The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got the kind of Week 1 update they were hoping for ahead of Sunday’s season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals: Emeka Egbuka is good to go.
Todd Bowles gave the latest injury information after Friday’s practice, and according to Pewter Report, Egbuka will be a full go while Jalen McMillan and Sean Tucker are doubtful. That leaves Tampa Bay in a mixed spot entering a game that could turn into a track meet between two offenses built to move the ball.
Egbuka’s availability matters a lot for a Buccaneers team that may be leaning on him heavily right away. With Mike Evans gone, he could very well settle in as Tampa Bay’s WR1 this season, and the toe issue that had put his status in doubt now looks far less threatening. Baker Mayfield and the offense, already facing a tough opening test, just got a major lift.
McMillan’s likely absence would shift even more of the passing load onto Egbuka and Chris Godwin. It could also create an opening for rookie Ted Hurst to see meaningful snaps in his NFL debut.
On the backfield side, Tucker being doubtful is less damaging for Tampa Bay than losing a higher-profile offensive piece. If he can’t play, preseason standout Josh Williams would be elevated from the practice squad to the active roster.
The Bucs would obviously prefer to have everyone available, but this is still a much better starting point than they had a year ago. Last season, they opened without All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, their best player at the time, and injuries ended up becoming a major problem on both sides of the ball.
This time, Tampa Bay heads into Week 1 relatively healthy and with a chance to start the season on the road against a quality Bengals team without the same injury mess hanging over them.
In Other News...
Bucs Week 1 Offense Suddenly Has A Problem Baker Mayfield Must Solve
The Bucs are heading into their Week 1 matchup with Cincinnati with a few early offensive questions already hanging over Baker Mayfield and the new-look attack. Jalen McMillan, Sean Tucker and Justin Skule are all listed as doubtful because of injuries, with McMillan working back from a knee issue, Tucker dealing with a hamstring injury and Skule limited by an oblique problem. Emeka Egbuka, meanwhile, is fully cleared and available, giving Tampa Bay at least one important piece of good news as the team sorts through its depth chart.
For an offense trying to settle in right away, the injury report adds a layer of uncertainty before the first snap is even taken. Todd Bowles and the Bucs have other players with varying statuses as well, so the final picture could still shift before kickoff. For Mayfield, the challenge is less about preseason optimism now and more about adjusting quickly if the available skill-position and protection options look different than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Could Expose A Major Buccaneers Problem In Week 1
The Buccaneers head into Week 1 with a lot of fresh faces and a few reasons for optimism, especially after bringing back their full starting offensive line and reshaping the defense. Tampa Bay added linebacker Alex Anzalone, edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson and running back Kenny Gainwell, all moves aimed at making the roster sturdier on both sides of the ball. It is a group with more intrigue than certainty, which is about par for the course this time of year.
Cincinnati, though, offers a fast first test for how far those changes have actually gone. The Bengals bring a strong receiving corps into a matchup that could put real pressure on Tampa Bay's inexperienced secondary, while the offense is also sorting through a new system under coordinator Zac Robinson. Add in the thinner spots at safety and along the offensive line, and the opener has the feel of a game that could reveal exactly where the Buccaneers still need help. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Mock Draft Just Spotlighted Baker Mayfield's Missing Weapon
Bleacher Reports early 2027 mock draft has already put a familiar Tampa Bay need back in the spotlight, projecting the Buccaneers to take LSU tight end TreyDez Green with the 19th pick. It is only a projection, of course, but it speaks to a roster conversation that has lingered around Baker Mayfields offense: the Bucs still do not have a tight end who clearly changes the shape of the passing game.
Green is described as the kind of physical, move-the-chains target who could fit what Tampa Bay wants to do if he keeps developing at LSU. For now, the idea is more about fit than certainty, but the mock underscores how much attention the position could draw as the Bucs look ahead and keep searching for a true weapon in the middle of the field. [Read more 🡒]