The Buccaneers are heading into 2026 with a receiving room that looks deep on paper, but it also comes with a few obvious pressure points. Mike Evans is gone after leaving for the San Francisco 49ers, and that changes the shape of the group immediately. For the first time in more than a decade, Tampa Bay won’t have him in the mix.
That opens the door for Chris Godwin to step into the top spot. After nine seasons and four 1,000-yard campaigns, Godwin now gets his turn as the lead receiver. The Bucs are counting on him to carry that role.
Behind him, Emeka Egbuka is coming off a strong rookie year that included 938 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He looks set to be the No. 2 option and has a real shot at reaching 1,000 yards this season.
Jalen McMillan is the other major piece in that top trio, but his outlook depends on health after a severe neck injury kept him out for most of the 2025 season. If he gets back to full strength, he should settle in as the No. 3 receiver and give Tampa Bay another solid starter.
That’s the upside. The worry is just as clear: Godwin and McMillan both have major injury questions hanging over them, and both still need to prove they can hold up through 2026.
There’s more depth beyond the top three. Tez Johnson had a productive rookie season as a seventh-round pick, posting 322 receiving yards and five touchdowns, and he has plenty of support inside One Buc and among the fanbase. If things go well, he should have another useful year.
The Bucs also have a rookie in Hurst who may be asked to fill the Mike Evans role as an “X Type” receiver - the bigger target who can win with hands and stretch the field. His rookie year will likely hinge on how quickly he picks up the playbook.
Kameron Johnson is back for his third season and could again handle return duties after serving as the team’s main returner last year. Depending on what offensive coordinator Zac Robinson wants, he could also see more snaps as a receiver and gadget player.
There are reasons to like the group’s depth. Tez has already shown he can produce, Hurst brings intrigue as a rookie with a defined lane, and Kameron has turned heads before in camp. The expectation is that Tez and Hurst will have roles in the offense in 2026, while Kameron again handles returns.
Still, youth brings its own risk. Tez could hit a sophomore slump, and Hurst may need time before he gets rolling.
Further down the depth chart, Greene is entering his second year after spending his rookie season on the practice squad. The former West Virginia quarterback made the switch to receiver and had some encouraging preseason moments last year.
Houston is back for his third season after arriving as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and spending time with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants before landing in Tampa Bay. He’s spent the last two seasons on the practice squad.
Patterson and Rivers Jr. are both undrafted receivers from Georgia Tech. Patterson, who grew up in Lutz, Florida, used to watch Chris Godwin at Bucs training camp practices, and now has a chance to join him in the same room.
Sills V is another name to watch. He worked with Zac Robinson for two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, and he could push for either the 53-man roster or the practice squad if he stands out in training camp and preseason.
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Zac Robinson May Fix One Bucs Problem Fans Are Tired Of
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Robinsons approach in Atlanta was built around mixing in the run while still being willing to attack after an incomplete first-down throw, which is exactly the kind of sequencing the Buccaneers have been missing at times. The real test comes once the system gets installed when training camp opens on July 28, when the Bucs will start finding out whether this new structure can finally smooth out one of their most frustrating offensive habits. [Read more 🡒]