Bucs OC Zac Robinson Has A “Great Problem” To Deal With

The Bucs offense is seeking to get again on monitor and again to being a high 5 scoring assault. The parallels to what offensive coordinator Liam Coen did in 2024 will proceed with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson taking on in 2026. With each having roots in Sean McVay’s Rams offense earlier than receiving respective promotions, how Robinson builds out his system and makes use of personnel won’t solely draw comparisons but additionally include the expectation of factors.

A whole lot of them.

Followers will wish to see the cannons hearth and the scoreboard at Raymond James Stadium steadily enhance as the house workforce orchestrates 30-point performances, equivalent to was commonplace not too way back. Proper now, although, Robinson is within the experimenting and problem-solving part of the offseason.

That was one thing he shared on Tuesday morning, amongst his many insightful remarks about how issues are coming along with all of the expertise at his disposal and the way the workforce’s deep extensive receiver room shall be utilized.

Zac Robinson Has To Discover A Manner To Get The Ball To All The Bucs’ Weapons

Understanding that the Bucs offense was a extremely profitable group in 2024 supplies loads of optimism that it may well get again to its earlier heights. What works in Tampa Bay’s favor is the very fact the most of the similar gamers stay. Huge receiver Mike Evans is not within the fold, neither is operating again Rachaad White. In any other case, all the important thing items are there, with some newcomers working into the combo.

Particularly trying on the extensive receiver room, Zac Robinson realizes he has an issue on his fingers.

Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Photograph by: Matt Matera/PR

With Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan all proving worthy of a giant goal share, distributing the soccer to them correctly shall be emphasised in the course of the weekly gameplans Robinson attracts up. Not solely is there a gifted trio of wideouts, nevertheless it extends deeper with Ted Hurst, Tez Johnson, and the tight ends and operating backs that might want to get entangled, too.

“It’s a great question,” Robinson mentioned about how the soccer shall be distributed evenly. “I believe it’s an incredible drawback to have. Typically an offense can undergo one man, or one or two guys. The extra that you would be able to unfold the soccer round, get different guys concerned, and maintain these guys on the opposite aspect of the soccer off a bit of bit, that’s undoubtedly an enormous benefit. We’ve a ton of men — from a decent finish standpoint, a receiver standpoint, and a operating again standpoint — that may do various various things.

“It’s our job as coaches to make sure we’re dishing the ball around, and if there’s a hot hand, we got to go to the hot hand, too. Not losing sight of some of those things that naturally happen throughout the course of a game but it’s a fun group of guys to be around and work with because the versatility of the whole entire group is pretty cool.”

Bucs WRs Jalen McMillan, Chris Godwin Jr., Tez Johnson, Sterling Shepard and Emeka Egbuka – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Godwin, Egbuka, and McMillan every have a case to be No. 1 extensive receivers on this workforce, and they’d be in different NFL offenses. Hurst and Johnson have the expertise to be featured extra prominently, and that may be a quintet of gifted extensive receivers most play-callers envy.

Making certain they get the ball sufficient is one factor, however the tight finish and operating again positions can’t be uncared for, both.

With Robinson using 12 personnel units on the second-highest fee final season and with Kyle Pitts having a giant yr in Atlanta, he’ll wish to get Cade Otton and the backup tight ends extra targets within the passing sport. That may also be the case for Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell, who every are gifted pass-catchers out of the backfield.

These are quite a lot of fingers to feed, however it’s encouraging to listen to that the new hand shall be fed. That can result in a extra environment friendly passing assault not predicated on force-feeding the ball to a star extensive receiver. It additionally helps that there isn’t a ego on offense, with everybody eager to do their half.

The Bucs Are Deep At Huge Receiver, How Will Zac Robinson Make the most of Them?

With that being mentioned, what did Zac Robinson should say about every extensive receiver individually? There have been quite a lot of questions on Ted Hurst, the third-round choose who was one of many standouts throughout rookie mini-camp. At 6-foot-4 with a 4.42 40-yard time, Hurst gives a novel mix of measurement and pace in comparison with the remainder of the room. That doesn’t imply he’ll get a beginning workload instantly, nevertheless it does give him the most effective case to the X receiver on the skin.

Bucs WR Ted Hurst – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

“Having a true X is a weapon as an offense,” Robinson mentioned. “Understanding that if that man is an actual risk on the bottom, then you may dictate some sure coverages sure methods. That’s an absolute risk… having a real X is a luxurious. We’ve seen it each methods although the place we didn’t have a real X and all three receivers can play all three spots, which can be powerful on a protection as a result of guys can line up all over the place.

“That’s where you see the flexibility of J-Mac [Jalen McMillan], Mek [Emeka Egbuka], and CG [Chris Godwin Jr.]. Those guys can line up everywhere, and there’s really no true X, no true F, and no true Z, but you have a bunch of versatility from a pretty cool skill group.”

After seeing how Tampa Bay unlocked its offense for years with a real X in Mike Evans and seeing how Odell Beckham Jr. match that position for the Rams whereas he was there throughout their Tremendous Bowl-winning season in 2021, Robinson will discover methods to get Hurst on the market in numerous packages.

“We’ll see where he can get to, but he has shown on tape that he can run by players, make contested catches down the field,” Robinson added. “He’s got great ball skills down the field and he can track it. All those things, then you mentioned the body size… that’s a huge asset to have. If he can get to a point where we can package some stuff up for him, that would be outstanding. We’ll see kind of where he can progress to and I definitely hope he can help us out.”

Going from the rookie to the veteran, Robinson additionally spoke about how Chris Godwin Jr. suits in his scheme. Whereas a lot of the main focus is on the youth within the room, one can’t neglect the impression a wholesome Godwin brings to an offense, whilst he enters 12 months 10.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin Jr. and QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

“He’s right in the thick of it,” Robinson mentioned. “Chris is – simply first off – his model of play and means that he performs the sport of soccer is precisely what he desires to exemplify as an offense. Confirmed a few of these clips early on within the offseason of simply the toughness that he performs with, the power that he brings on a snap-in, snap-out foundation. That stuff overrides any type of scheme and something that you just get into. Love the best way that Chris performs the sport.

“You go back and you watch when he came back last season and just how much he progressed; you’re seeing him run after catch and doing the things he’s always done at a really high level. You watch the ’24 stuff, and there was really no receiver playing better than him in the entire league before he got hurt. Chris looks great out there right now… Huge expectations for him, on the field as a player, but in the locker room as a leader. Guys look to him at all times, just the way that he approaches the game and his style of play.”

Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka are the opposite extensive receivers seeking to stake a declare and make an impression. With McMillan and Egbuka having a full offseason to relaxation and receiver, every is primed to profit from their probabilities in 2026. Whereas Robinson didn’t talk about McMillan individually on Tuesday, head coach Todd Bowles spoke extremely of him on the NFL Annual Assembly again in late March.

When requested to share how he sees Egbuka rising in his second season, he outlined his position and made a lofty comparability.

Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Photograph by: IMAGN Photographs

“We’ll settle him into one spot, kind of our Z spot,” Robinson mentioned. “Once more, in some cases, he would possibly appear to be he’s taking part in the X or the F, primarily based on the formation and how one can transfer him round. Mek’s – simply attending to know him the final handful of weeks – it’s unimaginable. I maintain throwing across the phrase intentional, however that’s him to a tee. The quantity of labor and preparation that he places into it, he’s similar to a Cooper Kupp simply when it comes to the best way that his mind works with the sport of soccer and pure instincts.

“He doesn’t have to change a thing, I think he’s come back, he’s refreshed. He played a ton of snaps; he obviously played a lot of college football leading into that season. I think Mek’s just going to take huge, huge strides. He’s getting to know the new terminology and asking great questions, but Mek’s just got to be Mek and do his thing, and he’ll be just fine.”

Zac Robinson supplied loads of noteworthy feedback in regards to the Bucs extensive receiver room. How issues proceed to come back collectively is one thing price watching over the following few months. Count on the ball to be distributed to all of them, and for the offense to be higher for it.