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Tuesday was Day One of Buccaneers OTA's, and Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin Jr. wasted no time sharpening iron together. While the two receivers are pushing each other in a healthy way, there is already a growing sense around practice that the pair is turning nearly every drill into a competition, especially on third downs.
During early OTA work, both receivers reportedly made a point to track situational catches, including who was moving the chains most consistently. With Mike Evans now gone, Tampa Bay’s offense is searching for a new identity in high-pressure situations, and both McMillan and Godwin appear eager to establish themselves as Baker Mayfield’s most trusted option when the offense needs a conversion.
For McMillan, the competition represents another step in what could become a breakout third NFL season. The former Washington receiver returned to the field healthy after a 2025 campaign that included a significant neck injury before a late-season return. Godwin, meanwhile, remains the steady veteran presence in the room. The longtime Buccaneers receiver has built his career on toughness, reliability, and elite work over the middle, making him one of the NFL’s better third-down receivers.
Todd Bowles recently emphasized how important it is for Tampa Bay to finally have its wide receiver room healthy together again after last season’s injuries piled up. That health has already translated into a much more competitive OTA environment, particularly in situational work where timing and trust become everything. If the first week of OTAs is any indication, McMillan and Godwin are already setting the tone for a wide receiver room that knows it must collectively replace a massive amount of production in 2026.
And for Tampa Bay’s offense, that type of internal competition may end up being one of the biggest early wins of the offseason.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin ready to compete in 2026
Continue reading...
During early OTA work, both receivers reportedly made a point to track situational catches, including who was moving the chains most consistently. With Mike Evans now gone, Tampa Bay’s offense is searching for a new identity in high-pressure situations, and both McMillan and Godwin appear eager to establish themselves as Baker Mayfield’s most trusted option when the offense needs a conversion.
For McMillan, the competition represents another step in what could become a breakout third NFL season. The former Washington receiver returned to the field healthy after a 2025 campaign that included a significant neck injury before a late-season return. Godwin, meanwhile, remains the steady veteran presence in the room. The longtime Buccaneers receiver has built his career on toughness, reliability, and elite work over the middle, making him one of the NFL’s better third-down receivers.
Todd Bowles recently emphasized how important it is for Tampa Bay to finally have its wide receiver room healthy together again after last season’s injuries piled up. That health has already translated into a much more competitive OTA environment, particularly in situational work where timing and trust become everything. If the first week of OTAs is any indication, McMillan and Godwin are already setting the tone for a wide receiver room that knows it must collectively replace a massive amount of production in 2026.
And for Tampa Bay’s offense, that type of internal competition may end up being one of the biggest early wins of the offseason.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin ready to compete in 2026
Continue reading...
