Baker Mayfield Goes To Bat For Emeka Egbuka
December 8th, 2025
Emeka Egbuka can’t quite hang on to a potential touchdown catch Sunday.
Joe has noticed the grumbling last night and this morning. And Joe understands, but let’s not get carried away.
Emeka Egbuka is not Michael Clayton II. The guy, through his big-time college career and so far very short NFL career, has tons of street cred for being a fine receiver.
Perhaps he’s being asked to do too much too soon due to injuries? Perhaps the rookie wall has hit?
Asking a rookie to be a playoff contender’s No. 1 receiver is a big bite. Maybe too big.
Baker Mayfield won’t tolerate any Egbuka hate. Mayfield used his platform yesterday after the dreary loss to the slimy Saints to defend Egbuka.
In the past couple of weeks, the Chris Godwin clone has developed a case of the yips, dropping potential touchdown passes, including a big one yesterday when he was wide-ass open in the end zone. Had Egbuka hung on, that could have been the game-winner.
“Mek (Emeka) is a professional,” Mayfield began. “Obviously, he’s going to beat himself up about that.
“After [the drop] I went up to him and told him, ‘The ball is going to find you again in this two-minute drive when we get it back, so we’re gonna need you.’”
Mayfield said howling at a receiver for drops won’t do a damn bit of good.
“It’s just the nature of the game,” Mayfield said. “Telling people to catch the ball doesn’t do anything.
“They’re not trying to drop it, so I just [told] him to pick his head up. Stuff happens – we’ve gotta move forward [and] gotta play the next play.”
The Bucs have a lot of problems right now and Joe doesn’t consider Egbuka’s sudden dropsies to be the worst of them.
Defending kickoffs, defending the pass, throwing the ball forward and not sideways, targeting your Pro Bowl receiver instead of an unreliable tight end on money downs and the perpetual issue of not sacking the quarterback (enough) are far bigger problems than Egbuka dropping a pass or two.
December 8th, 2025 at 11:51 am
If a sack doesn’t cause a punt on that series of downs, it’s just as useless as a pressure. Bucs have been giving up first downs after sacks *way* too often. We are actually middling in sack rate but they don’t always help you win the game.
December 8th, 2025 at 11:57 am
In your last post Joe, you speculated that Bowles may have lost the locker room. Whatever happened to “That Man” concept pushed by Licht and epitomized by Lavonte Dave – team oriented, good person, loves football, plays hard? I don’t think it’s the players as much as it is the systems they play in, defensively, offensively and special teams. We need new coordinators on both sides of the ball. Accountability shouldn’t stop with the players.
December 8th, 2025 at 11:59 am
Hey Joe , you are dead on leave Egbuka alone. He is a rookie and will have growing pains. My guess ,he is pressing to hard trying to help the team. If he was the biggest problem this team has, we would be in great shape.
The team has some big , big problems, but Eguka is not 1 of them. He is the future. Leave the Man alone
December 8th, 2025 at 12:02 pm
That particular pass considering the weather was understandable, certainly catchable for a PRO elite WR.
That said he has dropped a 1/2 dozen catchable balls this year.
.
Joes
How did LT
Chukwuma grade out yesterday?
A ray of light …
December 8th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
honestly, it really didn’t matter if he caught that ball or not because the Saints were easily marching down the field anyway to either kick a FG or Shough run for another 40 yd TD. Moot point
December 8th, 2025 at 12:07 pm
E2 has so far been overrated. It looks like another draft bust.
December 8th, 2025 at 12:08 pm
In all honesty, Egbuka is known for making some tough catches throughout collegiate career (and now NFL career) and also dropping some easy ones. Kinda like Mike Evans tbh
December 8th, 2025 at 12:08 pm
The throw could’ve been alot better also
December 8th, 2025 at 12:08 pm
Listen, why do you think Brady came to Tampa Bay? I will tell you because he was coming to a weak conference and Tampa had All the talent just needed one thing. A quarterback, who knows how to win and is a proven winner, so he was that missing element and Tampa won a Super Bowl. But he left and in and came Mayfield, and coach Bowles both not great at their position. Just mediocre, so the result is what it is.
Blame whoever you want if that makes you feel better or helps you justify what you feel.
But the bottom line is as long as those two are in control Tampa will not have another super bowl championship.
December 8th, 2025 at 12:08 pm
It’s crazy because everyone on joebucs has seen Mike Evans drop many bombs where he when he skip and go into the end zone
December 8th, 2025 at 12:12 pm
As usual the fan base here developed an unreasonable infatuation with the 3rd best receiver on last year’s OHIO State team. EE is and will be a good receiver for the BUCS. This years draft was supposed to fix the defense. Not enough evidence that it did. Hate to say it because I think Todd B is a good man, but he is the one constant in a horrible defense over the last 3 years. Time to try something else.
December 8th, 2025 at 12:15 pm
Buka has been doing so great and is a very humble kid too. I am still thinking there is something going on, loss of the locker room, and/or something else we aren’t aware of. Thinking that Buka will bounce back. Good for Baker watching out for him.
December 8th, 2025 at 12:21 pm
EE is fine. A better throw would have resulted in a TD. He’s WIDE OPEN for god’s sake, and we throw it so he has to leap to catch it???
That one is on BAKER.
December 8th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
LANshark,
Now we know why you were in the band in high school. All season long we routinely see NFL WIDE OUTS catch footballs in a crowd with sometimes one hand. That ball was very catchable and EE said as much.
December 8th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
Throw that pass so he can run under it and not stop, and have to field it like a pop fly. Yes EE should’ve caught it, but a better throw would’ve made that even easier.
Either way, I don’t see the rollercoaster this team is on stopping anytime soon
December 8th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
This is your daily reminder,
Bowles is 27-24 as the Bucs HC.
December 8th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
“As usual the fan base here developed an unreasonable infatuation with the 3rd best receiver on last year’s OHIO State team.”
Literally left OSU as the all-time receiving yards leader, what are you even on about? Mind you, that was a 19-YEAR OLD RECORD
December 8th, 2025 at 12:33 pm
baker has to go to bat for EE2 cuz the pass couldve and shouldve been better…either way EE2 shouldve caught the ball imo…
offensively- poor play calling, poor play design and poor personnel
defensively- outdated scheme, poor fundamentals, no urgency
kick coverage- horrible…
too many nice guys walking around One Buc Place…and nice guys come in last
GO BUCS!!!!
December 8th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
Joe’s right, Emeka is not Michael Clayton 2.0.
Clayton had a 65% catch rate his rookie year, Buk has a 49% catch rate.
Buk is looking worse than Stone Hands Clayton.
December 8th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Quick question. Why wasn’t the low hit on baker on the final drive 3rd down play not get a penalty?
December 8th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
AMEN.
– worst special teams in the league
– worst red zone offense in the league
– bottom 3 3rd down offense
– bottom 3 in penalties
– bottom 3 pass defense
IT STARTS AT THE TOP! FIRE TODD BOWLES!
December 8th, 2025 at 12:42 pm
I’m not hating on EE and believe he is apart of the future. But as a 1st rd draft pick 19th overall when the ball hits your hands in the endzone uncontested by a defender you got to make the catch. Also before halftime creating legal separation within field goal range with seconds remaining don’t get flagged and back pedal out of range. 10 points were left off the board from a 1st rd draft pick not playing to potential. It’s gotta be coached and played better. I still believe he will come around.
December 8th, 2025 at 12:57 pm
Warren Brooks Lynch – That doesn’t mean anything. Ebuka played 4 full seasons. Jeremiah Smith and Marvin Harrison were THE guys at Ohio State. Ebuka was the number 2/3 receiver and played in the slot. Does it make him a bad player? No. He’s a pro’s pro, but hes not some all world talent. Everyone was in a hurry to put him with Justin Jefferson, Chase or…ironically..Jaxson Smith Ngigba and frankly he doesnt jump off the screen like that. Mike Evans will likely retire, and I absolutely do not want to go in to next yr with no true X. And when I say x, someone that can line up OUTSIDE. A mismatch. Someone that doesnt require the ball to be perfectly thrown in stride, just throw it up. I love Ebuka a ton as the number 2 and find a real 5 star guy as the 1 in n ideal world. We need real speed, right now our team speed in general is completely pedestrian
December 8th, 2025 at 12:58 pm
All I see from EE is big separation out of well run routes. I wouldn’t give up on this kid!
December 8th, 2025 at 1:00 pm
Very hard catch in those conditions. Needs a better ball thrown to him.
December 8th, 2025 at 1:03 pm
Another high fastball from Baker but EE didnt make an acrobatic, backwards catch and now he’s the scapegoat. I mean EE was wide open and had to jump up 5 ft to have a chance at the ball that was going 100 mph. Good leadership by Baker for taking accountability.
This team is a joke. If Bowles and Baker are any good then they’ll run the table. Let’s see what happens
December 8th, 2025 at 1:12 pm
@gofortheface
So production over time is a trend < popularity?
Fwiw, Jerimiah Smith doesn't look nearly as good as he did lining up with EE & Harrison in the lineup. In fact, even against Indiana this past saturday the kid caught 8 balls for 144 and didn't find the endzone once in a losing effort.
"A mismatch. Someone that doesnt require the ball to be perfectly thrown in stride, just throw it up."
That's kind of my point about Baker, it's not about EE he should've caught the ball, but having to bend air because the ball is on a trajectory to go over his damn head(sound familiar?) rather than being led into the reception is an example thats been repeated throughout this season with anybody eligible to catch a pass from our starting QB.
There's plenty of WR talent coming out next draft. I myself have vouched for targeting guys like Chris Brazzell II or a Duce Robinson or even Ian Strong out of Rutgers.
My thing is, even a big tall rangy WR isn't going to make Baker more accurate.
December 8th, 2025 at 1:13 pm
After looking at said play 5 times…each time I said “come on Bake”, meaning Baker made a bad throw. Receivers are having troubles this year- and it all starts with the QB and the offensive coordinator. Until those 2 guys figure out what kind of offense we’re going to play the rest of the offense will look just as bad as the 2 of them are looking.
December 8th, 2025 at 1:15 pm
WarrenBrooks,
Good that we just let you say stupid stuff because it reveals your lack of credibility. Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate at OSU were last year better wide outs then EE. That’s not a knock on EE. It’s just the truth.
December 8th, 2025 at 1:20 pm
I enjoy every game TB coaches.
He’s a real gem.
Looking forward to the next three seasons.
#Winning!!!
December 8th, 2025 at 1:21 pm
Hey Bakey Bake, go to bat FOR YOURSELF. Me and other ppl see that deflection tactic..Your not fooling NOBODY lol. Last 4 games:1-3. This guy is completing 54% of his passes, 530 yards with 4td and 4int. Average 5.0 yards and attempt lol. While the team runs for 150 yards a game during that span, and even if you take away his rush yards still getting 120. So the OC can call “run” plays but not ” pass” plays.
December 8th, 2025 at 1:22 pm
Ebuka is fine but the longer the season goes on the more it looks like Tyliek Williams or Schwesinger or Jihaad Campbell might have been better picks
December 8th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
Gipper
Egbuka caught 29 more passes, >200 more yards and score twice as much as Tate last season at OSU. Again production > popularity, unless you just like to let emotion take over and fool you into making terrible takes. If so, that’s you perogative
December 8th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
Off the finger tips just like I said he should have just floated the ball but it happens to every quarterback. But I see now without Mike Evans Baker is a 15 ranked quarterback.
December 8th, 2025 at 1:25 pm
Jason Licht cannot draft a pass rusher for the life of him… and its not a big knocm
On him because the last bucs gm to draft a pass rusher… rich mcckay? Can someone fact check?