Heading into the 2025 offseason, it’s clear that most of the Bucs’ glaring needs are on the defensive side of the ball. They need to upgrade at outside linebacker, as well as inside linebacker. Rebuilding the secondary could be in order as well. They could stand to add some interior defensive line depth. Given the role that the defense played in Tampa Bay’s shortcomings in 2024, change has to be coming to every level of that unit in the coming months.

But what about the offense? Everything is largely set for the Bucs on that side of the ball personnel-wise, but the team must find a replacement for offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Yet any drastic changes to the offense would really only be on the coaching staff – not the players. Tampa Bay has its quarterback, backfield, offensive line and starting wide receivers all set as the group looks to build upon a fantastic offensive season in 2024.

Bucs WR Ryan Miller – Photo by: USA Today

With that being said, though, the Bucs need to level up their wide receiver depth this offseason. That depth was tested this year and while the offense got by – largely due to the genius of Coen and the play of Baker Mayfield and the offensive line – it’s hard to imagine general manager Jason Licht leaving the wide receiving corps alone as he builds the 2025 team.

Head coach Todd Bowles did reflect positively on the growth of his depth wide receivers this year, speaking highly of each of them on the latest edition of The Todd Bowles Show.

“A lot of growth,” Bowles said. “I thought Trey [Palmer] was one of our better blockers. With all the speed, everybody thinks he’s just a downfield guy, but he’s one of our better blockers and most aggressive guys. Ryan [Miller] was our do-everything guy. He can block, he can catch, he’s very intelligent. He can play all three positions. When he came in the game, he was Johnny on the spot for us and he had a lot of production as well. It showed you his work from the practice squad has [paid] off.

“Rak [Jarrett], coming off of surgery, came in and made some big catches for us. He might be the toughest one out of all of them as far as getting down and dirty and as far as running routes. And [he] has outstanding hands. So, he made a big impact for us. Kam [Johnson], just gotta get healthy. We’ve got to get him healthy. He’s a very talented player, just got to get him healthy and consistent and I think he’s going to help us a great deal.”

While all of that sounds great and there is some talent to work with in that room, the point still stands. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin (assuming he is re-signed, which Pewter Report has continued to report that he will be) and Jalen McMillan are a great trio atop the depth chart. The team just needs to find a reliable WR4 and allow the rest of this year’s depth receivers to battle it out for the remaining spots on the roster.

Bucs Need A More Reliable WR4 – With One Eye Toward The Future

Bucs WR Sterling Shepard – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

As happy as Todd Bowles might’ve been with the way some of his depth receivers stepped up when Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and even rookie Jalen McMillan missed time due to injury in 2024, it never felt like the offense really had receiver depth it knew it could rely on.

It might’ve been Trey Palmer one week, Ryan Miller the next or Rakim Jarrett here or there. More often than not, it was 31-year-old Sterling Shepard, who started the season on the practice squad.

Any number of these guys could and should be back with the team for offseason training, training camp and the 2025 preseason. But this collection of receivers may be better suited for the offense’s WR5 and WR6 roles. The Bucs’ WR4 in 2025 probably isn’t on the roster right now, and they need to go get him in the coming months.

The 2025 NFL Draft may be the right avenue to target a new WR4, and as many needs as there are on defense, it might make good sense to select a receiver before Day 3. For one, if the team decides to promote pass game coordinator Josh Grizzard he could continue on with Coen’s offense, which features a lot of 11 personnel (three wide receivers).

Bucs WRs Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

That’ll typically be Evans, Godwin and McMillan. But having a young fourth receiver ready to step in would be a luxury that could take the offense to the next level. It would also be a good safety net, as the trio of Evans, Godwin and McMillan missed a combined 17 games in 2024.

If you’re Tampa Bay, it’s worth keeping an eye on the future, too. Evans still reached 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns despite missing three and a half games this season, and Godwin was on his way to one of the best campaigns of his career before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 7. But Evans will be 32 at the start of the 2025 season, and Godwin will be 29.

Having a promising rookie wide receiver could set up a good succession plan in the coming years. McMillan finished his rookie campaign strong and doesn’t turn 24 until December. Setting up the offense with two veterans in Evans and Godwin and two young up-and-comers in McMillan and a 2025 draft pick atop the receiver depth chart has to be an awfully intriguing thought as Jason Licht and his staff plan out their offseason.