The Tampa Bay GM identifies heavy collegiate workloads and personnel injuries as the primary catalysts behind the star rookie’s late-season slump, signaling a rebound for 2026.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' wide receiver Emeka Egbuka had a wild rookie season in 2025.
Egbuka was spectacular over the first half of the 2025 season, but saw his play and impact dip dramatically during Tampa's second-half collapse. While largely successful, his first campaign with the Bucs was really a tale of two different seasons. After looking like a bona fide WR1 throughout his first few games, Egbuka looked only average after the team's bye week.
How well the Ohio State standout performs in 2026 will go a long way in determining just how far the Bucs can go this season.
Speaking with Ira Kaufman of JoeBucsFan, Bucs' general manager Jason Licht gave his opinion on what caused Egbuka to struggle over the back half of Tampa's season.
"Took A Toll On Him"
When asked by Kaufman his opinion of what caused Egbuka's play to dip during the second half of the season, Licht was very forthcoming, offering plenty of insight on the matter.
"First of all, rookies coming from championship-type programs that play deep into their season, then barely have enough time to train and come right into the fray here, and that has something to do with it," Licht said to JoeBucsFan. "Then people started paying more attention to Emeka, and we had the injuries to Chris and Mike (Evans), where we were forced to play Emeka in multiple spots. As smart as he is, and he’s incredibly smart, to ask a rookie to move around like that, play the X, play the Z, it took a toll on him."
Let's break down Licht's answer.
Licht opened his answer by referring to Egbuka's National Championship-winning season with the Buckeyes. Ohio State played a total of 16 games on its way to the title. The College Football Playoff saw OSU play an extra four games. However, the team's last regular season game was on November 30, nearly two months before the National Championship Game, which happened January 20.
That's a lot of extra football. Egbuka's season lasted 51 more days than most prospects. The wear and tear his body endured over his final collegiate season, and lack of a true "offseason" affected his stamina as a Bucs' rookie.
Egbuka also starting getting more attention from opposing defenses. After starting the year firmly behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, injuries to Tampa's top two WRs allowed defenses to focus more on the rookie.
Licht also pointed out all of the different responsibilities that fell on Egbuka's shoulders. Instead of focusing on just one spot, he was asked to line up at every receiver position, with each having its own nuances (and types of coverages) that Egbuka had to learn.
Hearing Licht's thoughts makes it easier to understand why the rookie's play declined as the season progressed. It also provides hope for Egbuka's upcoming campaign.
Outlook For 2026
With a full offseason to help his body heal, Egbuka should come into the upcoming season fresher and feeling better than a year ago. Tampa will need him to show more consistency throughout the season. The experiences of his rookie year, both good and bad, should help Egbuka take a significant leap in 2026.
He should also be able to count on having more help from his fellow WRs, even with Evans no longer in town. Godwin is healthy again. As is Jalen McMillan, who missed most of last season with a scary neck injury. Reinforcements were added with third-round pick Ted Hurst. The Bucs appear to have a loaded group of pass-catchers, which should take pressure off of Egbuka.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield has expressed his confidence that his receivers will step up their games to make up for Evans' departure.
Expect Egbuka to not only become Tampa's best receiver in 2026, but one of the NFL's best.
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