Can Zac Robinson Re-Energize A Mike Evans-Less Offense?
July 15th, 2026
Key to passing game?
Joe wants to see someone at One Buc Palace build up enough courage to come clean about Mike Evans — legends that profess love for a franchise don’t just up and leave after 12 seasons to take a massive paycut and absorb insane costs of living ($5.56 for a gallon of gas in San Francisco) and crazy state taxes — and Joe wonders if the Bucs offense can thrive without one of the game’s greatest.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Evans had an awful year last year. And what again was the Bucs’ record?
Typing for The Athletic, Mike Jones wonders if new Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson can find a way to have a thriving offense with Evans on the West Coast (and not on the East Coast).
Can [a Zac Robinson] attack thrive without a true No. 1 wide receiver?
Robinson helped revive Baker Mayfield’s career during Mayfield’s brief stint with the Rams (2022), so Robinson and the Bucs’ QB have a rapport already. But Tampa Bay’s offense has a big hole to fill with Mike Evans now in San Francisco. At 30, Chris Godwin owns the distinction of position room leader. But injuries have diminished his impact the past two seasons. Emeka Egbuka delivered an impressive rookie season, and fellow young targets Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson seemingly have much to offer. Rookie Ted Hurst III aims to force his way into the mix as well. Robinson has said his goal involves spreading the ball around, but Mayfield certainly needs a go-to guy.
Joe thinks how Jalen McMillan plays could determine much the Bucs offense.
Joe isn’t sure Emeka Egbuka can handle being the No. 1 receiver. He struggled with that last year. But to be fair, multiple factors were involved, not the least of them being that, yeah, Egbuka was a rookie.
If Robinson keeps Chris Godwin at slot, then Godwin won’t be a No. 1. So if McMillan can carry his own weight this fall, that will certainly keep heat off of Egbuka.
And as Joe has typed, barring an emergency or one of the top three receivers playing terribly, the Bucs don’t need to rush rookie Ted Hurst onto the field. He can develop at his own pace.
Joe isn’t sweating the Bucs offense in mid-July.
July 15th, 2026 at 9:27 am
I truly was sadened to see ME go. Joe the Bucs are never going to reveal why he left because we all know why. He completely lost faith in the direction the Organzation was going. He is not going to say or embarass the team and neither are the Bucs going to admit it. It simply is there for all to see. He was right the Bucs are not pursuing winning over at least the next year. It is clear they are taking their time to fix the defense, which is the problem. ME only has a couple of years, so he left. The Bucs have to many ifs on defense.
However, I do think the Bucs have a strong receiver room and can recover well. I think with ME leaving you will see McMillian emerge and Ebucka as well. I think Godwin will have a huge year and Hurst appers promising. Yes the receiver room will be fine. The Defense, while it appears improved on paper, it has to many ifs and a long ways to go, especially the secondary, which seems to presently be one of the worst in the league.
July 15th, 2026 at 9:29 am
“Joe isn’t sweating the Bucs offense in mid-July.”
According to the title of this article, you are in fact a little worried about life without Mike Evans. As you should be.
Mike wasn’t just the alpha. He’s the alpha of alpha’s. One of one.
I guarantee when Tom Brady chose the Bucs that Evans was a huge reason why.
He knew Mike could be counted on in big moments. He wanted the ball with the game on the line.
Now Mike has a QB again that is capable of getting him the ball in those moments.
July 15th, 2026 at 9:37 am
Mike’s already rich. 5.75 a gallon, taxes etc. Not sure we’ll ever really know.
July 15th, 2026 at 9:48 am
I’m definitely gonna miss Mike and so will the Bucs. As I’ve said before the Bucs have 3 WRs who are basically the same.
Chris Godwin Jr. Ht: 6’1″ Wingspan: 76 ½” (6’4 ½”)
Emeka Egbuka Ht: 6’1″ Wingspan: 76 ⅝” (6’4 ⅝”)
Jalen McMillan Ht: 6’1″ Wingspan: 77 ⅜” (6’5 ⅜”)
And Mike Evans Ht: 6’5 Wingspan: 82″
The offensive playcalling and design is indeed important but if the QB is inaccurate, it won’t matter. Without that catch radius of Evans this offense will definitely struggle, especially if the run game stalls. We’ll see what he cooks up…
July 15th, 2026 at 9:51 am
Joe isn’t sure EE can handle being a number 1 receiver. We’ll, let’s do a little comp:
EE rookie year stats- 63 receptions, 938 yards, 6 TDs
A current number 1 receiver rookie stats – 63 receptions, 628 yards, 4 TDs
The other receiver is JSN, and I think he’s doing ok
July 15th, 2026 at 9:51 am
Yea, big question is how are we going to beat man coverage on a consistent basis without a coverage manipulator like Mike.
Everybody is quick to jump on stats, age, his hammys and all this other stuff, but nobody is addressing how teams played us without Mike and how that also played a massive role in our struggles offensively.
2-high shell, man underneath, make’em earn every yard in front of you and don’t even let’em think they can beat you deep.
We’re going to be faced with this at some point this upcoming season. Just being healthy isn’t going to beat it consistently.
July 15th, 2026 at 9:52 am
Mike wasn’t even THAT big a part in ’24, barely scraped a thousand yards. I think his biggest contribution was to draw double coverage away from the other guys
July 15th, 2026 at 9:54 am
Mike Evans left? I didn’t know…..well at least we still have Jamel Dean!!!
July 15th, 2026 at 9:58 am
Disagree Joe, Hurst needs to hit the field running. The Bucs lost one of the best X receivers in football. Fair, or not Hurst was drafted to fill that spot. He’s Evans replacement, and needs to step into that role right away. For this offense to work best, the sooner you get Hurst on the field as the X, the better.
July 15th, 2026 at 10:32 am
“I think his biggest contribution was to draw double coverage away from the other guys”
Pretty big deal, no? Ensures single coverage for everybody eligible to catch a pass and can make you pay(still) when you gamble and leave him with no help over top.
Guys are talking like Evans is some geriatric player who’s hobbling around, and if that were truly the case I’m pretty sure Licht wouldn’t have tried to throw the entire Glazer family checkbook at him to stay.
July 15th, 2026 at 10:34 am
6 months and counting until Todd is fired and the fans can have hope again.
Funny how Joe keeps on harping on Evans being gone when anyone paying attention knows why he left
July 15th, 2026 at 10:36 am
“I think his biggest contribution was to draw double coverage away from the other guys”
That was a perk to having him on the field, which worked pretty well for us and also played a factor in Egbukas’ fast start. His first NFL TD come off a route with him filling in the wake behind Evans’ route while Mike carried his corner and the playside safety upfield.
So to be valuable even when you do not have the ball in your hands is kind of valuable. There’s no amount of spin toward slighting Evans that changes the real fact that particular part of his game is no longer an asset. The week 7 & 8 games were clear indicator of us missing that presence.
July 15th, 2026 at 10:43 am
2-15
July 15th, 2026 at 10:52 am
I’m not that excited about Robinson. Will he be an improvement over last year? Maybe. But I think most of that will be from a healthy offensive line, QB and RB. Which, of course, is fine. These guys will get open. I’m not worried about that. And Jose, we have a “number one” (not sure why you’re obsessed with numbering them) and you know who he is.
July 15th, 2026 at 11:02 am
The Bucs got about as much out of Mike Evans as they could’ve possibly dreamed for and much more. Great player and even better guy in the community. Fantastic career here in Tampa Bay.
Would’ve been nice to have him play his last season or 2 here, but time to move on.
The Bucs and JL have stocked the WR room with a great vet and leader in Godwin and a bunch of very talented and capable young guys in Emeka, J Mac, Tez and Hurst.
July 15th, 2026 at 11:07 am
Bee … ‘As I’ve said before the Bucs have 3 WRs who are basically the same.’
Chris Godwin Jr. Ht: 6’1″ Wingspan: 76 ½” (6’4 ½”)
Emeka Egbuka Ht: 6’1″ Wingspan: 76 ⅝” (6’4 ⅝”)
Jalen McMillan Ht: 6’1″ Wingspan: 77 ⅜” (6’5 ⅜”)
You nailed it a tad later in your comment Bee when you wrote … ‘if the QB is inaccurate, it won’t matter.’
The key to help Baker is for the receivers to GET OPEN. Look at the speeds of those 3 at their Combines. Godwin – 4.42 secs. Egbuka – 4.45 sec (at his Pro Day). McMillan – 4.47 secs.
They’re all fast, but they’re all also the same. So who do we use to ‘stretch the field’ and get defenders spread out? My choice? Ted Hurst or Tez Johnson, although for different reasons. Ted Hurst is fast (4.42 sec), but more importantly he’s TALL (6’4″) & has a decent verticla leap (36.5″).
Tez Johnson is also reasonably fast (4.51 secs) but not all that tall (5’10”) or big (165 lbs). Interestingly though, he does seem to have the ‘gift’ of being able to get open (in his 28 receptions last year were 5 TDs & 16 first downs). Those 21 of 28 catches (75% top productivity IMO) tell me that he has a unique ability to get open.
July 15th, 2026 at 11:21 am
I was sorry to see Mike go, but he’s gone. The king is gone but he’s not forgotten. Honestly, he wasn’t on a pace to keep his 1000 yard streak intact anyway. People complained about Dean, but Evans was constantly battling hamstring issues himself. We are gonna be just fine in the receiving room.
July 15th, 2026 at 11:41 am
Mike left because of baker !
July 15th, 2026 at 11:57 am
Mike left because hamstring injuries are much more likely and subtropical climates. That is it pure and simple. He’s missed time, significant time both of the last two years. My guess is that at least two of our receivers will have better years than he had and he was no longer going to be the focus of the offense.
July 15th, 2026 at 12:03 pm
I think the offense will be good. Way more WR weapons than the Falcons had
July 15th, 2026 at 12:04 pm
I am more interested in hearing why the team quit on the coach after the bye week. Maybe that would shine some light on Evans, too.
Spreading the ball around is best. Baker is at his best that way, too.