TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka suffered a hamstring injury during Sunday’s 30-19 victory against the San Francisco 49ers and was ruled out of the game. Egbuka, the Buccaneers’ 19th overall draft pick, had accumulated 445 receiving yards before Sunday’s game, the fourth-most in the league. His five touchdowns were tied for second. After the game, Bucs coach Todd Bowles offered no further details, limiting himself to saying that Egbuka was still being evaluated. Egbuka’s absence left quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has been considered an early MVP candidate, with fewer options in the passing game on Sunday. However, moments after the announcement of Egbuka’s absence, Mayfield avoided a sack and ran 15 yards on third down and 14 to go, connecting with rookie Tez Johnson for a 45-yard touchdown that put the score at 27-19 in the fourth quarter.
The Bucs are already without wide receiver Mike Evans, who has missed three games with a hamstring strain. In addition, Chris Godwin suffered a fibula injury two games after returning from ankle surgery. This was also the second absence for running back Bucky Irving, who is dealing with a foot sprain and a shoulder subluxation. Wide receiver Jalen McMillan, who suffered a neck sprain in the second preseason game, is on the injured reserve list, but is expected to be able to return after the Bucs’ bye week in Week 9. Evans has not yet returned to training, but his initial recovery timeframe was three to four weeks, which means he could return next week against the Detroit Lions. Coach Todd Bowles said Godwin’s injury is “week to week”.“It was huge,” Bowles said of the plays. “Every time something negative happens, he turns it into a positive and does something to give everyone hope, and that run was one of them.”
Todd Bowles
