In a receiver room riddled with injuries, 2024 third-round draft pick Jalen McMillan will take on a larger role. The Buccaneers placed Chris Godwin on injured reserve and he will undergo surgery this week after sustaining an ankle injury against the Ravens in the fourth quarter. Godwin, the Bucs' YAC-artist, will miss the remainder of the regular season and Mike Evans will be out until after the team's Week 11 bye with a hamstring injury per Todd Bowles. Liam Coen's offense, which is tailored to maximize the ability of both Godwin and Evans, will be adjusted to accentuate the skills of McMillan, Trey Palmer and Sterling Shepard.
"Chris is the focal point and he is a leader," said McMillan. "He is somebody that I lean on when it comes to maneuvering in the league and becoming a rookie. It sucked but we have to pick up where we left off and at the end of the day, them [Chris Godwin and Mike Evans] being absent should not make our offense worse. It should stay the same, so we just want to continue to improve and be better every week for those guys."
McMillan turned heads throughout the offseason workout program for his ability to climb the ladder and for his route-running fluidity. He utilizes long strides to generate separation and possesses an understanding of leverage to bait defensive backs. McMillan has a variety of releases in his bag to manipulate coverages and can stretch the field both laterally and horizontally. In Week Seven against the Ravens, he saw increased snaps and took advantage, notably picking up a first down and then some on a fly sweep.
"He might not be the biggest guy, but he's going to go up and highpoint the ball and that's a natural skill that he has," stated Baker Mayfield on McMillan. "My trust is going to continue to grow as long as he keeps doing the right things, and he is. I think he's got the right attitude. He brings a lot of juice to that room."
With his body control and catch radius, McMillan will help solidify the Bucs' passing attack on Sunday against the Falcons. He has honed in on "details" to foster growth and as the first-year player stacks reps, his confidence between the hashes will grow. He fell to the Bucs in the third round after an MCL sprain in his left knee forced him to miss the middle of the Huskies' campaign in 2023. Now, he has the chance to carve out a role in the Buccaneers' offense and to bridge the gap. McMillan provides the flexibility of playing all three receiver spots and played both outside and in the slot for Washington. In Week Eight, McMillan will strive to leave a mark on the gridiron in the club's Creamsicle matchup.
