The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been hit with one injury after another and it began before the season even started.
Tristan Wirfs and Chris Godwin were two of the Bucs offensive stars we knew would miss some time to start the year. However, the offense was dealt a blow in the preseason when they lost yet another playmaker for an extended period of time. In Tampa Bay’s second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw a perilous pass over the middle to wide receiver Jalen McMillan, who was upended and injured on the play.
McMillan was seen after the game with a neck brace on, and the initial diagnosis was a neck sprain and he would miss some time. He was subsequently placed on injured reserve at roster cutdowns, and we later learned he had actually suffered three fractured vertebrae in his neck that needed time to heal naturally.
Now according to the NFL’s Ian Rapoport, McMillan has been given the green light to start practicing with the team and will have his 21-day window opened as he ramps up to return to the lineup.
Help is on the way for the #Bucs offense, as promising WR Jalen McMillan received clearance from spine specialist Dr. Robert Watkins and likely begins practicing this week.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 30, 2025
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Rapoport notes that McMillan has been ramping up behind the scenes, working individually, but has now received medical clearance from spine expert Dr. Robert Watkins to rejoin team activities this week. It's huge news for a Buccaneer offense that has been struggling to move the ball down the field consistently.
Things are getting better health-wise for the Bucs. In addition to McMillan’s impending return, Godwin returned to the lineup last week after missing time, and Bucky Irving will make his return against the Cardinals on Sunday. Rapoport also reports that Mike Evans is close to returning as well, with medical scans determining how soon it could be.
For the Bucs offense that has been decimated all year, they’ll take any help they can get, and McMillan was really coming on at the end of last year. He started slow but ended his rookie season on a tear with eight touchdowns over his last seven games. He finished with 37 receptions, 23 of which went for first downs, and 461 yards.