The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have no shortage of talent on offense – but they are about to test the limits of that.
Chris Godwin continues to face an uncertain timeline for a return to action following a season-ending ankle injury in 2024. Now, Jalen McMillan is poised to join that club as he deals with a neck injury that will sideline him for the foreseeable future.
The second-year pro out of Washington emerged as a key piece of Tampa’s offense, especially after Godwin went down in Week 7.
McMillan finished the season by scoring touchdowns in five straight games, capping off his rookie year with 37 receptions, 461 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Bucs are fortunate in that they are built to withstand these injuries. With them continuing to mount, however, it remains to be seen how much more they can take.
Here’s the latest on McMillan and how long he could be out.
What is Jalen McMillan’s injury?
McMillan is dealing with a severe neck strain after taking an awkward fall onto his head and neck during the team’s second preseason game on Aug. 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The receiver was flipped by Steelers’ cornerback, Daryl Porter Jr. McMillan was able to walk off the field under his own power and was taken to the hospital for evaluation. He was wearing a neck brace, but able to return to Tampa with the team.
Head coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Tuesday that the injury shouldn’t be career-threatening.
How long is Jalen McMillan out?
McMillan is set to land on injured reserve to start the season, which will keep him out a minimum of four games. The receiver could miss time beyond those initial four games, however, with the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reporting that McMillan could be out through the team’s Week 9 bye.
Jalen McMillan return date
McMillan could miss around half of the 2025 regular season, pushing his return date to November at the earliest.
Buccaneers WR depth chart
With McMillan set to be sidelined and Godwin still on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, here is a look at the Buccaneers’ remaining WR depth chart:
- Mike Evans
- Emeka Egbuka
- Trey Palmer
- Sterling Shepard
- Tez Johnson
Evans remains the clear WR1, but Tampa’s depth will be tested in a big way without McMillan and potentially Godwin. Egbuka, the team’s first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is the beneficiary in this case. The former Ohio State star should see a lot more playing time and opportunity in his rookie year.
Palmer and Shepard are depth pieces that have each had their moments in Tampa, while Johnson was a seventh-round pick in the draft.