Tampa Bay Buccaneers Invest in Rookie Emeka Egbuka as Chris Godwin Recovers

Buccaneers quarterback, Baker Mayfield seems to have everything he needs for a successful season.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Emeka Egbuka is selected as the No. 19 pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's no secret that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in a great situation going into the 2025 NFL season. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is at the top of his game, and he has the receiving core to match. While Chris Godwin is still recovering from a week 7 ankle injury last season, the Bucs have no shortage of weapons.

Flashback to the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay. The Bucs chose Emeka Egbuka, a wide receiver from Ohio State as their first round pick. This pick was absolutely intentional in order to allow Godwin an ample amount of time to recover and go through rehabilitation.

Injury Update: Chris Godwin

Godwin recently underwent a second surgery on his ankle and is reportedly doing well, despite being placed on the PUP list. Coach Todd Bowles told the press on Wednesday that Godwin is "on track" with his rehab efforts, but didn't give a specific timeline for him to return to practice.

It's unclear when Godwin will get back on the field. He hasn't participated in any training camp activities so far this week, and he likely won't participate next week either. According to Fantasy Alarm, all clues point to Godwin taking as much time as he needs to get back to good.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin, who still is recovering from a dislocated ankle, will not participate in team related activities to begin training camp. He will continue to rehab with trainers.

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) July 21, 2025

Rookie Storyline: Emeka Egbuka

There's strong belief among analysts that Egbuka could be the next great slot receiver. The problem is, the Bucs have a stacked receiving room, so getting any targets will be tough. Egbuka caught his first touchdown of training camp during some red zone work on Thursday. He had another standout day on Friday, with coach Todd Bowles saying, "Emeka looked really sharp today running routes."

Bowles isn't the only one singing Egbuka's praises, quarterback Baker Mayfield is too. "The thing that sticks out is how cerebral he is. He’s so smart."

I think we could plug-and-play him at every [wide] receiver spot – he understands the offense that well. That’s just him being a pro already. He’s not a rookie – he doesn’t act like it, at least.

Baker Mayfield

During his senior year at Ohio State, Egbuka had 81 receptions for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns.