TAMPA — Buccaneers third-year wide receiver Jalen McMillan was a full participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday as the team prepares for its home opener against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 20, a significant step after a knee injury sidelined him for several weeks of training camp.
McMillan, a third-round pick out of Washington in 2024, practiced in a limited capacity last week and was ruled out in Week One against the Cincinnati Bengals. His return would add a proven downfield weapon to head coach Zac Robinson’s offense — one that teammate Emeka Egbuka said raises the ceiling for the entire receiving corps.
“He is super dynamic and is a downfield threat, great routes, is always going to get open, consistent hands; kind of just everything that you want out of a wide receiver,” Egbuka said. “It just makes us that much more difficult to guard. We have a lot of dynamic pieces.”
McMillan’s path back to the field has been defined by resilience. He was poised for a breakout year in 2025 after a stellar camp and impressive showings during one-on-one drills in joint practices, but a significant neck injury in the Week Two preseason clash at Pittsburgh shelved him until December. He posted the first 100-yard receiving game of his career against the Dolphins in Week 17, a performance that signaled his high ceiling heading into this season.
The former Washington standout can line up across the formation and pairs mid-route craftiness with long strides. His ability to bait coverage with leverage and fakes — including what the team describes as an exceptional stair-step maneuver — along with elite body control and first-rate ball tracking downfield, gives Tampa Bay a versatile threat that forces defenses to pick their poison.
McMillan’s game-day status for the home opener against Cleveland on Sept. 20 will be determined when the Buccaneers release their final injury report.