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A recent piece from Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine highlighted a surprising direction for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers heading into the draft, pointing to wide receiver as a potential need despite recent investments at the position.
On the surface, it doesn’t immediately stand out. Tampa Bay has used premium draft capital on the position with Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Tez Johnson all added in recent years, while Chris Godwin still anchors the group. But the deeper look tells a different story.
Mike Evans' departure changes the entire structure of the room. Tampa Bay no longer has that true boundary presence, and while Egbuka and McMillan bring value, neither profiles as a direct replacement in that role. At the same time, Godwin’s age and injury history make the long-term outlook less certain than it once was.
Looking at the current depth chart, the group leans heavily on projection rather than proven production, especially outside. That’s where prospects like Malachi Fields or Denzel Boston come into play as bigger-bodied options who could balance out the room and give this offense a different dimension.
There are still bigger needs on defense, but this feels like a tipping point for the team's forward projection. If the Buccaneers want to stabilize the offense around Baker Mayfield moving forward, especially given Mayfield's contract year, adding another young receiver might not be a luxury; it might be part of the plan.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: NFL Draft: The Bucs have a need at WR despite what you may think
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Tampa Bay Current WR Depth Chart
| Position | Starter | Depth 1 | Depth 2 | Depth 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LWR | Emeka Egbuka | David Sills V | Dennis Houston | — |
| RWR | Jalen McMillan | Tez Johnson | — | — |
| SWR | Chris Godwin | Kameron Johnson | Garrett Greene | — |
On the surface, it doesn’t immediately stand out. Tampa Bay has used premium draft capital on the position with Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Tez Johnson all added in recent years, while Chris Godwin still anchors the group. But the deeper look tells a different story.
Mike Evans' departure changes the entire structure of the room. Tampa Bay no longer has that true boundary presence, and while Egbuka and McMillan bring value, neither profiles as a direct replacement in that role. At the same time, Godwin’s age and injury history make the long-term outlook less certain than it once was.
Looking at the current depth chart, the group leans heavily on projection rather than proven production, especially outside. That’s where prospects like Malachi Fields or Denzel Boston come into play as bigger-bodied options who could balance out the room and give this offense a different dimension.
There are still bigger needs on defense, but this feels like a tipping point for the team's forward projection. If the Buccaneers want to stabilize the offense around Baker Mayfield moving forward, especially given Mayfield's contract year, adding another young receiver might not be a luxury; it might be part of the plan.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: NFL Draft: The Bucs have a need at WR despite what you may think
Continue reading...
