The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are dealing with injuries at the wide receiver position. Chris Godwin hasn't been activated off the PUP list and Jalen McMillan is going to miss an extended period of time with a neck injury. This means that Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, and Tez Johnson are going to have to carry the load as the starters but it also means that Trey Palmer, who looked to be the odd man out prior to all of this, will likely make the final roster.
Palmer, a sixth-round pick by the Bucs just two years ago, has appeared to have fallen out of favor in Tampa. The Bucs took him in round six in 2023 out of Nebraska hoping that, after some developmental years, he could become a major force in their offense. That simply hasn't happened.
After appearing in all 17 games as a rookie in 2023 and tallying 385 yards and three scores, Palmer regressed during his sophomore season in the pros. The former Cornhusker appeared in 15 games but had just 12 receptions for 172 yards and one trip into the end zone. It was a disappointing year for Palmer and it helped make him expendable in Tampa.
Trey Palmer may be the biggest beneficiary of Buccaneers’ bad injury luck
Before all of these injuries, Palmer could have been considered a trade candidate because while he hasn't panned out in Tampa Bay, other teams would definitely be interested in adding his speed to their roster. Now, the Bucs need him as depth.
Evans, Egbuka, and Johnson isn't the worst starting group to have at your disposal but Palmer needs to stick around now in case more injuries hit this roster. If Godwin is able to return before the trade deadline, then perhaps Palmer could be placed back on the trade block and Tampa could try to get something in return for him.
It's never surprising when sixth-round picks don't pan out but Palmer had some hype surrounding him and Bucs fans were expecting more from him than what the team has gotten. Maybe sticking around on the roster will benefit him and he can prove the front office wrong and ball out but if not, we might be revisiting the trade conversations again in a few months.