Wide Receiver
With the Buccaneers loaded receiver room, eyes will be glued to Baker Mayfield's cast throughout camp. Several players will be vying for spots behind entrenched starters Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, including Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Sterling Shepard, Tez Johnson and Trey Palmer.
McMillan came into his own at the end of last year after becoming more comfortable in the system and more precise on routes. He is adept at generating space mid-route and he made a little history during his first year. McMillan joined Randy Moss as the only rookies in NFL history with 50-plus receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in five-or-more consecutive contests. Then in April, Tampa Bay took Emeka Egbuka in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to bolster competition. Egbuka can win with pacing and timing, creating another big target for Mayfield. He can line up wide and in the slot, providing versatility for Offensive Coordinator Josh Grizzard. The Bucs took Tez Johnson in the seventh round, adding a shifty speed threat. Johnson is instinctive and electric with the ball in his hands before and after the catch. One-on-one drills with the cornerback room will be a clash to observe on the grass.
Outside Linebacker
Training camp will provide a first look at Tampa Bay's retooled pass rush. Free agent acquisition Haason Reddick and David Walker join Yaya Diaby, Anthony Nelson and Jose Ramirez in the edge rush rotation. Players are not allowed to actually bring the quarterback down during practices, but it does provide a comprehensive evaluation of who is collapsing the pocket and forcing the signal-caller off his spot for would-be takedowns.
Reddick has appeared in 124 career games between the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets, making 83 starts. He has amassed 419 tackles (71 for loss), 102 quarterback hits, 59.0 sacks (14 strip sacks), 20 passes defensed, 18 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries throughout his NFL tenure. Dating back to the 2020 campaign, Reddick has posted four seasons with double-digit sacks, tied for the second-most in the NFL, trailing only Myles Garrett (five). Reddick's 51.5 sacks across the past five seasons are the sixth-most in the NFL over that span, trailing only T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Trey Hendrickson, Nick Bosa and Micah Parsons. He now brings his pass rush prowess to the Bay, fortifying the line with his twitchiness and change-of-direction skills.
Walker, a three-time Consensus All-American, put up jarring production for Central Arkansas. He is explosive and effectively studies the weight distribution of tackles to exploit opponents at the line of scrimmage. Walker posted 82.5 tackles for loss and 39 sacks over the previous four seasons for both Central Arkansas and Southern Arkansas (2021). He jumped off the tape in the FCS and has carried that production over to the NFL, impressing during rookie minicamp and OTAs.
