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Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan Return to Practice

Wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan were designated to return from injured reserve on Wednesday and now have 21 days to practice with the team, during which they can be activated at any time

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense is close to getting back to full strength. On Wednesday, wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan returned to practice, opening a 21-day window in which they can be activated from injured reserve at any time. They will not count against the 53-man roster limit until they are activated.

Evans was placed on injured reserve on October 22 after suffering a fractured clavicle in a game against the Detroit Lions. He also missed three games earlier in the season with a hamstring injury and has appeared in only four contests, catching 14 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. McMillan sustained a neck injury in a preseason contest at Pittsburgh that kept him in a brace for several months. Both players have already missed the required minimum of four games after being placed on injured reserve before they can return to the active roster.

The Buccaneers recently got Chris Godwin back in action after he missed five games with a fibula injury. The team has not yet played a game in 2025 with both Godwin and Evans, the two leading receivers in franchise history, on the field at the same time. With the rapid rise of first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka, the Buccaneers could field one of the deepest receiving groups in the league if both Evans and McMillan can return to game action.

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. McMillan came on strong in the second half of his rookie season after 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.

The Buccaneers have five games remaining in the regular season and currently hold a slim half-game edge over the Carolina Panthers in their quest for a fifth straight NFC South title.

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