How Emeka Egbuka Handles New Role
November 27th, 2025
Adjusting like a pro.
When a rookie gets off to a fast start, it’s just a matter of time before the opposition adjusts.
And that’s partially why Bucs rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka has seen his numbers shrink in recent weeks.
Beginning with the win over San Francisco, with both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin out, Egbuka’s numbers have slipped. He quickly went from a wet-behind-the-ears rookie to a marked man.
Starting with the 49ers, Egbuka has had just one game with over 100 yards receiving. That came against the Patriots — 115 yards and a touchdown.
Egbuka had five touchdown catches in his first five games. He’s had one in his last six. Egbuka is very much on the radar of opposing defensive coordinators.
With Evans and Godwin gone, Egbuka is regularly double-teamed. (Yes, Joe knows Godwin came back last week in a limited role and barely played in the second half.) Opposing defenses aren’t that worried about Sterling Shepard or Tez Johnson, and they’ve done a solid job of keeping Egbuka under wraps.
So is Egbuka freaking out? Baker Mayfield said Egbuka is as professional as an eight-year vet.
“I think it’s incredibly difficult for most people to do it,” Mayfield said of Egbuka’s role changing midseason. “I think because of the way he’s built and he’s wired – even I take it for granted sometimes how easy it is for him to be able to play three different positions and be able to have the route conversions and be able to go in there and play different spots.
“So, it’s really a testament to him that he’s able to do it, because it’s not easy to go from being – not that he was ever the second option – but you’re dealing with the guy in Mike Evans, who’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and now you’re kind of shifting into that role.
“So, his production for the most part has stayed up. I know it’s been asked at times on [if] he’s getting doubled now and this and that, and I think he’s done a good job with that too. He continues to prepare the same way, whether he had a big game or a game that we tried to get him the ball more.”
It’s too bad Johnson, not since San Francisco, couldn’t blow up one game to take maybe take heat off Egbuka. Hopefully, Godwin will soon.
Joe sure hopes Mike Evans returns in shape enough to force defenses not to focus so much on neutralizing Egbuka.
November 27th, 2025 at 12:02 pm
We seem to be relying totally on hope right now. That’s never good.
November 27th, 2025 at 12:11 pm
He’s had opportunities to be as productive, but yeah, no blame for Baker is the best way to put it. The film must be lying.
November 27th, 2025 at 12:18 pm
Mike Evans will return at full speed and raring to go.
November 27th, 2025 at 12:28 pm
We have a chance for a great offense and should draft a monster TE & another WR and a 6th Olineman.
The defense is hopeless….go with a 40 point per game offense.
November 27th, 2025 at 12:32 pm
Mek has been getting open, but Baker has been missing the mark constantly.
I see that Ragnow came out of retirement to help the lions, can we get Marpet to come out of retirement to replace these garbage 3rd string guards?
November 27th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
WE WILL BE FINE WHEN MIKE OR J MAC OR GODWIN RETURN. THEY CANT DOUBLE COVER THEM ALL .SOMEONE WILL BE OPEN ! NOT MY WORRY .DRFENCE IS THE BIG WORRY ! PLAY CALLING IS A BIG WORRY !
November 27th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
Jughead
Marpet weighs half what he played at.. no help there
November 27th, 2025 at 1:08 pm
I had him as OROTY this year.
November 27th, 2025 at 1:23 pm
I think Johnson will blow up one game, Baker does not throw to him as much as Egbuka–look at his targets. Johnson takes full advantage and has been very productive with what he has gotten.
November 27th, 2025 at 1:40 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:
November 27th, 2025 at 12:28 pm
We have a chance for a great offense and should draft a monster TE & another WR and a 6th Olineman.
The defense is hopeless….go with a 40 point per game offense.
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What do we do about the defense?
November 27th, 2025 at 1:40 pm
Watching other teams that have defenses that run and hit and tackle and rush the passer and cover people makes me really jealous.
They aren’t bored, I guess.
November 27th, 2025 at 1:46 pm
The future is bright! What other team in the NFL has lost its top three receivers for half or more of the season this year or any year and stayed competitive,
November 27th, 2025 at 1:47 pm
Tampabaybucfan, that is against everything Bowles believes in. He had that option in the past and blew it.
November 27th, 2025 at 1:47 pm
Did I forget to mention Patriots are 10 & 2?
November 27th, 2025 at 1:50 pm
Yeah and the coaching staff is the best. If the Bucs loses against the cardinals the season is over.
November 27th, 2025 at 2:19 pm
Season wont be over if they lose but it would be crushing knowing this team is a bunch of frauds with a hot start and what we hoped for early on was a superbowl run only for Bowles to mess that up
November 27th, 2025 at 2:23 pm
This is something that has had me ‘thinking’ for some time now… EE has never been a #1-WR. He was always the (solid and steady) #2 while at Ohio State. HE thrived in that role. Also, everyone has been SO impressed with his maturity, & etc. Hell, he was at THE Ohio State for 10-YEARS, and was like 30-YEARS OLD, by the time he’d left Hahahah. It really did seem like it tho LoL. I watched him in at least 30+ of his games there! That’s how I knew exactly who we were getting. HE was probably THE ‘SAFEST’ Pick in the entire draft. He’s going to have a long career in the league. Good Player. So is JMac (if he can get back, stay back, and play smart, while not completely losing his fearlessness). You put those two with a TRUE #1-STUD WR (in free-agency, or the 2027 draft), then we’re really gonna have something here, for a LONG TIME. And, it will be LOTS of FUN to watch, whether it’s Baker throwing them the ball, or whomever. It would definitely make life MUCH MORE easier for a young ‘rookie’ QB (and with our young O-Line)… SHEW!!!! It would put them in a GrrrREAT position to succeed, especially with a YOUNG modern day STUD of a Head Coach.
November 27th, 2025 at 2:30 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:
November 27th, 2025 at 12:28 pm
We have a chance for a great offense and should draft a monster TE & another WR and a 6th Olineman.
The defense is hopeless….go with a 40 point per game offense.
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We should also acquire a monster DE and an ILB.
November 27th, 2025 at 2:32 pm
Jmarkbuc Says: “Marpet weighs half what he played at.. no help there.”
That was exactly what I was going to say! He’d need to put on another 100-150+ POUNDS. It’s amazing how fast (in a matter of just a couple of MONTHS) most of those O-Linemen can get into ‘normal’ people shape immediately after they retire.
November 27th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
And, oh yeah… Bout forgot about Ol’ TEZ! Was just thinking this the other night.. Throw him in there as our #4 option, along with those guys mentioned above. With Bucky, and another young RB. This FO is going to have to blow this up ASAP and get a LEGIT Big-Time, HOMERUN-hire for our next (top-tier level) Head Coach. And, give him control over who and what HE WANTS (in the draft AND in free-agency)… Cause, the ‘pieces’ are there, on Offense. Get the ‘right’ YOUNG and AGRESSIVE (high-energy) Defensive Coordinator, and rebuild this defense in the RIGHT way… With all DAWGS from big POWER schools. 5-star ATHLETES, who LOVE football. Whatever. It. TAKES. Just get-it DONE ALREADY. Stop wasting more time, with this same-old BS. Cause, that is exactly what we have done… Just WASTED. Whatever the cost… go out and GET “THE GUY!” Just make-it happen.
November 27th, 2025 at 2:47 pm
e2 has been great, the QB play since the Lions game has not – although Baker was mostly good during the Bills game. But, assuming Mayfield follows the same path he’s followed every year, he should snap out of his yearly mid-year slump either this week (if he plays) and then finally the offense should get back on track. It’s not all Baker to be sure, losing both guards, having to start a scrub like Shepard, those are things that make everything a lot more difficult. For Tez, for a 7th rounder, he’s been great – and I think I was way higher on him than most heading into the season – but he’s great as a depth WR, the fact he’s also starting, along with a washed up Sterling, well those expensive contracts WR’s get are for a reason.