The countdown to the Bucs’ 2026 season is on. Proper now, we’re:
79 days away from Bucs common season kickoff49 days away from Bucs preseason kickoff33 days away from Bucs coaching camp
Within the lead-up to coaching camp, Pewter Report’s Bailey Adams will likely be diving into storylines for 26 key figures who will likely be essential to the Bucs’ success in 2026.
At the moment, the sequence continues with extensive receiver Emeka Egbuka.
26 For ‘26: Emeka Egbuka Bucs Storylines In 2026
How A lot Will A Full Offseason Profit Emeka Egbuka?
It’s truthful to say 2025 was fairly the whirlwind for Egbuka. He ended his last season at Ohio State with the last word exclamation level, serving to the Buckeyes to a nationwide championship after a senior season that noticed him catch 81 passes for 1,011 yards (12.5 avg.) and 10 touchdowns. However the nationwide title sport wasn’t performed till Jan. 20, which means that last season prolonged deep into the primary month of the 12 months. That additionally meant much less down time earlier than his draft prep started.
Nearly a month later, Egbuka was on the NFL Scouting Mix in Indianapolis. Solely a month after that, he had Ohio State’s Professional Day in Columbus. One month after that? The NFL Draft. In between all of those huge, life-changing occasions was the arduous work, too, as Egbuka needed to prepare and take pre-draft visits with completely different groups all through the league. And unsurprisingly, the whirlwind wasn’t over for him, as he was in Tampa the day after being chosen by the Bucs with the No. 19 general decide within the draft.
Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
From there, it was proper into rookie mini-camp, OTAs and necessary mini-camp. The one actual break Egbuka obtained was the one the remainder of the workforce obtained, which was a couple of month to a month and a half in between mini-camp and coaching camp. However as soon as the previous Buckeyes star was again to work in Tampa, it was full pace forward towards his rookie season. It was a formidable rookie season, too, as he caught 63 passes for 938 yards (14.9 avg.) and 6 touchdowns.
Egbuka began off the 2025 marketing campaign scorching. He had a two-touchdown sport in Week 1, then had back-to-back 100-yard video games in Weeks 4 and 5 with a landing in every sport as nicely. He had one other 100-yard efficiency in Week 10 after the Bucs’ bye week, however that’s when his rookie season took a little bit of a flip. Whether or not it was the “rookie wall,” the dearth of a real offseason catching as much as him or just a little little bit of each, Egbuka was comparatively cool down the stretch for Tampa Bay. At one level, he seemed like a lock to succeed in the 1,000-yard mark and was the favourite to win Offensive Rookie of the Yr. Neither accomplishments got here to move.
So, the query is that this: How a lot will Egbuka profit from a full offseason in 2026? Chatting with the media after one of many Bucs’ mini-camp practices earlier in June, the 23-year-old receiver mentioned he seems like he has his legs again beneath him once more after truly attending to take a while off. He seems like he’s sturdy, wholesome and in form, and he seems to be the half, too. That ought to bode nicely for the Buccaneer offense. As a result of pretty much as good as Egbuka was for a lot of his rookie season in 2025, he might present up more energizing and even higher in 2026.
Can Emeka Egbuka Be WR1 For The Bucs In Yr 2?
The Bucs extensive receiver room has a Mike Evans-sized void in it now that the best offensive participant in franchise historical past in a San Francisco 49er. Tampa Bay needs to be simply wonderful with the crop of pass-catchers it has, with Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson and Ted Hurst main the best way at receiver, Cade Otton at tight finish and each Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell catching passes out of the backfield. Quarterback Baker Mayfield could have choices within the passing sport. That a lot is evident.
Bucs WRs Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. Picture by: USA At the moment
What’s not clear is who will set up a job as Mayfield’s WR1 with Evans gone. That is Godwin’s room now, as he’s the lead veteran presence with 4 1,000-yard seasons, a Professional Bowl and a Tremendous Bowl ring to his title over his 9 seasons as a Buc. His management and expertise will likely be an enormous plus for the room, which is stuffed with youthful, less-experienced gamers. However with that mentioned, Godwin isn’t essentially a lock to be WR1 in Zac Robinson’s offense.
Whereas he might be the sort of chain mover he was in Liam Coen’s offense earlier than his damage two years in the past, Godwin is coming into his age-30 season, and it stays to be seen whether or not he’ll ever absolutely return to the participant he as soon as was. That’s why it might be Egbuka who is about as much as be the Bucs’ true WR1. He has a season underneath his belt and can have the ability to settle into one place a bit extra this 12 months after shifting round a lot as a rookie. That potential to maneuver round might nonetheless play to Robinson’s benefit as a play caller, although, and his all-around ability set might make him the go-to man for Mayfield.
To not point out, the Bucs clearly drafted Egbuka with the concept that he would finally be the inheritor to the WR1 function. His first-round draft standing truly makes him the next decide than anybody else within the room, as Godwin, McMillan and Hurst have been all third-rounders whereas Johnson was a seventh-rounder. It’s nonetheless early, however it might be time for Egbuka to tackle the “top guy” function within the Tampa Bay passing sport.
Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
If Egbuka is about to be a higher-volume, WR1 kind, it’ll assist that he was compelled into enjoying that function sooner than deliberate as a rookie. When accidents struck the receiving corps in 2025, it was Egbuka who needed to be the No. 1. He drew the more durable matchups and obtained extra consideration these weeks, so he’s been by way of it and needs to be able to deal with it in Yr 2. The one hangup can be his catch fee. He had simply 63 catches on 127 targets final 12 months (49.6%). He’ll have to enhance upon that to tackle a WR1 function. Reducing down on the 9 drops he had as a rookie can be a begin.
Is Emeka Egbuka Set Up For His First Profession 1,000-Yard Season In 2026?
It seemed for an extended whereas in 2025 like Emeka Egbuka was going to hit the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie. He had 445 yards by way of the primary 5 video games of the season and had 677 with eight video games to go. That meant he solely wanted to common 40.4 yards per sport over the second half of the season to interrupt the 1,000-yard threshold. However he couldn’t fairly do it. As a substitute, he averaged 32.6 yards per sport down the stretch, with the Bucs going 2-6 in these video games.
Egbuka posted 40 yards in opposition to the Payments, 32 in opposition to the Rams, 42 in opposition to the Cardinals, 15 in opposition to the Saints, 64 in opposition to the Falcons, 40 within the first Panthers matchup, 20 in opposition to the Dolphins and had simply eight yards in what turned out to be the seventeenth and last sport of his rookie season. Ultimately, he completed with 938 yards, a painful 72 yards quick from the 1,000 that gave the impression to be such a certain factor early on within the season.
Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Picture by: USA At the moment
Will Egbuka get there in Yr 2? There’ll be some components working in his favor in addition to some working in opposition to him. On the constructive aspect, he might be poised to take that WR1 function we simply talked about now that Mike Evans is gone. With no Evans, it might be Egbuka who’s placing up the large numbers week in and week out for the Buccaneer offense. As soon as once more, an improved catch fee helps. Think about if he had turned even 5 of these 9 drops into catches for one more 50 yards and he and Baker Mayfield join on just a few others out of these 127 targets? He will get to 1,000 yards.
What additionally works in his favor is the truth that Tampa Bay has a lot expertise at receiver. As a lot consideration as he would possibly draw from opposing defenses, coordinators will nonetheless have to fret concerning the likes of Chris Godwin Jr., Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson and Ted Hurst. However therein lies one of many components going in opposition to Egbuka’s quest for a primary profession 1,000-yard season, although. What if there’s no true WR1 for the Bucs in Evans’ absence? With a lot expertise at receiver, it might be an combination/by committee method the place it’s Egbuka with a 100-yard sport one week, McMillan with a giant day the following and Godwin going off for the 2 weeks after that.
Bucs WRs Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
The amount of targets might be unfold far more evenly all through the receiving corps. That might imply the Bucs don’t have a 1,000-yard receiver in any respect in 2026 and as an alternative have a crop of men with 600-800 yards every. That, mixed with the potential for a decrease depth of goal for Egbuka than what he noticed in Josh Grizzard’s extra vertical passing assault, might harm Egbuka’s possibilities. He had longs of 30, 30, 77, 57, 30, 24, 31, 32 and 40 at completely different factors final 12 months. Perhaps he’ll get these possibilities in Zac Robinson’s offense, and possibly he’ll create these explosive performs together with his YAC potential.
Ultimately, although, Egbuka – like Evans earlier than him – is about successful. His maturity and mentality have been a giant issue within the Bucs spending the No. 19 general decide on him a 12 months in the past, and that’ll proceed to point out. If Egbuka is round 750 yards whereas Tampa Bay goes 11-6 and wins the NFC South, what does that matter to him? Nonetheless, a 1,000-yard season out of the 2025 first-round decide would possible imply good issues for the Buccaneer offense. So, it’s truthful to need to see that occur for No. 2 in Yr 2.
Catch Up On Earlier Installments Of Bailey Adams’ 26 For ’26 Collection
Baker MayfieldBucky IrvingKenny GainwellChris Godwin Jr.
