Buccaneers WR To Miss At Least The Season Opener

The Buccaneers’ once-formidable wide receiver corps has rapidly transformed into a potential minefield of injuries. This leaves the team looking for reliable starters to kick off the season.

Via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, 

“Bucs coach Todd Bowles says Jalen McMillan has a severely sprained neck and will miss some time. He will not be ready for the season opener.”

Via Sports Illustrated’s River Wells,

“Todd Bowles says that Jalen McMillan has a “severe strain” in his neck and that he’s going to “miss some times.” He confirms this will go into the regular season.”

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles announced that second-year wide receiver Jalen McMillan has suffered a severe neck strain. The injury happened during the team’s preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Saturday.

McMillan’s recovery is expected to keep him sidelined for some time to start the regular season. Despite the severity of the injury it doesn’t appear to be career-threatening. McMillan’s absence will likely impact the Buccaneers’ offense, especially with Chris Godwin still recovering from an ankle injury.

The Buccaneers are facing a significant challenge with McMillan’s severe neck strain, which will keep him sidelined for a while, compounding the issue of Chris Godwin’s ongoing ankle rehabilitation.

McMillan’s absence will be deeply felt, given his impressive finish to last season, where he scored seven touchdowns in his final five games, showcasing his potential as a key contributor to Tampa Bay’s offense. With Godwin’s recovery timeline uncertain, the Buccaneers will need to rely on their depth chart, including players like Emeka Egbuka, Mike Evans, and other wide receivers competing for roster spots.

The length of McMillan’s absence is not known, we will update you as new information becomes available.

Update:

Buccaneers Place WR on Injured Reserve Following Injury vs Pittsburgh