Emeka Egbuka Is Changing Perspectives
October 7th, 2025
Emeka Egbuka reaches back for a TD catch Sunday.
We all get ready for each NFL season expecting one thing or another. But still, most of us will wait maybe two months before jumping to conclusions and swallowing the latest fad in a game.
Veteran columnist Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com said there are a handful of players that have tested his will power to wait. So he typed up a column to celebrate these players, even if he admits he may be jumping the gun on his self-imposed deadline.
His No. 3 player is Bucs rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Egbuka figured to be a huge piece of the Bucs’ success when the franchise selected him in the first round of this year’s draft. He might end up being the most important weapon for this team, given how his career has started. Egbuka has produced two consecutive 100-yard performances — including a seven-catch, 163-yard day in Sunday’s 38-35 win over Seattle — and he’s become a favorite target of quarterback Baker Mayfield. There’s no way the Bucs are sitting at 4-1 after all their injuries on offense if Egbuka needed more time to acclimate to the NFL. Now imagine what happens once Mike Evans gets healthy (he’s currently sidelined with a hamstring injury), and Chris Godwin gets comfortable after returning to the field recently (from a dislocated ankle sustained last season). Egbuka has already won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month honors for September. He might be the runaway favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year once October ends.
Yeah, Joe felt Egbuka would be a complementary piece who next year would begin to make a major impact.
Remember, everybody and their brother compares Egbuka to Chris Godwin, and aside from a win over New Orleans to wrap up the 2017 season, when he caught a game-winning bomb from America’s Quarterback Jameis Winston to beat the slimy Saints which preceded a postgame slapfest by slimy Saints coach Sean Payton, Godwin really didn’t have a huge impact on the Bucs his rookie season.
Egbuka? He’s having a major impact and right now, he’s the Bucs’ No. 1 receiver. And clearly Baker Mayfield is not shy feeding Egbuka the ball.
Just wait until Mike Evans is healthy and Chris Godwin works off the rust. This is going to be fun!.
October 7th, 2025 at 7:06 am
Please stop the ‘Emeka is a Godwin Clone’. His ceiling is way higher and he has more Jefferson or Chase similarities.
October 7th, 2025 at 7:09 am
Don’t forget Jalen McMillian. And Luke Goedeke and Bucky Irving. Geesh that’s a scary offense.
October 7th, 2025 at 7:17 am
The next two weeks are going to be a real test. I’m less worried about the 49ers at home, but the Lions in their crib will be a challenge. Let’s see how Emeka fairs there. If the Bucs come out of those two games 5-2, I’ll be a happy camper. If they someone beat the Lions and emerge 6-1, I’ll be ecstatic. That will put the Bucs atop the NFC mountaintop. Baker as MVP and Emeka as ROY. Let’s go BUCS!!
October 7th, 2025 at 7:21 am
Hope Evans is able to practice this week!
October 7th, 2025 at 7:24 am
EE is the real deal! No way the Bucs are at 4-1 without him. Take a bow JL!
Side note: just a blocked punt away from being the only team in the NFL at 5-0.
October 7th, 2025 at 7:33 am
Licht and Bowles have done a great job of replacing missing pieces both expected and unexpected. Grizz had a breakout game against vs formerly top defense. Coen is 4-1 at Jags and doing a great job beating the Chiefs. I would not be crying if the Chiefs miss the playoffs. Ebuka is replacing the unexpected loss of our #1 receiver.
October 7th, 2025 at 7:34 am
Whatever happened to “taking it one game at a time” ?
MacMillan had a 5-6 game stretch last year where he was catching a TD per game. Before the horrible Godwin injury, CG14 was having the same kind of stretch. Just want to remind all that receivers don’t throw the ball to themselves. The common denominator in all these receiver streaks has been Baker Mayfield. Mayfield has been extraordinarily accurate with his throws. So good, in fact, that Mayfield could make even Rod Munch look like an All Pro receiver.
October 7th, 2025 at 8:08 am
Ebuu is the real deal, go bucs
October 7th, 2025 at 8:11 am
Thankfully Egbuka was drafted. He is already a star.
It does not look like rust with Godwin, he just does not look healthy. Hope he can fully recover again.
When Evans returns along with J Mac , it is going to put every defensive backfield on skates when they play the Bucs.
GO BUCS!!!!
October 7th, 2025 at 8:11 am
Gipper:
“Mayfield has been extraordinarily accurate with his throws. ”
This very true the last game, not so much the previous games. Still…Baker blew me away this week. He looked like Drew Brees out there.
I think it’s because the OL is improving.
October 7th, 2025 at 8:16 am
Lt. Dan
One blocked punt and several, shall we say, questionable calls(?) from a biased officiating crew.
October 7th, 2025 at 8:18 am
Buccaneer Bonzai. Here’s your challenge. Show me one game in the entirety of Drew Brees career that he looked like Mayfield looked Sunday. Brees didn’t have a game that could be compared to Baker. I’m tired of that comparison.
October 7th, 2025 at 8:21 am
I was wrong about Egbuka, but so was everybody else. I wanted defense in round 1. Thought he’d be good, but anyone who tells you this rookie would have this much of an impact before the season began is lying. Nobody saw this level of greatness coming with this level of expediency. We witnessed greatness from Winfield in his rookie year, but has since fallen back to earth. Let’s all hope that doesn’t happen to Egbuka.
Bottom line is we still need defensive help. It’s a sad day when the Seahawks got the ball on their own one yard line and myself and friends “just knew” they were going to go 99 yards for a TD, which they did—easily!
Something, via a trade for picks, must be done to beef up that side of the ball—and soon!
October 7th, 2025 at 8:23 am
i really wanted CG14 to start the season on IR…i knew he wouldnt be 100% after 4missing the first 4games…
i like he’s a little rusty, a little hesitant, a little out of shape and still a little injured
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 7th, 2025 at 8:25 am
gp and Lt. Dan – Yes to both, blocked punt and the questionable officiating.
October 7th, 2025 at 8:35 am
Egbuka+Evans+Godwin+MacMillan+Shepard+TJohnson?
Who could possibly shut that down?
October 7th, 2025 at 8:59 am
Tez showed that make players miss ability he has Sunday, that’s how he will be able to stay healthy. Again making 3 Seahawks miss him in a phone both and having the 2 collide helmet to helmet and then see his skinny ass just stand, look around walk out, hilarious.
October 7th, 2025 at 9:10 am
Meka can’t catch the ball if Baker is on his back. Meka is at the end of the passing factory, but it’s the improvement and grit of the OL that is the root of success. What other teams have moved their starting center to left tackle and been successful? The Bucs started with their All Pro left tackle missing the first 3 games but still were successful? Meka, Bake, and the fans need to give a shout out to all the OL guys who have stepped up under the leadership of Carbs and Pic.
October 7th, 2025 at 9:16 am
I feel like Tez Johnson isn’t being talked about enough. Obviously EE is the sensation, But Johnson made some really key plays in that game.
I can see Tez Johnson playing the Tyler Johnson role only much more electric.
October 7th, 2025 at 9:18 am
Remember “The Greatest Show in Turf?” That would be lata 90’s RAMS.
When our offense gets healthy we have a chance to be “The Greatest Show in Grass!”
Let’s Go!!!!!
October 7th, 2025 at 9:21 am
love Baker’s quote: “He’s well-rounded, and not just in football but in life,” Mayfield said. “I think he’s grounded, and I think he’s genuine in everything he does. He’s intentional, and you just don’t see that often.”
October 7th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Yep. Without Baker and EE this team is 0-5 and the Froddster would be on maximum hot seat.
Fix the defense.
Naa. It’s not gonna happen. It hasn’t since the infamous Rams Cover Zero especially Cooper Kupp playoff giveaway after Brady and Suh led the furious comeback to tie the game with 45 seconds left. Why would anyone after this long believe differently. Telegraph a blitz! But leave a safety valve 15 yards wide open for the easiest completion ever.
Sham.
October 7th, 2025 at 9:43 am
I must say that the passes Baker has made to EE have been an act of beauty and if you don’t follow the Bucs you have missed some fantastic passes and catches. Even when Baker is off he is putting it where only the receiver can catch like the marvelous one handed catch of EE.
Get Mike back in and feed him to 1000, EE, Godwin, Shep, Otton, Bucky, White, Tez and even Miller and KamJon will all be there if Mike is covered. Too many weapons once Mike gets back.
October 7th, 2025 at 9:45 am
Geez…. I forgot JMac… Wow
October 7th, 2025 at 9:51 am
JimBobBuc Says:
October 7th, 2025 at 9:10 am
Meka can’t catch the ball if Baker is on his back.
…….
Jim Bob, very correct. The job this scrabble egg OL had to be put together for an omelet has been remarkable. Haggard and Heck last week were incredible, Bucs were having to play a backup to replace a backup and still has got the job done. So many people stepping up and saying “Here am I and making it work”. This is going to be really fun after the Bye week.
October 7th, 2025 at 9:55 am
Aqualung Says:
October 7th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Yep. Without Baker and EE this team is 0-5 and the Froddster would be on maximum hot seat.
Fix the defense.
**************************************************************
you mean the same defense that forced a fumble and created 2 INTs(1 being called back)..lol…
what a clown!!!
this defense shut the eagles shut in the 2nd half and played lights out the first half in SEA…then closed the game out with a pick!!!!
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 7th, 2025 at 9:59 am
@Gipper the hype for EE is that he is doing veteran things to CBs as a rookie. BM still has to make an accurate pass but EE’s route running, catching, and ability to control the defensive backs with his eyes and body movement is creating space for them to complete these passes
October 7th, 2025 at 10:33 am
I saw every Egbuka game for the Buckeyes and still really underestimated him coming into the NFL.
I also underestimated Tez Johnson due to his size. He made a believer out of me on Sunday, too.
October 7th, 2025 at 11:15 am
Aqualung is correct, i have been saying it for years. ‘Toilet Bowles” playsnot to lose. Can you say mis-communication ith db’s 1,867 more times
October 7th, 2025 at 11:38 am
Usfbucs,
Absolutely agree with you. He is fantastic. The entire offense is remarkable. Especially pleased with the way Rashad White has blossomed in the last couple of years.
October 7th, 2025 at 12:15 pm
See the moves EE2 is making in the above pic? CG14 has to get back into playing shape to do the same thing. He’s coming off a serious, season ending injury and it takes time. Add White and Otton to that list of Bucs receivers when everyone gets FINALLY healthy. Whew! We’re talking Halloween scary here. I have the Detroit game in the L column. We gotta play them in their crib, and that monster defender Aidan Hutchinson is healthy. Bucs should be able to beat the 49ers, but they have to watch out for the refs.
October 7th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
Hopefully, Emeka is learning from Mike that humility will make him even better. The NFL has had enough Beckhams, Ocho Cincos, Browns and Hills.
October 7th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
Bet him right after the draft for OROY,,, had no idea he’d be this good ,,, just figured w Godwin and Big Mike , EE would get a few catches and good matchups here and there ,,, 40-1 back then,,, not tooooo shabby!!!! Oh guess who the favorite is right now for OROY ,,, you guessed it EE at -105
October 7th, 2025 at 1:00 pm
Ebuka is already a better receiver than Godwin.
October 7th, 2025 at 1:09 pm
Area Code Boy – you are a genuine maroon. The same defense who gave up 400 yards in the second half and couldn’t cover a sneeze. The same defense that would lose the game if given the chance at the end. Fortunately Mr “3 touches” Rachaad White made the play of the game to be sure Joe Montana Darnold had no time to mount the certain comeback. Shake your Pom poms at your cupcake club.