Buccaneers' Emeka Egbuka out with foot injury for Week 8

Tampa Bay Buccaneers second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka was not spotted at Friday's practice and was ruled out for the Bucs' matchup in Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons.  

Egbuka has been battling multiple injuries, including a concussion, for which he's already been cleared, but a foot injury will keep him out of action.

"Emeka will be out this week," said head coach Todd Bowles after the final practice of the week on Friday, via Scott Smith and Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers team website. "He was never full-speed, [is] still recovering. He cleared concussion protocol, so it's just his foot."

Emeka Egbuka's momentum impacted by foot injury

The momentum Egbuka built earlier in the week took a hit Friday. After progressing from limited participation to practicing without a non-contact jersey, and participating in individual drills early in the week, he was unable to practice at all on Friday. 

Rookie third-round draft pick Ted Hurst will likely see an increased role on Sunday to fill in for Egbuka. 

When Egbuka shed his non-contact jersey Thursday, it appeared the rookie receiver was on the verge of returning to Tampa Bay's lineup. As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported (h/t ProFootball Talk), Egbuka had already progressed to limited participation in practice after missing Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers, a strong indication that his recovery was trending in the right direction. 

However, the optimism proved short-lived. The lingering foot injury remained troublesome enough to keep him limited throughout the week and ultimately derail what looked like a realistic path back to the field against Atlanta.

For a player who has rarely left the lineup in 2026, a second missed game for Egbuka underscores just how persistent the foot injury has become. The Buccaneers clearly believe caution is the smarter approach than risking a setback with a receiver expected to be a major part of the offense for years to come.

Despite modest production totals, Tampa Bay's usage of Egbuka suggests he has become an important piece of the offense. His 49 targets rank among the team's most notable workloads, highlighted by a 16-target game in Week 6 and a season-best 63-yard performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.