fantastic 2024 campaign hadn't been cut short by a dislocated left ankle Week 7. It's a good sign that the team with the most information about his recovery was willing to give Godwin a large contract, but we still haven't seen any reports about a recovery timeline or the possibility of ligament damage in his injured ankle. Godwin turned 29 in February, after averaging a career-high 19.7 PPR points in his seven games last season. He's unlikely to approach that level of production in 2025, coming back from a major injury to rejoin a Tampa Bay offense that now has WR Jalen McMillan competing for targets and Josh Grizzard replacing Liam Coen as the play caller. |
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Chris Godwin Chris Godwin Not expected to get franchise tag
Mon, Mar 3, 2025, 6:15 PM
The Buccaneers aren't planning to use the franchise tag on Godwin (ankle), Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Tampa Bay has already used the tag on Godwin twice, so using it again would result in a 144 percent raise, Laine notes. She also states that the Buccaneers want Godwin back and that the wideout wants to return to the club, so there appears to be a mutual desire to get a new deal completed. Godwin ended last season on IR due to an ankle injury that he suffered in mid-October, but he's expected to be ready for the start of next season, which will be his ninth in the NFL -- all of which to this point have been with Tampa Bay. |
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