TAMPA — Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield acknowledged the magnitude of losing Mike Evans but said the depth and versatility of Tampa Bay’s receiver room was uniquely suited to absorb the departure of a future Hall of Famer heading into the 2026 season.
“You cannot replace [Evans] and it sounds messed up because he will be a Hall of Fame receiver, but of all the positions to lose a guy like that, our receiver room was kind of made for it,” Mayfield said on the team’s ‘4th and South’ podcast. “I mean Chris is back looking like true CG and looking really, really good. Emeka is a stud and we asked him to do too much last year, like we took advantage of how smart he is just to try and move him around and what not, so he is going to take a big step. Then Jalen McMillan, who has been hurt and got hurt during the preseason last year, but he is probably our best one-on-one receiver separation-wise, juice, so we have three really good guys and then you have young guys like Tez Johnson that played a lot last year and Ted Hurst in the draft and David Sills, a guy that has played a lot of football and knows the system and came over with Z-Rob [Zac Robinson]. Then the other skill guys so to lose Mike stinks, but when you have a room full of guys who have the capability and potential to move around and do different things, that is how you make up for it.”
Chris Godwin Jr. has resumed peak form during 2026 training camp at the AdventHealth Training Center, showcasing physicality at the catch point and proficiency over the middle of the field. Emeka Egbuka, who emerged during his rookie campaign, has been moved across the formation alongside Jalen McMillan. McMillan missed the majority of the 2025 season after suffering a serious neck injury during a preseason contest with the Steelers and dealt with lower body soreness that sidelined him for several camp practices.
Offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs drew a direct comparison between Mayfield and his predecessor in Tampa Bay, Tom Brady. “Tom is uber competitive and Baker is uber competitive,” Wirfs said. “It is just, Bake is going to put the team on his back like, ’let’s f-ing go. We are going to go to war,’ and you are like, ‘Yeah, I am in.’ That is how it was with Tom.”
Several defenders have also stood out during camp and joint practices with the Jets in New Jersey. Outside linebacker David Walker has tallied a would-be sack in every single camp practice and logged multiple during Wednesday’s session at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. has matched Walker’s disruptive presence, hitting blockers with violent hand strikes and using his power to collapse the pocket.
Rookie receiver Ted Hurst III, the Bucs’ bona fide X receiver, had a breakout day Wednesday, hauling in a go route down the right sideline by working over the top of a defensive back. Hurst has accumulated several highlight plays during camp and is carving out a role in head coach Zac Robinson’s offense as a vertical threat.
Tampa Bay continues training camp at the AdventHealth Training Center as the team prepares for its 2026 preseason slate.