With Chris Godwin’s leadership and sophomore standout Emeka Egbuka ready to lead, Tampa Bay's young receiving corps has its quarterback's confidence as it prepares to fill a Hall of Fame-sized void in 2026.
It won't be easy for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to replace Mike Evans in 2026.
However, the Bucs still have an extremely talented group of wide receivers. With Chris Godwin Jr. taking on more leadership responsibilities, Tampa's young WRs room has the productive veteran to lean on during the upcoming season.
Going into 2026, Tampa has Godwin Jr. and last year's first-round pick Emeka Egbuka as its top two receivers. Behind them are Jalen McMillan, rookie Ted Hurst, and Tez Johnson. Egbuka had a phenomenal rookie season and looks like a legit WR1. Godwin Jr. and McMillan are both healthy after dealing with injuries last year.
Bucs' quarterback Baker Mayfield believes he still has plenty of talent to throw to in 2026, and is confident his receivers will step up in Evans' absence. Greg Auman of Fox Sports shared Mayfield's comments about Evans' departure.
Mayfield stressed that nobody can, or is expected to, replace Evans on his own. While Mayfield expressed that losing a player like Evans, the franchise's all-time receiving leader, is never easy, he believes that his other receivers will take advantage of their new opportunities.
Life Without Evans
The Bucs, and their receivers, got a little taste of life without Evans last season, when a broken collarbone (and other injuries) forced him to miss nine games. Godwin himself missed eight games, while McMillan was forced to watch most of his sophomore season after a scary neck injury suffered during the preseason.
Injuries to Tampa's top three WRs from 2024 forced Egbuka into the de facto WR1 role. The rookie excelled and is expected to establish himself as the Bucs' top option in 2026.
Tez Johnson was also given a chance to shine as a rookie. He took advantage of his opportunity, grabbing 28 catches for 322 yards and five touchdowns. The seventh-rounder, who is the adoptive brother of Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, shattered expectations in his first pro season.
McMillan, after his stellar rookie year in 2024, is looking forward to picking up where he left off and is excited to have a bigger role in 2026. Hurst, the Bucs' third-round pick, is also expected to make an impact as a rookie.
The experience that Tampa's receivers acquired without Evans last year, especially Egbuka and Johnson, will prove extremely beneficial in 2026. Even Godwin Jr. had his first significant taste of life without Evans. If Evans had remained healthy, Johnson may have never gotten a chance to show the Bucs what he can do.
Final Thoughts
Nobody knows Tampa's receivers better than Mayfield. He sees the work they put in and their desire to be better. It is easy to see why Mayfield is confident the group can pick up the production left by Evans.
It won't be easy, but Mayfield trusts his receivers to all step up in 2026.
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