The Buccaneers’ release of Kyle Trask has an unexpected ripple effect, opening the door for rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka to make a uniform change.
No. 2, the jersey number he’s worn since high school and again at the end of his Ohio State career, is now suddenly available in Tampa Bay.
If Egbuka wants to make the swap, he’ll have to act quickly before the season kicks off. Per NFL rules as of 2021, he would need to buy out the remaining unsold stock of his No. 9 jerseys before becoming eligible for the switch. But if he waits until next season, there will be no charge.
Per NFL rules, if a player wants to change his number THIS SEASON, he would have to buy out the existing inventory of jersey distributors.
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) April 21, 2021
If he wants to give notice now to change his number NEXT SEASON, there would be no requirement to buy out inventory. https://t.co/XvduiMgSw3
Egbuka doesn’t seem like the type to make a big deal over a jersey number. Still, numbers often carry sentimental meaning to players, and No. 2 has been part of his path to the NFL. With it now available, it’s likely to pique his interest.
Regardless of the number he wears, the Buccaneers are expecting big things from their rookie first-round pick. With Chris Godwin Jr. expected to miss the first month while recovering from a second procedure on the dislocated ankle he suffered in Week 7 last season, and Jalen McMillan projected to miss the first half of the season with a severe neck sprain, Egbuka will step into a massive role as Tampa Bay’s No. 2 receiving option behind Mike Evans.
Egbuka has already made a strong impression in training camp and preseason while wearing No. 9, including scoring his first NFL touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 of the preseason. In all likelihood, he will continue wearing No. 9 through his rookie season and reevaluate next offseason. But No. 9 suits him well, and he’s already making quite a name for himself in Tampa Bay with that number.
If he does decide to make the switch in the coming days, hold onto those No. 9 Emeka Egbuka rookie cards and jerseys — they could become rare novelties as Egbuka looks poised to take the NFL by storm and blossom into a star in Tampa Bay’s pass-heavy offense.
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