Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

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Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds answers your questions from the @PewterReport X account this week in the Bucs Mailbag. Submit your question to SR each week via X using the hashtag #PRMailbag.  Here are the Bucs questions we chose to answer for this week’s edition.

QUESTION: With the Mike Evans injury, who do you think will emerge as the next guy behind Emeka Egbuka? Even if Chris Godwin Jr. returns next week, there needs to be a second option as they will need to work him back in.

ANSWER: Well, the good news is that rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who was listed as questionable with a groin and hip injury, played on Sunday in the team’s 29-27 win over the Jets and fought through being banged up. The way Egbuka accelerated through routes, extended for catches and pushed through his injuries made it seem like he wasn’t even hurt.

I’m sure he’s sore today, but should be available for Sunday’s game against the Eagles. He’ll continue to be Baker Mayfield’s top option in the passing game if Mike Evans’ hamstring injury prevents him from playing on Sunday versus the Eagles. Through three games, Egbuka is the team’s leading receiver with 14 catches for 181 yards (12.9 avg.) and three touchdowns.

Bucs WR Sterling Shepard – Photo by: USA Today

Sterling Shepard has been playing fantastic football this year and is coming off a great training camp where he remained healthy even at age 32. Shepard has 11 catches for 153 yards (13.9 avg.) and has the full trust and confidence of Baker Mayfield dating back to their days at Oklahoma. Even without Evans on that final drive, it was Egbuka’s 28-yard catch and Shepard’s 20-yard reception that drove the Bucs into field goal range for Chase McLaughlin’s game-winning kick. He’ll continue to shine as Tampa Bay’s Z receiver (flanker).

Here’s what head coach Todd Bowles said after the game regarding Evans’ hamstring injury: “So far, a hamstring tweak. I have not gone in to see the final details yet.” Evans is scheduled to have an MRI early on Monday and the results should be known later in the day.

If Evans is out on Sunday, and assuming Chris Godwin Jr. might not be available either as his updated target date for his return was Week 5 at Seattle, Ryan Miller and rookie Tez Johnson will be called upon to step up at the X receiver (split end). Miller already has a touchdown catch this year and is a great blocker on the perimeter. Johnson got behind the Jets defense on first down on Tampa Bay’s final drive, but Mayfield overthrew him on what would’ve been a 66-yard touchdown.

QUESTION: Should the Bucs consider sitting Mike Evans, Chris Godwin Jr. and Tristan Wirfs this Sunday against the Eagles in order to risk them getting re-injured? This is a long season and I would hate to see Evans try to play through a hamstring injury like last year and then be out multiple games like last year.

ANSWER: I understand the thought process, but we’re talking about three different Buccaneers – all with different injury situations. As for Mike Evans, whether he just tweaked his hamstring, which means he could be in play for Sunday’s game against Philadelphia, or pulled it, which means he might miss some time, he was pretty upset after the injury occurred in the second half. Evans was seen punching a cooler on the sidelines and then walked into the tunnel with a trainer and threw his helmet down in disgust.

I totally understand the concern of playing Evans with the potential of him really tearing that hamstring like he did when he tried to play through a hamstring pull last year in Week 7 against Baltimore. Evans wound up missing three games as a result. At age 32 and given his hamstring injuries in the past, I wouldn’t mind the Bucs sitting Evans and being smart about this.

Especially given the fact that Sunday’s game against the Eagles is expected to be another scorcher with a feels-like temperature of over 100 degrees on the field. Hot, sunny days lead to dehydration, and dehydration leads to cramping and tightening of muscles like hamstrings. I’d feel better about Evans’ chances of returning the following week at Seattle where highs are in the 50s or 60s this time of year.

As for Chris Godwin Jr., I haven’t seen him practice, as the live, 11-on-11 portions of practice are closed to the media. I have no idea if he’s been able to return to full speed – or close to it – and I haven’t seen how he looks making cuts and getting into and out of routes. I’m expecting Godwin to have a good deal of rust to shake off when he returns to action on game days, and everything I’ve heard puts his return at Week 5 at Seattle at the earliest.

Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs and GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

There is a good chance left tackle Tristan Wirfs returns to action this week against Philadelphia. The team avoided putting Wirfs on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list for two very good reasons. First, the Bucs hoped he wouldn’t miss four games, and if he returns to action against the Eagles on Sunday, he’ll be right on schedule. And second, the Bucs wanted Wirfs to be able to practice and get back into football shape for a few weeks before suiting up on game day. If Wirfs was on PUP, he would not have been able to practice until Week 5.

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles will need to be smart with these injuries. I’m sure Evans will likely try to play if he’s able, but after what happened last year, that may not be a good idea. Who knows? The Bucs might be able to beat the Eagles without him? I’m less convinced Tampa Bay would be able to win without Wirfs, though.

QUESTION: Any update on Jalen McMillan? Also, why so much hesitance on Ben Chukwuma? Is he not progressing in practice?

ANSWER: There is no new update on Jalen McMillan’s status. The original prognosis was that he would likely return after the bye in Week 9, which is November 2. From what I understand, that’s still the time table with his severe neck strain. And that doesn’t mean right after the bye week, either. It could be December before McMillan returns to action. Not only must McMillan let the swelling and pain subside, but he must also get his full range of motion back in his neck and then strengthen it in order to be able to absorb contact and not re-injure himself when he returns to action.

Bucs LT Ben Chukwuma – Photo by: USA Today

As for Ben Chukwuma, I thought he really played well in the preseason and didn’t give up a sack on 75 pass rush reps out of the 132 snaps he played. Most of Chukwuma’s snaps came at left tackle, but he also took a handful of snaps at right tackle. Chukwuma was flagged twice in the preseason and only allowed one pressure. That earned him a team-high 85.9 pass blocking grade per Pro Football Focus.

The problem with Chukwuma is that he really hasn’t played a lot of football. He’s only played offensive tackle for just over a year at Georgia State, which is a lower level program. He’s a fine athlete and has good size at 6-foot-6, 310 pounds, but really lacks experience. That’s key, as we saw guards Elijah Klein and Luke Haggard struggle mightily in their first NFL starts on Sunday against the Jets.

QUESTION: Kicking game looked good but then the blocked FG nearly cost us the game. Are the Bucs special teams cursed? It always seems like something goes wrong with that unit.

ANSWER: It was certainly nice to see Bucs kicker Chase McLaughlin return to form in Week 3 against the Jets after missing two field goals and an extra point in the first two weeks of the NFL season. McLaughlin made five field goals and both of his extra points in Tampa Bay’s win, including the 36-yard game-winner. It was also impressive to see him drill kicks of 54 and 55 yards on Sunday.

Of course the only field goal McLaughlin didn’t connect on was the 43-yarder that Will McDonald IV blocked and scooped and scored on. That wasn’t his fault as McDonald used his athleticism to leap over the linemen and block the kick. But you are right – it always seems like there is something going on with special teams.

Last week it was the blocked punt at Houston that almost cost Tampa Bay a win in Week 2. Riley Dixon didn’t have a great day punting the ball in his first outing at Raymond James Stadium as a Buccaneer, averaging 40.5 yards with a net of 35.5 yards with one touchback and one punt downed inside the 20. It looked to me like one of Dixon’s four punts was almost blocked against the Jets, too. He really needs to work on getting his punts off sooner. If not, I wouldn’t be surprised to see another one get blocked this year.

It doesn’t help the fact that the Bucs are facing the Eagles next in Week 4. Philadelphia defensive tackle Jordan Davis blocked two field goals in the win over Los Angeles on Sunday, including what could have been a game-winner for the Rams. Like McDonald did against the Bucs, Davis picked up the ball and raced to the end zone for a touchdown against the Rams. If Tampa Bay doesn’t correct its blocking issues it’s going to be disastrous for the special teams unit.