Emeka Egbuka says it’s ‘weird’ not having Mike Evans around

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TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 2: Emeka Egbuka #2 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to practice at the AdventHealth Training Center on June 2, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have enteried unfamiliar territory without Mike Evans in training camp in 2026, and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka admitted “it is a little weird” not having the former Buc around.

Asked about Evans’ absence by CBS Sports, Egbuka described the franchise legend as being “Tampa through and through,” noting that Evans has become virtually synonymous with the Buccaneers. Evans spent 12 seasons in Tampa Bay before beginning a new chapter with the San Francisco 49ers this offseason.

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For Egbuka, however, Evans’ impact extends far beyond his production on the field. The second-year receiver expressed gratitude for the opportunity to spend his rookie season learning directly from one of the most accomplished players in franchise history.

“I am just really grateful that I got to spend a year with him,” Egbuka said, adding that he expects Evans to accomplish great things in San Francisco.

Now, both sides have moved forward. Evans has begun his next chapter with the 49ers, while Egbuka and Tampa Bay’s reshaped receiving corps prepare to establish a new identity without the franchise’s longtime cornerstone.

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