July 11 Updates
Jalen McMillan, a third-round draft pick in 2024, had a very strong finish to his rookie season in Tampa. After working through some injuries in the first half of the season, he hit his stride down the stretch with five straight games of 50-plus yards in the last five weeks. During that same span, he also led all NFL players with seven touchdown receptions. In all, the former Washington receiver had 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns by season's end. That compares favorably with the last big receiver hit the Bucs had in the third round, as Chris Godwin finished his debut campaign with 34 receptions for 525 yards and one touchdown before developing into a much higher-volume pass-catcher in the following years.
The Buccaneers added another mouth to feed in their loaded passing attack this spring by drafting Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka in the first round, but they still have big plans for McMillan, this year and in the future. And the second-year player took his 2024 momentum into the Bucs' offseason program, drawing early praise from the coaching staff.
On Tuesday, as the Bucs opened a three-day minicamp with a two-hour practice in the morning, McMillan hit a minor speed bump, notably dropping a couple passes and drawing a different sort of attention from Head Coach Todd Bowles. It took McMillan no time at all to get back on track, as he was one of the most productive players on the field on Wednesday morning.
"He caught a lot of balls today," said Bowles. "He atoned for his two drops yesterday. I think the heat might have got on his back a little bit [Tuesday], and I probably got him a little bit as well. But he came back strong, just like I thought he would, and had a very good day."
Last season, Bowles noted that McMillan's slow start to the season, which is obviously not unusual for a rookie, was in part the product of injuries that kept him from the work he needed to do to fully grasp the offense. He took off in the second half after getting more comfortable in the mental part of the game. This offseason, the 6-1, 192-pound receiver is working on getting stronger so he can win more battles near the boundaries and at the line of scrimmage. Bowles can see his improvement in that area, as well.
"I think he's stronger," said the coach. "You won't see it, but he is stronger from a playing standpoint, understanding how to play and understanding the weight program and the conditioning program. I think he's used to that a lot more now so he's more comfortable."
CLICK HERE for images from the Bucs' second minicamp practice.
June 10 Updates
Back in April, Baker Mayfield was clearly pleased with the Buccaneers somewhat unexpected pick of Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round of the draft. General Manager Jason Licht revealed tht Mayfield quickly called him after the selection and asked for Egbuka's phone number so he could set up brunch with the newest Buc when he visited the next day for an introductory press conference.
Now the calendar has flipped to June, the Buccaneers are in the midst of the three-day minicamp that caps their offseason training program, and Mayfield seems even more happy about the addition of another dynamic playmaker to the team's already loaded passing attack. That's because he's now seen the rookie's work up front and has been impressed with his mental grasp on the game and the playbook.
"At this level, you have to have talent, and obviously he has that, being a first-round draft pick," said Mayfield. "The thing that sticks out is how cerebral he is. He's so smart. Right now, I think we could plug-and-play him at every receiver spot – he understands the offense that well. That's just him being a pro already."
The Bucs have seen this kind of rapid assimilation to the pros from a receiver before, notably with Chris Godwin in 2017. Like Godwin before him, Egbuka doesn't present as a newcomer to the NFL but rather an experienced veteran.
"He's not a rookie – he doesn't act like it at least," said Mayfield. "It's been really good to see him take that ownership. He takes it really [seriously]. He's in constant communication – he always wants to be in the right spot at the right time. He's much like J-Mac (Jalen McMillan) [in] the understanding of zone coverage – and like Chris, as well – of understanding when to be open, the voids in the zone defense, and how to be friendly to the quarterback. It's a nice luxury to have."
To some, Egbuka did seem like a "luxury" pick for a team that already employs Godwin, McMillan and future Hall of Famer Mike Evans, but the Bucs are certain they can find ways to get production out of all four. It helps that Egbuka seems capable of filling in ably at multiple spots, at least in his quarterback's opinion.
CLICK HERE for Baker Mayfield's press appearance after practice on Tuesday.
