The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are heading into 2026 with a very different offensive setup, and the biggest stat leaders could look a lot different too.
After Liam Coen left to coach the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay tried to keep things in-house by promoting 2024 passing game coordinator Josh Grizzard. That move didn’t work out.
The offense fell off badly in 2025, and Grizzard was gone after one season. This time, the Bucs went outside the building and hired former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
They also added new pieces in free agency and the NFL Draft while still trying to replace the production of Mike Evans.
That changing cast makes the wide receiver race especially interesting. Chris Godwin has the benefit of being one of the team’s longest-tenured veterans, but Emeka Egbuka looks like the player most likely to take over as Tampa Bay’s top receiving threat.
Egbuka led the team with 938 receiving yards last season and came close to 1,000 despite a rough finish after a hamstring injury against the 49ers. He had shown enough before that setback to suggest more is coming, and with a full offseason behind him, he’s positioned to clear 1,000 yards in 2026.
The touchdown picture points the same way. Godwin, Jalen McMillan and even rookie Ted Hurst could all be in the mix, but Egbuka gets the nod here as well.
He opened last season with five touchdowns in his first five games, then managed just one over his next 12. With more NFL seasoning and a better fit in Robinson’s offense, he has a real chance to settle in as the Z wideout and become the red-zone answer Tampa Bay needs after Evans’ departure.
The backfield has its own split to sort out, with Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell competing for carries. A 50-50 split is possible, and even something closer to 60-40 in Gainwell’s favor wouldn’t be shocking.
Still, Irving is the more likely of the two to lead the team in rushing yards. He topped 1,000 yards two seasons ago without even starting, and his big-play ability gives him an edge that Gainwell doesn’t have.
If he can get back on track after being injured for most of 2025, the yards should come, especially if Tampa Bay’s offensive line is healthier.
When it comes to touchdowns, though, Gainwell looks like the specialist. Seven of his eight scores last year came in the red zone, and Robinson’s tendency to lean on the run near the goal line should keep him busy there.
Gainwell also adds value as a pass-catcher out of the backfield and even as a wide receiver, which gives him multiple ways to stay involved when the field shrinks. Irving may be the better bet to help the Bucs move the ball, but Gainwell is the one most likely to finish drives.
In Other News...
Bucs Suddenly Have One Linebacker Facing A Brutal Camp Fight
SirVocea Dennis entered the offseason looking like a player with a chance to settle in as part of Tampa Bays linebacker future, but the room around him has changed quickly. The Buccaneers added Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom, then brought in rookie Josiah Trotter, giving the middle of the defense a much deeper and more competitive feel than it had before.
Dennis did enough last season as a full-time starter to stay in the conversation, especially with his tackle production, but his work in coverage left plenty of questions. Training camp now looms as the real test for him, because he will need to show he can clean up those issues and hold off the new wave of competition if he wants to keep his place in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Tight End Enters Camp With His Future Suddenly At Stake
Payne Durham is heading into his fourth training camp with the Buccaneers, and the timing could hardly be more important. Tampa Bays tight end room is not exactly crowded, which gives the former second-round pick a real shot to stay in the mix, but it also means every rep matters as the team sorts out how much value it is getting from a player whose role has been built around blocking.
The concern is that Durham has not made enough of an impact to feel secure, and the numbers around his usage have trended the wrong way after a stronger second season. Even in the area where he is supposed to help most, the fit has not clearly translated to better results for the run game, leaving him to prove in camp and preseason that he still belongs in Tampa Bays plans. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Suddenly Face One Brutal Post Evans Post David Reality
Losing franchise pillars Mike Evans and Lavonte David in the same offseason would normally send a team into a reset, but Tampa Bay still has enough of a foundation to keep the conversation from turning gloomy. Baker Mayfield remains in place, Tristan Wirfs anchors the line, and Emeka Egbuka gives the offense another young piece to build around, while the defensive side is trying to absorb the blow of Davids departure with new additions and a roster that still has some real backbone.
Bleacher Reports latest outlook suggests the Buccaneers are not headed for the bottom of the NFC South despite all that turnover, with the Falcons projected to land there instead. For Tampa Bay, the bigger issue is not whether the roster has talent, but whether the front office has done enough to keep the post-Evans, post-David transition from becoming a full-on slide. [Read more 🡒]