With Mike Evans gone, Baker Mayfield breaks down why he is so confident in and excited about his top wide receivers this season.
For the first time in 13 seasons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will not have Mike Evans as the centerpiece of their passing game.
Evans left for the San Francisco 49ers in free agency this March. Though he said he was simply ready for a new challenge as he nears the end of his career, some speculated that something may have been going on behind the scenes that led to his departure.
It doesn't really matter why Evans left. He is gone now, and the Bucs will have to find a way to replace his near-automatic outstanding production. For many offenses, losing a player like Evans could be a death blow for the upcoming season.
Luckily for the Bucs, the wide receiver room that Evans left behind is both deep and talented. With a top-4 of Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., Jalen McMillan, and promising rookie Ted Hurst, Tampa's passing offense is still in good hands.
Bucs' quarterback Baker Mayfield has expressed complete confidence in his receiver room many times since Evans left.
Shared by Dave Richard of CBS Sports, Mayfield appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio and spoke about his top-4 WRs. He talked about what excites him about each one.
Production And Potential
Tampa's receiver room is full of guys who either have proven production or the potential to be very productive.
Godwin is the experienced veteran of the room. At 30 years old, he has nine seasons under his belt and has racked up 612 catches, 7,626 receiving yards, and 41 receiving touchdowns. He has struggled with injuries recently, missing 17 games over the last two years. However, he is fully healthy and ready to step up even more without Evans.
Mayfield has been very happy with what he's seen from Godwin this offseason.
“Chris Godwin looks like the best version of Chris Godwin. … being back in a system that’s gonna help him be successful in spots he does things really well in.”
Then there is Egbuka, who was Tampa's first-round pick a year ago. Egbuka started his career on fire before his production dropped over the second half of his rookie season. Tampa is confident the issues that caused his play to suffer are behind him. He has the potential to become WR1 for the Bucs, and Mayfield is expecting him to take a Year 2 leap.
“(Egbuka)’s been banged up a little bit, but still looking for a huge jump from Year 1 to Year 2.”
Jalen McMillan is likely to win the WR3 job for the Bucs. McMillan was great down the stretch as a rookie in 2024, after an injury to Godwin gave him extra opportunities. Big things were expected from McMillan last year, but a scary neck injury suffered in the preseason robbed him of almost his entire 2025 season. McMillan missed time with an injury earlier in training camp, but is healthy again. Mayfield credits McMillan as his best WR when it comes to creating separation.
“McMillan is underrated for us … I think he’s our best separator in one-on-one man coverage.”
The rookie Hurst has been turning heads and impressing everyone throughout camp, even earning comparisons to Evans. He is both big and fast and has shown enough potential to contribute as a rookie. Despite a disappointing showing during Tampa's last preseason game, Hurst is one of the Bucs' most exciting rookies. With minor injuries to some of Tampa's other WRs in camp, Hurst has stepped up and shown the ability to play multiple receiver positions, which has impressed his quarterback.
“(With Egbuka and McMillan out) Hurst has been playing X and Z for us and he’s taking advantage of his opportunity. … he’s a big time talent and he’s definitely going to help us.”
Final Thoughts
Even without Evans, the Bucs are still loaded at wide receiver. Both Egbuka and Godwin have the ability to be the team's top option. McMillan and Hurst should also have plenty of chances to shine.
Behind those four, the Bucs also have Tez Johnson, who is entering his second season. After injuries to Evans, Godwin, and McMillan last year, Johnson was able to see the field quite a bit and exceeded expectations.
Kameron Johnson and Dean Patterson have also flashed their talent this offseason. Both turned in strong performances on Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Kam Johnson is a strong bet to make the roster as a WR/returner, while Patterson should be a priority signing for the practice squad.
It is easy to see why Mayfield is so confident in his receivers this year, even without franchise legend Evans. If they stay healthy, Tampa's WRs can be among the most productive in the entire NFL.
