Jalen McMillan Ascension
Jalen McMillan missed the majority of the 2025 slate after suffering a significant neck injury in a Week Two preseason contest with the Steelers, landing him on injured reserve. He returned against the Falcons in a Week 15 Thursday Night Football showdown and quickly made an impact with his physicality. McMillan played 138 snaps in 2025 and nabbed his first 100-yard receiving game against the Dolphins in Week 17. The savvy route runner plays with elite spatial awareness and understanding of how to manipulate coverage with tempo variations at the stem and proficient stair-steps. McMillan can line up at various spots along the formation and galvanizes the offense with his energy, drawing praise from teammate Chris Godwin Jr.
"I have seen a tremendous amount of growth from JMac," described Godwin. "He has given me a lot of credit but the majority of the credit goes to him. I could have given him whatever advice I have given him and it could have gone in one ear and out the other but he really wants to be great and he is a talented player. You can see each year that he is getting more and more confident and JMac has a lot of juice energy-wise and just his play style … I think people are going to be really surprised by how impactful he is for us and by people, I mean people outside of this building because we know what he can do."
Defensive Juice
The Buccaneers made a concerted effort throughout the offseason to bolster the defense with players known for their trademark physicality and nasty demeanor. Tampa Bay snagged Rueben Bain Jr., Josiah Trotter and Keionte Scott via the draft, and grabbed Alex Anzalone, Al-Quadin Muhammad, A'Shawn Robinson and Miles Killebrew in free agency – all players that fit that aforementioned criterion. The results have been evident during OTA practices with elevated competition and banter amongst the offense and defense. On Tuesday, Benjamin Morrison intercepted a pass and Calijah Kancey posted a "tackle" for loss, amping the defense. While there is no actual tackling in offseason practices, Kancey clearly made an electric play.
"It started off with the first play with Calijah getting the TFL that amped it up and then from there, it just kept going," said Yaya Diaby. "You see the juice. The offense better be ready every practice."
Zyon McCollum Taking Detail-Oriented Approach
Last season, cornerback Zyon McCollum accumulated 766 snaps, missing the final three games of the season after suffering a hip injury in the matchup with the Falcons in Week 15. Overall, he tallied one interception, six passes defensed, 65 combined tackles and a tackle for loss. McCollum possesses the speed to stay with vertical threats and can match releases with his footwork. McCollum is effective at the catch point and stays balanced phasing routes. In 2026, McCollum is prioritizing eye discipline and understanding the 'why' behind play calls to enhance his craft, as well as staying locked in on the field to prevent complacency.
"It is focusing on the little details," said McCollum. "He [Todd Bowles] has been hard on me throughout the summer and OTAs in terms of bending down and always being in a football ready position. If the quarterback is not looking at your side, still trying to fight that and you know, there is going to be boring times out there as a corner sometimes … When your number is not being called, you have to hold it down for the rest of the defense and do your job and fight that boredom."
