The Emeka Egbuka Catch
May 29th, 2026
Cincinnati-Ready.
Yes, the catch was nice. But what happened afterwards is what caught Joe’s eye.
If you listened to the “Ira Kaufman Podcast” yesterday, you heard Joe discuss on the very first play of the very first open OTA underwear football practice, Emeka Egbuka caught a Baker Mayfield pass that was slightly overthrown over the middle. He caught it one-handed and never broke stride as he scored.
It was an awesome catch. And Joe is thankful the Bucs yesterday shared the video. You know what stuck out to Joe aside from Egbuka’s catch?
Some background: The Bucs made a major effort to add players this offseason that brought juice to the field. Last year, way too often on defense, the Bucs were lethargic. You may even argue the defense quit on KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
So the Bucs sought juice, guys who added passion and spice to the roster. Enthusiasm is contagious.
And what did Joe see on that video aside from Egbuka’s catch? Joe saw Jalen McMillan running right behind Egbuka and McMillan celebrated by jumping on Egbuka as if the play just won a regular season game against the slimy Saints.
On the first play of offense vs. defense in the opening OTA practice.
If dudes are celebrating just one play in just one practice, imagine how much juice they will bring to the table in Cincinnati?
Joe thinks it is safe to say Egbuka is Cincinnati-Ready.
We know y'all have been waiting for this one… THE Emeka catch đŽâđ¨ pic.twitter.com/DLs0ax2O8l
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) May 28, 2026
May 29th, 2026 at 12:20 am
The good: It was a GREAT catch!
The bad: it was wayyy overthrown and behind him by an underwear QB with no threat of getting hit.
The ugly: where were the DBâs?
The truth: Good, bad and ugly are pretty meaningless in May. But it was nice to see two receivers who were fired up.
May 29th, 2026 at 12:36 am
Baker off target once again.
May 29th, 2026 at 12:57 am
kgh4life Says:
Baker off target once again.
^^^^^^^^
I saw three things:
1. Bowles defense.
He had a linebacker of EE. Not a defender within 8 yards. Gonna be a long year.
2. Baker was way off.
No hitting. No pressure. Just bad throw.
3. Hospital ball.
High, off the mark, over the middle. In a game, against a good defense, EE is totally exposed. That’s a bunch of broken ribs and a concussion.
May 29th, 2026 at 1:11 am
Was that a Todd Bowles defense where the middle of the field was wide open? Haha
May 29th, 2026 at 1:37 am
Itâs the No look Defense. Or Cover None, if you prefer.
May 29th, 2026 at 2:20 am
Dog poo defense strikes again.
This will be a year to forget.
Glazer kids wonât be happy until weâre 3-14.
Prepare your bookie for lots of bets against the Bucs to cover the spread.
2026 will get ugly quick.
May 29th, 2026 at 2:24 am
JA Says:
May 29th, 2026 at 12:20 am
The good: It was a GREAT catch!
The bad: it was wayyy overthrown and behind him by an underwear QB with no threat of getting hit.
The ugly: where were the DBâs?
The truth: Good, bad and ugly are pretty meaningless in May. But it was nice to see two receivers who were fired up.
——————————————————–
I was thinking the exact same things. Absolute ZERO pressure given on anyone during that play. The DB’s were probably on water break during that play because they sure weren’t anywhere they needed to be.
May 29th, 2026 at 3:00 am
Omg ppl calm down! Yes we’re all to familiar with seeing our defense getting gashed deep over the middle and Baker being inaccurate but ITS THE FIRST PLAY OF THE FIRST PRACTICE! let’s not hit the panic button already. I would like to hope they will clean things up and Tod will adjust to what has been the weakness to his scheme. If we continue to let teams burn us over the middle this year I will be shocked and Todd will be looking for a new job by the end of the year. I will predict that much.
May 29th, 2026 at 3:21 am
First, it was a great effort by Egbuka that was greeted with enthusiasm. Those are good things.
Second, we do not see the route or the scheme the defense was running before the ball comes into the frame. But, I watched the play a couple of times, and it looks to me like Baker may have uncorked some veteran savvy with malice aforethought on an aggressive but young CB.
Anzalone, a linebacker, was underneath where a linebacker should be. But, who was over the top?
Well, if you slow it down and watch it carefully, Morrison is vacating that over the top space and running away from Egbuka to go deep to help Tykee Smith with McMillan.
My speculative reconstruction is that Baker sold a big time pump fake towards McMillan making it look McMillan and Smith were going to have a 50-50 ball in the end zone.
Morrison, who had been sitting on top of Egbuka’s route, bit on the fake and jetted deep to try to jump McMillan’s route underneath.
Seeing that he had sold the fake and pulled Morrison out of position, Baker, pulled the ball down and quickly flung it to Egbuka without taking the time to get set and use his usual mechanics.
Baker got out an ugly, but catchable, ball on a brilliant play, and Egbuka finished the play like an All Pro.
And, Baker getting Morrison to bite on the fake may have been part of McMillan’s excitement.
And, if all of this is the case, it was not a bad play by Morrison – he was set up by a savvy vet while playing good aggressive defense.
Joe says that this was this first play beginning OTAs. Would it be surprising if Baker had cooked this up in advance to start OTAs by taking a shot at the D right off of the bat?
May 29th, 2026 at 3:48 am
Good take Toopanca! I was looking at Anzalone’s drop in zone, don’t know if he hit his landmark, but it seemed deep enough.
May 29th, 2026 at 4:14 am
It’s interesting that AW3 wasn’t deep, he was covering Bucky coming out of the flat.
May 29th, 2026 at 5:08 am
My motto this season is exactly what we just witnessed. Forget about the defense and build an overwhelming offense. We know what Bowles is going to deliver. We lost a HOFer and still have the best receiver room in the league. Add a decent pair of running backs and an OC who put up a thousand yards and a hundred points on us last season and the O should be cooking with grease! Forget about the defense. Anything we get from them will be a bonus.
May 29th, 2026 at 6:01 am
Wake me in (late) August.
May 29th, 2026 at 6:34 am
Egbuka looked really quick to me.
May 29th, 2026 at 6:37 am
“”Itâs interesting that AW3 wasnât deep, he was covering Bucky coming out of the flat.””
Ahhhh there it is! The name Antoine Winfield Jr has finally been spoken. Haven’t heard the FORMER All Pro’s name in 2 yrs. I’m quite sure you all have noticed that any time a safety’s name comes up now a days it’s Tykee Smith’s name that’s talked about. Winfield has done a disappearing act that David Copperfield would be in awe of. Another Todd Bowles deciple who has regressed dramatically.
May 29th, 2026 at 6:41 am
I see the defense is in midseason form
May 29th, 2026 at 6:46 am
WR 1 ready
May 29th, 2026 at 6:47 am
I havenât been this excited about a Bucs WR core in a long time. This young guns have the PERFECT mentor in Godwin.
May 29th, 2026 at 6:54 am
Busted coverage and the pass was terrible, looks good though.
May 29th, 2026 at 7:01 am
His hammy doesn’t seem to hurt anymore
May 29th, 2026 at 7:25 am
You all are idiots for trying find negatives on this play.
Was the defense able to truly let a pass rush happen? Defense is at a full disadvantage in boxer brief football. Let it go. Love the catch. Be happy we have WRs that can do that.
May 29th, 2026 at 7:29 am
KABucs Says:
May 29th, 2026 at 7:25 am
You all are idiots for trying find negatives on this play.
Was the defense able to truly let a pass rush happen? Defense is at a full disadvantage in boxer brief football. Let it go. Love the catch. Be happy we have WRs that can do that.
I agree, itâs one thing to have a passionate fan base but itâs another to have nothing but negative things to say about a positive article. Miserable bunch of losers.
May 29th, 2026 at 7:33 am
Baker is in late season form. Im surprised no one blamed the OL for the horrible off-target pass. But this season will be different because the Bucs have a new OC.
May 29th, 2026 at 7:41 am
What a bunch of goofs.
May 29th, 2026 at 7:46 am
@99,YES THEY ARE TOTAL IDIOTS! Man,Joe,your site is great but These BUCS HATERS are real!They are always looking for the bad! Dang these are some MISERABLE PEOPLE!
May 29th, 2026 at 8:28 am
Someone pointed out Baker may have been trying to hit McMillen farther down the field and Egbuka snatched it away instead.
May 29th, 2026 at 8:29 am
Offense is going to torch the defense allll year long. Look at the OC, lets not forget how bad we would get beaten on the defensive side of the ball because of his offense with a hobbled kirko….
May 29th, 2026 at 8:30 am
Lets just appreciate this amazing catch everyone.
May 29th, 2026 at 8:31 am
Taste it. Does it taste like dog poo? Yep
Good thing we didnât step on it.
May 29th, 2026 at 9:00 am
Everybody bashing ANYBODY right now is an idiot. It’s underwear football… it’s practice. This is what practice is for. Most of the ones most critical have the athleticism of an elderly sloth. Seriously, STFU, you clearly don’t know the first thing about football.
May 29th, 2026 at 9:13 am
Can’t wait for August
May 29th, 2026 at 9:49 am
People criticizing a defense that’s not allowed to play all out or hit. Unbelievable.
May 29th, 2026 at 9:53 am
Every time I hear or see “You might say that,” I flash back to Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny.
“I *DID* say that. Would *YOU* say that?”
I would definitely say the defense quit on Bowles last year, which is why I’m frankly livid that he’s inexplicably back yet again.
I can’t remember even one NFL head coach that went .500 year in, year out, for FOUR YEARS and somehow kept his job, to say nothing about a head coach whose specialty unit (the defense in this case) completely collapsed (i.e. QUIT!) on him.
How Todd Bowles isn’t flipping burgers right now is well beyond my understanding.
May 29th, 2026 at 10:22 am
What a Great catch by EE, but was that another terrible throw by #6???
May 29th, 2026 at 11:05 am
LOL Not one defender in position to make a play looked familiar to me Joe.
Go Bucs!