The Bucs had more than one return on Thursday. Mike Evans dominated the narrative with six catches for 132 yards, and rightfully so.

But fellow wide receiver Jalen McMillan also made his first appearance of the regular season after a nasty neck injury in preseason kept him out for the entirety of fall. I had tempered hopes for McMillan’s season debut. Neck injuries are serious business and can lead to timid play.

Good news, though.

It didn’t seem to have any effect on McMillan. He looked as good as – or perhaps even better than – his torrid finish to his rookie season when he caught 24 passes for 316 yards and a ridiculous seven touchdowns over the final five weeks of the season.

McMillan ran 20 routes against Atlanta, catching both of his targets for 38 yards while he came just inches short of his first touchdown of the season. The pedestrian stat line belies a season debut that was extremely promising.

Jalen McMillan Looked Explosive

The first thing that popped out for me was how well Jalen McMillan was getting off the line and into his routes. He appeared to be faster and more explosive as a runner. Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard noted as much to Pewter Report during training camp. With a stronger leg drive McMillan gets on top of corners and safeties faster, causing panic and mistakes. It makes sense that after getting a season under his belt and a full offseason program with a similar playbook that McMillan would play faster, even if his stopwatch times may not have improved.

Bucs WR Jalen McMillan and Falcons S Xavier Watts – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

His explosiveness is even more evident in his deceleration. The way McMillan was breaking down at the top of routes, going from full stride to static and turned around in just a few quick steps was really impressive.

Winning Against Man Coverage

These explosive traits helped Jalen McMillan win in man coverage. My favorite route McMillan ran on the night was one where he wasn’t targeted, but he easily won the route. Motioning from right to left at the snap releasing just outside the numbers in full stride. After pushing vertically, he decelerated quickly at 12 yards before coming back to the line of scrimmage with an inside deep curl stem.

The Falcons were playing the Bucs in man coverage, and his defender wasn’t able to keep up laterally into a half-man drop before getting turned to his backside. McMillan was wide open as the window around him expanded in response to other routes developing to the field.

This was another area of his game offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard had indicated to Pewter Report that he was excited about before McMillan’s injury in the preseason. With both he and Mike Evans missing significant portions of the season, Bucs’ receivers have struggled against man coverage this year. Having not just one, but now two of their best players against man should help open up more of the playbook while also elevating portions that have already been in play.

Finding His Way Open Against Zone

What helped Jalen McMillan score so often – and from significant depths – last year was the subtlety of his movements deep into his vertical routes. I can only describe his running style as gliding by the time he got 15+ yards down the field. And with smooth and elusive movements, head nods and slight hip variations, he would often get defenders to make the wrong turn, which he would then take full advantage of. None of that left his game during his extended absence.

Combining the more explosive elements of his performance against the Falcons with the smooth actions that made him so successful last year gives McMillan perhaps a ceiling I didn’t think he was capable of reaching. It certainly gives him a skillset that not every receiver on the roster currently possesses. And that prioritizes his spot on the depth chart for the last three weeks of the season.

Carolina and Miami both run man coverage at below average rates, so his ability to win in that way is less important for the rest of the regular season. But the Bucs have seen zone-heavy defenses increase their man rates against them this year. But with Mike Evans back, along with McMillan that may not be something they expect going forward.

Jalen McMillan’s Future

What’s most interesting is next year.

Mike Evans will be a free agent, will turn 33, and is coming off of a significant injury. Before all of that he was already openly discussing retirement. Jalen McMillan’s prowess against man and zone may make him someone the team looks to as a fill for the void Evans would leave at the “X” receiver spot.

I would still be cautious expecting that to happen. His overall play strength has improved year over year. But I still see him struggle against press coverage. A.J. Terrell locked him up on his lone jam of McMillan on Thursday night. And without that tool in his belt, he would be hard-pressed to be an above-average option in that role.

Bucs WRs Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But overall, I am more encouraged than ever that JMac is a part of a very good Bucs receiver unit in 2026 and beyond.