When looking at how the Bucs attacked adding talent to the roster this offseason, it was evident that the focus would be on the defensive side of the football. After adding veteran free agents and draft picks alike, head coach Todd Bowles is hoping to get the unit back on track.

While Tampa Bay made the playoffs last season on the back of the offense, they are not free of questions either. New offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard will be tasked with keeping the offense high-scoring, and doing so will mean continuing to put quarterback Baker Mayfield in the best position to have success. How will Grizzard think of ways to get of the team’s wide receivers involved?

A Big Question For The Bucs Is Who Will Be WR3

Post-2025 NFL Draft, question marks remain for each team. Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker recently opined that for the Bucs, the question is who will become the team’s third wide receiver behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin?

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

Assuming Godwin is healthy and ready to go in Week 1, that battle will come down to second-year wideout Jalen McMillan and 2025 first-round pick Emeka Egbuka. It has quickly become an embarrassment of riches at the position, but it could prove difficult to involve them all as much as Josh Grizzard might like to.

After making the wild-card round, the Buccaneers made sure to retain important free agents and make compelling upgrades at multiple positions. And the team’s first-round pick creates a fascinating wide receiver room.

Tampa Bay brought back star Chris Godwin (85.7 PFF receiving grade) on a three-year, $66 million deal, but then also drafted Emeka Egbuka (82.4 PFF receiving grade) at 19th overall. On top of that, Mike Evans (90.2 PFF receiving grade) remains one of the league’s best receivers, and former third-round pick Jalen McMillan came onto the scene with a 75.8 PFF receiving grade in the final five games of the year. Perhaps Godwin may not be ready for the start of 2025 following ankle surgery, but if he’s ready to go, then Tampa Bay won’t have an easy call for whom to put next to him and Evans.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin and GM Jason Licht, photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Evans and Godwin have solidified themselves as the two best wide receivers in team history and each is looking to accomplish even more. Evans is coming of his 11th straight 1,000-yard season and will be looking to make it 12 while also remaining one of the league’s elite redzone threats. Godwin might be coming off a season-ending dislocated ankle injury, but he has not let a severe injury stop him in the past and had a clean enough bill of health for the Bucs to reward him with another multi-year deal.

For as much as they are a lethal duo, it could grow into a trio or even a quartet.

McMillan vastly improved down the stretch as a rookie last season, finishing the year with seven touchdown receptions over the final five regular-season games. McMillan will be looking to take further hold of the third wide receiver spot, but he will be pushed heavily by Egbuka. He enters the next level polished as any wide receiver prospect in this year’s draft and played with several high-end wide receivers during his time at Ohio State. He might need to bide his time working his way into the mix in Tampa Bay, as there is only one ball to go around.

How Often Will Each Bucs WR Get The Football?

Being as four-deep as any wide receiver room in the NFL, it will be a fun challenge for Josh Grizzard to get everyone the football this season. The Bucs’ offense will presumably run through Mike Evans, while Chris Godwin will have every chance to continue the hot start he had to open last season. There is enough offensive balance to assume that Baker Mayfield will not reach 5,000 passing yards, as the running back room appears to be three-deep and will be aiming to continue its success on the ground.

Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

An elite offensive line will give Mayfield all the time he needs though, which will also make it easier to involve all of his weapons in the passing game. Should Evans and Godwin play close to full seasons, they should reach the 1,000-yard plateau. Jalen McMillan will likely increase his total of 461 receiving yards as a rookie, while Egbuka might hover around that mark, too.

The question of who emerges in the passing game is a good problem to have. One can argue that Tampa Bay spent its first-round pick on luxury over necessity, but it has created a situation where the wide receiver room appears set in the short and long-term with enough weapons to overcome injury and a chance to reinforce one of the team’s biggest strengths.