The strength of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver room is no secret.
Even after the departure of Mike Evans, the Bucs still boast one of the NFL’s deepest groups of pass catchers, led by a promising collection of young talent ready to take the next step.
Chris Godwin Jr. is the elder statesman of the group as he enters his 10th season. Emeka Egbuka is poised for a second-year leap after coming off an impressive rookie season. Jalen McMillan remains one of the team’s biggest sleepers, and could serve as a key piece of the offense in 2026. Rookie Ted Hurst has generated plenty of buzz after a standout first day of training camp.
Often lost in the shuffle is backflippin’ Tez Johnson — but sleep on him at your own risk. Johnson is both a dynamic downfield threat and a dangerous playmaker with the ball in his hands. While the football world fawns over the rest of Tampa Bay’s wide receivers, Johnson could take the NFL by surprise with a breakout season of his own.
Tez Johnson could be the Buccaneers’ next breakout playmaker
Johnson caught 28 passes for 322 yards and five touchdowns in 2025, and he could be in line for a much larger role entering his second season.
According to Logan Robinson of BucsGameday, Johnson was a human highlight reel during the Buccaneers’ second training camp practice, hauling in three touchdown catches, including a contested grab in the back of the end zone.
Tez Johnson backflips are officially back 😎 pic.twitter.com/tFcR7KozjK
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 30, 2026
The standout performance came on the heels of a strong showing during minicamp in June, where Johnson consistently flashed his big-play ability.
If he continues to build on that momentum throughout the preseason, Johnson has all the tools to emerge as one of the Buccaneers’ biggest breakout stars in 2026.
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