The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are only days away from their next preseason test, but quarterback Baker Mayfield and the offense received an injury scare during Wednesday's practice.
Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who enters his second NFL season with an opportunity to become an even bigger part of Tampa Bay's passing attack, was forced to leave practice after getting tangled up with a teammate. The former Ohio State star eventually walked off the field with athletic trainers and underwent an extended evaluation on the sideline.
With the Buccaneers scheduled to face the New York Jets on Friday night at MetLife Stadium, Egbuka's status immediately becomes something to monitor. There were at least some encouraging signs after the initial scare, but Tampa Bay certainly doesn't want to see one of Mayfield's most important weapons dealing with an injury this close to the regular season.
Emeka Egbuka Leaves Buccaneers Practice
NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday that Egbuka limped off the field alongside members of Tampa Bay's training staff.
"#Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka limped off with athletic trainers," Garafolo wrote on X. "Was examined on the sideline table for a while. Hard to see exactly what’s up from where we are but he’s still on the table and hasn’t returned."
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times provided additional context, reporting that Egbuka was "rolled up on" by a teammate during the play.
Egbuka remained down briefly before getting back to his feet and walking off under his own power. He was then examined by trainers on the sideline.
One potentially encouraging development was that Egbuka remained on the sideline to watch the remainder of practice rather than immediately leaving for the locker room.
The Buccaneers have yet to announce an official diagnosis or provide a timetable for his return.
Egbuka Has Chance to Become Baker Mayfield's Top Target
Any extended absence for Egbuka would be significant for Mayfield and the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay selected Egbuka with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the former Ohio State standout immediately became a major part of the offense. He finished his rookie campaign with 63 receptions for 938 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 14.9 yards per catch.
Egbuka's season was particularly impressive early. He scored five touchdowns over his first five games before his production cooled considerably down the stretch.
Still, his overall numbers provided plenty of reason for optimism entering Year 2.
With longtime Buccaneers star Mike Evans no longer in the picture and Chris Godwin entering his age-30 season, Egbuka has a legitimate opportunity to establish himself as Mayfield's No. 1 receiving option.
That makes Wednesday's practice development especially concerning, even if the early signs suggest Tampa Bay may have avoided a serious injury.
The Buccaneers will face the Jets at 6 p.m. ET on Friday in their next preseason game. Given the timing of Egbuka's injury and his importance to Tampa Bay's offense, the team could elect to be cautious with him regardless of the severity.
For now, Mayfield and the Buccaneers will be hoping Wednesday's scare proves to be nothing more than that.
