December 1 Updates
The Buccaneers are hoping to have their full receiving corps intact at some point during the team's playoff stretch run, and some serious progress could be made in that regard this week.
On Monday, Head Coach Todd Bowles addressed external reports that both Jalen McMillan and Mike Evans could return to practice this week, noting that he expects both to start ramping up their onfield activities in an effort to return from injured reserve.
"He's been running," said Bowles of McMillan, who suffered a significant neck injury during the preseason that kept him in a brace for several months. "It's just a matter of him putting on a helmet and seeing where he is strength-wise with his neck. He'll start doing more this week and we'll see exactly what, whether it's individual [position drills] or whether it's some more things this week as well. But he will start moving around."
As for Evans, who suffered a fractured clavicle and a concussion in Week Seven, Bowles didn't elaborate but did answer affirmatively about Evans potentially practicing this week.
"That's a possibility as well," said Bowles.
Evans is the franchise's all-time leader in virtually every receiving corps and ranks 10th in NFL history with 106 touchdown receptions. Last season, he led the Bucs with 74 catches for 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns, tying Jerry Rice's NFL record by surpassing 1,000 yards for a 11th consecutive season. He has played in just four games this season and has 14 catches for 140 yards and one touchdown.
McMillan came on strong in the second half of his rookie season after Chris Godwin was lost to an ankle injury, finishing with 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns. His seven touchdown catches over the final six weeks of the regular season led all NFL players.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin recently returned from a five-game absence due to a fibula injury and has played only four games this season. He had his most productive outing yet in Sunday's win over Arizona, playing 66.7% of the offensive snaps and catching three passes for 78 yards. First-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka leads the team with 52 catches for 791 yards and six touchdowns, and fellow rookie Tez Johnson has added five touchdown catches. If the Buccaneers can get Evans and McMillan back on the field in the coming weeks, they could feature one of the league's deepest pass-catching corps as they seek to secure a fifth straight division title.
CLICK HERE to watch highlights from the Bucs' 20-17 win over Arizona on Sunday.
