March 20, 2026, 4:55 p.m. ET
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are entering a new era on offense following the departure of longtime wide receiver Mike Evans, but the organization remains confident in the talent already in place at the position. In a recent piece published on the team’s official website, general manager Jason Licht expressed optimism about the current wide receiver group despite losing one of the most productive players in franchise history.
Licht acknowledged the difficulty of moving on from Evans, calling him one of the best players the organization has ever had, but made it clear the team believes it still has a strong foundation at the position.
The Buccaneers’ receiver room is now headlined by Chris Godwin, who has consistently produced when healthy, along with former first-round pick Emeka Egbuka, who is coming off a rookie season of two sides. In the first half of the season, fans were thinking rookie of the year, but by midseason, Egbuka faded and struggled to lead the wideouts most weeks. Jalen McMillan also showed flashes of high-level production, particularly late in the year, while Tez Johnson emerged as a valuable rotational contributor with big-play ability and special teams ability.
Tampa Bay’s coaching staff is expected to lean into that depth moving forward, with multiple players capable of stepping into larger roles. Licht also noted that the team could continue to add to the position, but still emphasized confidence in the current group.
While replacing Evans’ production will not be easy, the Buccaneers believe their combination of young talent and experienced playmakers gives them a chance to become one of the league’s more dangerous offenses.
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