As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick off their first session of OTAs, things will look a lot different on the offensive side of the ball.
For the first time since 2013, the wide receiver group won’t be featuring Mike Evans. It’s a jarring change, and an underrated storyline as the team’s wide receiver group prepares to step into larger roles after Evan’s departure.
Buccaneers’ WR room without Mike Evans is the biggest story of OTAs
The team still boasts a talented wide receiver group that remains one of the deepest in the league. Veteran Chris Godwin Jr. will lead the way, along with Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson, and rookie Ted Hurst.
But despite all of that talent, it’ll be hard to replace the loss of Evans. He was one of the most frequently double-covered receivers in the league, commanding attention from opposing defenses and creating opportunities for other playmakers.
He was the primary weapon both downfield and in the red zone, and provided a security blanket for quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The team doesn’t quite have someone of that skillset that can dominate downfield off pure size and physicality, and so the offense will have to find different ways to move the chains than in years past.
Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has said that Egbuka will play the “Z” receiver role, where he’ll line up outside on the same side as the tight end and often be the motion man. That means Godwin will be the primary slot receiver lining up inside.
While most of their weapons are best-fit for that role as either the slot or “Z” receiver, what they’re missing is the “X” receiver on the boundary — the role Evans held since 2014.
The closest they have to Evans is rookie Ted Hurst, who measures in at 6-foot-4, 206 pounds and has fulfilled the X receiver role in college, but he’s a raw talent that needs to be developed before he can be counted on as a major contributor.
It’ll be interesting to see who steps up in this new-look Bucs offense. Who will earn Mayfield’s trust as the go-to red zone target? Who will emerge when the team needs a big play on third down?
Those details will work themselves out throughout the offseason, and OTAs is the first real chance for the wide receiver group to prove they’re up for the new challenge after losing a future Hall of Famer. It’s a golden opportunity for everyone involved to take on bigger roles and take this offense to new heights.
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