Big Role For Emeka Egbuka
September 4th, 2025
Bucs have high confidence in rookie.
Boy, Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard sure seems to have a lot of faith in a rookie.
One could argue the Bucs currently are thin at receiver, an that appeared to be a signifcant strength a few weeks ago.
That’s what happens when your No. 2 receiver (Chris Godwin) is still on the shelf (and who knows when he gets back on the field) and your Jalen McMillan will miss a bunch of time with a severely sprained neck.
So all of a sudden, rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka may have a full plate Sunday when the Bucs open the season at Atlanta.
So much for being eased into the NFL.
Today, speaking with the local pen and mic club, Grizzard said that’s OK. The Bucs planned to give Egbuka a heavy workload even before McMillan went down with his neck injury.
“It was already going to be a big role,” Grizzard said about Egbuka’s workload on Sunday. “And it still is. What he’s able to do, [when you see Egbuka’s] ability to play different positions and move around, then you feel better about if somebody does come out of the game, he can take over and take that role.”
How much has Egbuka impressed coaches? Grizzard said they believe Egbuka could execute a route, catch or block on Sunday even if he never practiced the specific play.
If the Bucs assign Egbuka a play, “something that he might not have repped, but he can go out there and not only execute it, but he can win on the route, win on the run block,” Grizzard said.
“So that gives us a lot of confidence, especially myself, as a play-caller, to be able to lean on him in those situations. He’s been up to the task since he’s been here.”
That’s a high level of confidence in a rookie. The NFL is littered with coaches who avoid rookies like the plague. But here is Grizzard, who is so confident in Egbuka’s skillset and mentality that he has no issue calling for a specific play for Egbuka without practicing it.
The Bucs have been raving about Egbuka all summer. For good reason. Egbuka made play after play after play, day after day in training camp.
But to have confidence in Egbuka that Grizzard can call an unpracticed play without any reservations that Egbuka will succeed tells Joe the Bucs think Egbuka is a special, special player.
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September 4th, 2025 at 4:23 pm
We are about to see why the Bucs took him instead of going for a reach at EDGE.
I think they would have picked him no matter Godwin’s injury.
September 4th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
#2 is going to have a BIG day with Raheem having his secondary double ME13 Emeka will be one on one all day and will take the top off ATL defense
Possibly be watching the birth of the Offensive Rookie of the Year!!
LFG BUCS!!!
Fire them road CANNONS
September 4th, 2025 at 5:31 pm
WTF?
September 4th, 2025 at 5:41 pm
He’s in the slot, so of course he’s going to have a huge role, and should put up some big numbers.
September 4th, 2025 at 5:44 pm
JMac’s injury just sucks. The Bucs went from deep and explosive to paper thin. I wouldn’t totally hate seeing Evans and Eg slide instead of getting tackled.
September 4th, 2025 at 5:50 pm
Joe, haven’t you learned by now? You go WOKE you go broke.
Joe runs a private business and has a long history with the nickname you used. This might enlighten you to a degree.
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2010/11/joebucsfan-com-will-respond-before-midnight/
Joe’s got a right to an opinion, and the right to run Joe’s business to Joe’s satisfaction.
Your “woke” comment, much of which has been deleted because it is misrepresentative and a malicous attack on Joe’s enterprise, is not appreciated.
If you really think Joe is woke, the archives are here for you to educate yourself otherwise. –Joe
September 4th, 2025 at 6:00 pm
J-Macs absence is truly a bummer but we got Mike and I trust EE, Shep, Ryan Miller and don’t forget about TEZ and Cade.
Thank gawd we got EE tho …. Great move by Jason and Todd 👍🏼
September 4th, 2025 at 6:06 pm
What a beast. EE is gonna be a baller from Day 1. He’s also really cheap on Draftkings, the cheapest he will ever be in fact. Fire him up week 1 in the dome vs Atlanta.
September 4th, 2025 at 6:10 pm
Ryan Miller will be the surprise go to receiver Sunday. ME13 gets 6 catches. Miller gets 7.
September 4th, 2025 at 7:06 pm
Nothing wrong with being woke. It means awareness, after all.
And Egbuka will be a monster.
September 4th, 2025 at 8:19 pm
No JMac or Godwin. For awhile. God forbid Egbuka and or Mike goes down. Then Shep, Ryan Miller, Tez, Otten, Durham, Culp, Racheed, Bucky, and Sean have all caught alot of passes from Mayfield. Well, Tez is a rookie. But that dude knows how to get open. We’ve got a deep, experienced, talented offensive unit. I believe our defense is going to be the story this year and can’t wait to see them Sunday. They’ve been abused by this fan base long enough. They oughta be playing like their hair’s on fire. Emeka doesn’t have to be anymore than what he is. He is going to be a good one. But he’s not our only option.
September 4th, 2025 at 10:25 pm
StpeteMatt
Good on ya’, exactly right.
September 4th, 2025 at 11:50 pm
Hot Take – Emeka is the best WR on the roster from a talent perspective at this point, not a dig at anyone else. We’re about to see TO without the drama. What an incredible addition to Mike and Chris.
This is how you win a SB.
September 5th, 2025 at 3:15 am
EE looked pretty good in that one preseason game and he practically lived in the camp notes so my expectations are high as can be. All I need is a cold 18 pack of Bud Light Platinum and decide my game day feast.
September 5th, 2025 at 9:46 am
Buckeye players v are always ready forvthe pros.