The Bucs have a wealth of riches at wide receiver. Those riches increased substantially when they selected Emeka Egbuka in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. This was after they re-signed Chris Godwin to a substantial contract. All of this was after the team re-signed Mike Evans and drafted Jalen McMillan last year.
The drafting of Egbuka could be seen as a lack of faith in McMillan. That’s curious after McMillan had a strong close to his rookie campaign. From week 14 on, McMillan caught 26 of 35 targets for 357 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 1.90 yards per route run.
But in reality, the move is more designed to be a compliment to McMillan than a replacement.
Bucs Use Three Receiver Positions
We often think of wide receiver depth charts vertically, as in 1, 2, 3, etc. But this isn’t a very effective way of analyzing the roster. The team primarily uses three different positions – the X, Z and F. Each position requires different skillsets to perform different functions. And in understanding that can lead to a much better understanding of why Egbuka was a bigger need than public perception might think.
Pass Coordinator Kefense Hynson spoke about the positional differences and Egbuka’s fit in his recent press conference with the media. “ Yeah, and he already has. I think I think you said it. He’s got position flexibility. I think people say receivers, but there’s really three, really four spots. Potentially five depending on how many you play with. He’s got the mental capacity to learn all three. And not just learn it, but actually be good at it, which I think is the thing that people forget about the most. I could learn how to box, but I probably wouldn’t be very good at it.
“He can excel at all those positions. He gives you flexibility, which means he’s an awesome chess piece because you can put him on the field with other core skill guys and now you can build a system. And you really get everything you want because you got all those pieces. And, I think we have multiple guys that can kind of fit different pieces. And so, as a coach putting together a system, I think it’s really a fun challenge to figure out how you can manipulate the board and put your best people on the field relative to what you’re trying to do.”
X Receiver
The X receiver, which has primarily been the position Mike Evans has played throughout his entire career. The X is often on the line of scrimmage and faces press coverage the most. From week one to week seven last year, 20% of his routes were drags and slants showing how he can muscle through jams to win early in the route. The X typically pushes vertically and tilts coverages to his side of the field. 39% of his routes early last year were corners, posts, fades and go’s. While Evans was sidelined with an injury the team tried to use Trey Palmer in this role to very little success.
Bucs WR Mike Evans in Super Bowl 55 – Photo by: USA Today
F Receiver
The F receiver in the Bucs 2024 version of the offense was a power-slot role best filled with Chris Godwin. It called for a lot of short-to-intermediate routes with two-way releases for outs, digs, and curls. 53% of Godwin’s routes were of this variety. After Evans’ return in week 11 no receiver fully filled Godwin’s role within the offense. Sterling Shepard, Jalen McMillan, Evans and Cade Otton all took over elements of the position.
The team tried to move McMillan into that position, but he lacks the play strength to effectively operate close to the line of scrimmage as a run blocker. He also struggled to match Godwin’s reliability as a catch-on-collision operator. McMillan’s catch rate at the intermediate level was 11% lower than Godwin’s and 5.5% under 10 yards. He was also one of only 11 receivers last year with at least 60 targets to clear an 11% drop rate. Pair that with a 25% contested catch rate and McMillan just does not match the requirements needed of an F.
Z Receiver
In the Bucs offense the Z works from an outside set and attacks the intermediate to deep and out breaking routes. McMillan was the Bucs Z to start the season and still primarily played that position late in the season. The Z attacks intermediate to deep and outside the hashes. 43% of his early season routes were outs, corners and go/fades. The Z plays off the line of scrimmage to avoid physical jams at the line.
Bucs WR Jalen McMillan – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
How Emeka Egbuka Fits
The Bucs saw last year that while they had a talented trio of receivers in Evans, Godwin and McMillan. They had a lack of depth at the X and F positions. These are arguably the two most critical spots in the receiver room. And as good as McMillan showed he can be, he lacks the versatility to play at a high level outside of the Z role. The team saw how difficult it was to manufacture a passing game without an effective F and X receiver.
Egbuka is a potential solve for both of those issues. As Hynson stated, Egbuka has the skills to play all three positions and thereby provides insurance for when Evans or Godwin isn’t on the field. His best fit is as the F where his physical brand of play and contested catch abilities will shine. Godwin isn’t a guarantee to be ready for week one and since 2019 he has missed a total of 24 games including the playoffs. The Bucs found out last year that Evans is more versatile than previously thought, and he can be a very good stand-in for some of the things Godwin can do, he is still best primarily playing the X.
With Egbuka on the roster they can keep Evans primarily in the X. But if they want to move him inside Egbuka can take over the spot. He has strong footwork and an impressive release package to play outside and, on the line, and enough athleticism to work vertically as well as through traffic on those quick in-breakers. And it allows McMillan to stay in the Z where he is at his best.
Egbuka has the skillset to play the Z as well. He’s a multi-tool in the receiver room. And his presence only amplifies McMillan’s impact. As Godwin works back from injury and Evans’ continues to age, it’s important for the Bucs offense to have capable answers at two critical receiver spots. Egbuka, deployed strategically, can be an answer to both. And all without negating the value of McMillan.