It was easy to see what the presence of veteran wide receiver Chris Godwin meant to the Tampa Bay Bucs’ passing game Sunday. He opened up the field for quarterback Baker Mayfield, took some heat off of rookie Emeka Egbuka and provided a target that’s been sorely missing.
Now, imagine if the Bucs could add to the mix injured All-Pro Mike Evans, recovering from a broken collarbone, and 2024 rookie standout Jalen McMillan, sidelined since the preseason with a serious neck injury.
That scenario may actually be in the realm of possibility before season's end.
Head coach Todd Bowles told reporters in his Monday briefing that McMillan will begin doing more in practice this week and that Evans could start practicing this week as well. He did not elaborate further on Evans, but the mere fact that they are joining workouts is a hopeful sign for the Bucs.
“(McMillan has) been running – it’s just a matter of him putting on the helmet and seeing where he is strength-wise with his neck,” Bowles said. “He’ll start doing more this week, and we’ll see exactly what; whether it’s individual or it’s some more things as well. But he will start moving around.”
As for Evans, the perennial leader of the receiving corps, starting to practice, he remarked, “That’s a possibility as well.”
If either or both players are able to rejoin the team during the stretch run, it would be a huge development for a receiving corps that hasn't been full-strength all season. At 7-5, the Bucs hold a slim lead over 7-6 Carolina in the NFC South standings and play the Panthers twice in their final five games.
Adding them to the lineup – currently anchored by wideouts Egbuka, fellow rookie Tez Johnson and veteran Sterling Shepard, along with tight end Cade Otton – could give Tampa Bay much-needed momentum at a critical juncture.
McMillan sustained multiple fractures in his neck, as well as a neck sprain, in an Aug. 25 preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That was a blow considering the impact he had last season with 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns.
Evans missed a month after pulling a hamstring muscle in Week 3 against the New York Jets, then suffered his collarbone injury in Week 6 against the Detroit Lions. Until now, it was projected that the 12th-year Buc – with 11 straight seasons surpassing 1,000 yards – wouldn’t be available until the post-season.
Given Carolina’s surge, including an upset Sunday of the tough Los Angeles Rams, the playoffs are no longer a lock. But having either or both Evans and McMillan back in the mix – along with a healthy Bucky Evans at tailback – could go a long way to helping the Bucs finally hit their stride.
They had some positive moments Sunday in their 20-17 win over the 3-9 Arizona Cardinal. And Bowles was quick to point out the importance of the win despite its flaws, which included the inability early on to get to Jacoby Brissett, as the journeyman quarterback brought the Cardinals back from a 17-3 third-quarter deficit to the brink of an upset.
“Most of these games are tough in this league,” he said. “They’re one-score games. We knew they were going to try to make a run. We couldn’t get the quarterback down before the half. I think he got out two or three times, and we had hands on him. … We knew he was a sneaky scrambler (but) the guys came out in the last series and they closed it out. And considering we lost the last three, that’s pretty good.”
Brissett finished with 29 completions in 40 attempts for 301 yards and two touchdowns, but was picked off to end an impressive opening drive deep in Tampa Bay territory. Three Arizona ballcarriers, led by Bam Knight’s 62 yards in 11 carries, combined for 95 yards on 19 carries – and lost the ball once on a fumbled forced by nose tackle Vita Vea. Bowles viewed the defense’s effort as a mixed bag.
“I thought we improved in the run game early on,” he said. “I think we stopped it. We knew they threw the ball a lot so the passing yards were going to be up. They threw it less against us than in the previous two weeks (when) they threw it 60-plus.”
But tackling, especially in the second half, was a problem, he added. “I thought we tackled well in the first half, and (in) the second half we let some plays out. It wasn’t necessarily deep balls, but the five-yard passes, especially the one on third and 3 or 4, where three guys missed (Michael Carter) behind the line of scrimmage. We’ve got to tackle and wrap up.”
Carter wound up with an 11-yard gain with the Bucs ahead 17-10 in the fourth quarter, and Arizona continued a drive to the Tampa Bay 39. But on 4th and one, linebacker Anthony Nelson came through with a clutch stop of Knight for no gain. It turned out to be pivotal, because the Bucs parlayed that into a 57-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin with 8:58 to play – the difference in the final margin of victory.
Bowles, meanwhile, was pleased with the play of Mayfield, whose participation was in doubt until Friday due to the mild left shoulder sprain sustained against the Rams a week earlier. He completed 18 of 28 passes for 194 yards, threw no interceptions and connected with his offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs on a 2-yard touchdown pass. In addition, Mayfield showed no hesitation in running due to his shoulder, picking up 27 yards on six scrambles – and being careful to end his runs with slides.
Mayfield didn't shy away from scrambling Sunday. @ Nathan Ray Seebeck“He’s competitive, and he did get down, and he got out of bounds one time as well,” Bowles said. “So I thought he took care of it pretty good. And I thought he played very well (and) moved the ball around. … He made some key throws and he didn’t turn the ball over. So, you know, considering how he was coming into the game, I thought he did a good job.”
And now, possibly sooner than expected, he could have two key targets back in his sites.