Bryan McClendon: Bucs Put Too Much On Emeka Egbuka’s Plate Last Year
May 12th, 2026
Bucs receivers coach Bryan McClendon.
It was a tale of two seasons last year for Bucs receiver Emeka Egbuka.
The rookie from Ohio State tore up the league in the first half of the season. Not coincidentally, the Bucs tore up the league in the first half of the season.
And for the most part in the second half, Egbuka vanished. Like he wasn’t even on the roster. He went from having the NFL “Offensive Rookie of the Year” award locked up to not winning it at all.
Not so coincidentally, the Bucs in the second half of the season circled the drain.
Looking back on Egbuka’s rookie season, Bucs receivers coach Bryan McClendon seemed to think the Bucs may have force-fed Egbuka too much. Largely because of injuries, Egbuka’s role went from a support position, a No. 3 receiver, to being Baker Mayfield’s go-to guy.
“I think it’ll be good to be able to kind of settle him in at one spot,” McClendon said. “[Egbuka is] an extremely talented guy. He’s an extremely everything when it comes to talent, smart, all of that stuff. He kind of checks all those boxes.
“And so, because he [is so talented], you have a tendency to use them as much as you can. And he got put in a position that, quite frankly, we leaned on him probably more than we should have [that] early in his career.
“And it was nobody’s fault. You know, guys got banged up. And [Egbuka] was the best guy there.”
McClendon seemed to suggest Egbuka hit the rookie wall hard and the Bucs may have had a hand in Egbuka hitting the rookie wall earlier than most because of how they leaned on him.
(McClendon also seemed to insinuate that Egbuka may have had a “lingering” issue dating back to his Ohio State playing days.)
McClendon said just a couple of weeks after Egbuka and the Buckeyes won the national title, he was at the combine and then it was time for pro days and then he was drafted and immediately there was rookie minicamp, underwear football season and before you had a chance to catch your breath, it is time for training camp.
“I mean, it’s just not easy,” McClendon said of NFL rookies. “You know, it’s not easy. And I think [Egbuka handled what was thrown at him] as good as anybody could.”
McClendon foresees a great 2026 season for Egbuka, in part, because he had a full NFL offseason to rest his body and he’s been in an NFL weightroom for a full year now.
Joe is just going to chalk up Egbuka’s scalding hot/ice cold rookie season to pretty much what McClendon said. The rookie wall hit him really hard and early, partly because injuries forced Egbuka to do so many things right away.
May 12th, 2026 at 3:43 pm
Yes comon sense tells you this is right. Mentally and physically you can only absorb so much, then it all falls apart. I think he will have a great second year after a good solid rest. He also has Godwin an J Mac to help him. I expect a big year from him if used wisely.
May 12th, 2026 at 3:43 pm
We were hoping for a Ira podcast today, the natives are restless!
May 12th, 2026 at 4:20 pm
Between the lines, Zac seemed to point at a rookie wall. I’m guessing EE will be the starting X ?
May 12th, 2026 at 4:28 pm
Still strikes me as interesting that Coaches McClendon & Carberry were retained to work with Zac Taylor after coming in under Grizz & Coen respectively.
May 12th, 2026 at 5:18 pm
Football you’re right, while we wait for things after the SB, like FA, the draft, camps, these guys have little time off from the end of college football, train for the upcoming combine & pro days, final exams if they have them, draft, meetings with different teams, flying around to meetings with prospective teams and then the draft, mini camps and the season. No wonder they hit a wall, it’s almost 2 straight years of football before a reset.
May 12th, 2026 at 5:20 pm
I think this kid is going to be as good JSN out in Seattle. It’s going to take a few years just like it did for JSN.
May 12th, 2026 at 5:56 pm
Couldn’t this same thing be said of any college player who plays deep into the college football playoffs? Should we expect this from Bain and Deonte? Did EEs rookie-wall come any sooner because he played more? I think that effect is nominal. He had as much time in between college and the pros as almost every other player. Sure he was tired; everyone was/is. His reduced production probably had as much to do with the complex NFL defenses and/or their coordinators. He certainly hit a wall, just like the rest of our Bucs.
From AI: “Partly” (often misspelled as partely) is an adverb meaning to some degree, but not completely. It indicates that something is only partially finished, true, or present (e.g., “The building was partly destroyed” or “partly owned”)
May 12th, 2026 at 6:09 pm
Fatigue + having to become “the man” on offense too soon.
He’ll be fine if Zac doesn’t turn out to be meh or worse.
May 12th, 2026 at 6:42 pm
Please ask McMillan how much weight he gained while he was hurt?
Because he back after his neck injury looking much stronger and bigger.
I’m really looking forward to McMillan in year 3. He’s a stud.
Godwin might also surprise people. I am not counting him out.
Godwin, Egbuka, McMillan, Hurst, Tez.
That’s a unique WR room.
Tez looked really skinny in the recent pics.
I don’t think he put on any muscle this off-season. That’s not smart.
May 12th, 2026 at 7:16 pm
@ WarrenBrooks
Who’s Zac Taylor?
May 12th, 2026 at 7:23 pm
So I watched some Robinson interviews. Egbuka takes on the Z flanker role in his offense which is WR1. Think Puka Nacua and Drake London. Godwin will play the F which is the slot. McMillan will back up/rotate with Hurst at X and also rotate with Egbuka at Z. Tez will back up/rotate with Godwin in the slot. That clears it up!
May 12th, 2026 at 8:25 pm
Had an issue with the last post apparently.
Anyway, it is truly a shock to learn that Todd’s staff mishandled the coaching and development of a rookie. Given the leader of the staff sets such great examples.
May be a first.
May 12th, 2026 at 8:39 pm
We stopped throwing passes deeper than 5 yards because we didn’t have guards. That’s what happened to Egbuka last year. This coming year, he will be WR1 as the flanker and we will have guards (and tackles).
May 12th, 2026 at 8:42 pm
It was refreshing listening to Zac and assistants talking about preliminary assessments and conclusions today. It sure looks like we’ve got a quality offensive staff that has already set a preliminary plan for the new season.
These coaches were definitely not talking heads today. In my opinion, we have a season to look forward to.
May 12th, 2026 at 9:08 pm
Agree. Still did a great job as a rookie. Him and Jmac should make some noise thus year. Glad Gidwins still with us. Wish him a good year too.
May 12th, 2026 at 9:33 pm
“It sure looks like we’ve got a quality offensive staff that has already set a preliminary plan for the new season.”
And, Todd says, “Hold my beer, and Kit Kats.” (Just don’t eat them.)
May 12th, 2026 at 10:07 pm
Doubt it.
May 12th, 2026 at 10:10 pm
Yes. This happens to many players (they don’t like admitting it at the time).
Certainly something to brace for.
May 12th, 2026 at 10:14 pm
Yeah like I mentioned above EE will be the starting Z which is considered WR1 in Robinson’s offense. It was Drake Landon’s position in Atlanta for comparison and Puka’s/Cooper Kupp’s at the Rams.