The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost Emeka Egbuka in the third quarter of their Week 6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers due to a tweaked hamstring, and he was expected to miss some time, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Already without Chris Godwin Jr. and Jalen McMillan, and with Mike Evans only just expected to return from a hamstring injury of his own, Tampa Bay was bracing to be shorthanded at wide receiver heading into its biggest game of the year: a primetime showdown with the Detroit Lions to determine the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
But miraculously, the Buccaneers received a surprising injury update regarding their rookie sensation. Egbuka returned to practice on Saturday, and with the team getting an extra day of rest with the game scheduled for Monday night, Egbuka may be able to return to action far sooner than expected.
"He was limited today. He'll be a gametime decision on Monday," said head coach Todd Bowles. "He wants to play, but it all depends on how he feels and how he looks."
The potential return of Egbuka , who has quickly emerged as a frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year, would provide a major boost for Tampa Bay ahead of such a crucial matchup, especially against a Lions secondary that’s been hit hard by injuries.
Detroit is expected to be without both starting cornerbacks, Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed. The team will also be without safety Brian Branch, who is serving a one-game suspension following a postgame altercation with JuJu Smith-Schuster after last week’s loss to the Chiefs. Star safety Kerby Joseph is also battling an injury, and while he’s expected to play, his status currently remains up in the air.
If Egbuka does end up suiting up on Monday night, which seemed like a pipe dream just a few days ago, it would mark a stunning turnaround after it initially appeared he’d be sidelined for a few weeks. His presence could be the difference-maker for a Buccaneers team looking to take control of the NFC against a depleted Detroit defense.