DECEMBER: 5: Bowles said on Friday (via Fox Sports’ Greg Auman) both Evans and McMillan have made progress this week during practice. However, neither of them will play in Week 14.
DECEMBER 3: Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said Monday that injured wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan could return to practice this week. It’s official in Evans’ case, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The Buccaneers are also expected to open McMillan’s practice window on Wednesday, Rapoport adds. The team has 21 days to activate the wideouts from IR.
Evans entered the season tied with the legendary Jerry Rice with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard showings, but injuries will prevent him from claiming the all-time record for himself. After missing time with a hamstring issue earlier this season, Evans broke his clavicle in a Week 7 loss to the Lions. The future Hall of Famer has played in just four games this year and logged 140 yards on 14 catches.
McMillan, meanwhile, has been unable to contribute at all in 2025 after suffering a severe strain and three fractures in his neck during the preseason. As a rookie in 2024, the third-round pick from Washington was a force toward the end of the season. McMillan caught an eye-opening seven touchdowns in his last five games, averaging five catches and 63 yards per contest during that span.
Evans and McMillan were key factors in the NFL’s third-ranked passing offense a year ago. With minimal help from those two and Chris Godwin, who has missed eight games with injuries, the Bucs’ Baker Mayfield-led attack has dropped to a pedestrian 19th. That figures to improve with Evans and McMillan joining Godwin and rookie sensation Emeka Egbuka as Tampa Bay’s top options at receiver.
Despite the myriad injuries they’ve dealt with, the 7-5 Buccaneers are on track to win the NFC South for the fifth year in a row. The 7-6 Panthers are nipping at their heels, though, and the rivals still have to face each other in Weeks 16 and 18. If Evans and McMillan are back for those matchups, it should bolster the Buccaneers’ chances of holding off the Panthers.
The pirates are getting healthier at the right time. So Bowles are is ramping up for the playoffs.
Except the Buccaneers have yet to play the black cats. MEOW!
Them blacks cats play like kittens against the Bucs which is why they’ve lost 11 of the past 13 meetings.
Expected them to not play vs Saints, they shouldn’t need them to beat Saints. Now the Thursday game vs ATL I think at least 1 of them gets activated if not both. They get a mini by to rest and access how they played in return.