At 4-3, the Buccaneers are in the thick of the NFC South race. Another division title could be within reach by the end of the season, but winning it will require new contributors at the receiver spot.
Chris Godwin is likely out for the season due to his dislocated ankle, and Mike Evans‘ hamstring injury is expected to leave him sidelined until after Tampa Bay’s bye week. Even with the latter set to return later in 2024, questions have been raised about the possibility of a receiver acquisition before the trade deadline. That position has certainly seen plenty of recent movement, with Davante Adams, Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins being dealt.
A number of other pass-catching options are still on the market, the most notable of which being Cooper Kupp. The Bucs should not be expected to be a contender to land the Rams All-Pro in the event he gets dealt, but other wideouts could be brought in as a rental. Darius Slayton of the Giants is among the receivers who are pending free agents and who could therefore be on the move ahead of the November 5 deadline. However, Tampa Bay is not interested in finding a stop-gap replacement for Godwin and (to an extent) Evans.
“We think Mike is coming back, but we really like our young guys,” head coach Todd Bowles said when asked about the state of the team’s WR room, via ESPN’s Jenna Laine. “There are guys out there, but for what we would have to give up to get them, in the long run, it’s probably not worth it.”
Tampa Bay invested a third-round pick in Jalen McMillan this April, and the rookie saw eight targets – by far his highest total to date – during Monday’s contest. He should be expected to handle an increased workload moving forward, as should 2023 sixth-rounder Trey Palmer. Veteran Sterling Shepard – added in the offseason after being recruited by quarterback and former Oklahoma teammate Baker Mayfield – has managed to carve out a notable role early in his first Tampa Bay campaign. He could be in line for a full-time starting gig at least until Evans returns.
With $10.4M in cap space, Tampa Bay could afford a modest addition at the receiver spot. Given Bowles’ remarks, though, a likelier usage of those funds would be a move aimed at helping the team’s defense, which currently sits 29th in points and 31st in yards allowed.
