The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ clearest offensive problem may be how little they are asking wide receiver Emeka Egbuka to do. Locked On Bucs host James Yarcho argued that Egbuka has become too dependent on short, screen-heavy usage despite the talent Tampa Bay invested in its 2025 first-round pick. Egbuka has 15 receptions for 154 yards and one touchdown through four games — not the featured role Yarcho believes the offense needs.
Yarcho’s objection is not that Egbuka has been completely absent from the stat sheet. He is tied with tight end Cade Otton for 15 catches, while wide receiver Chris Godwin has 16. But Otton leads the group with 157 receiving yards. Egbuka’s production has fallen from 63 yards in Week 1 to 13 yards in the loss to Green Bay in Week 4.
Yarcho said offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has failed to build a passing game around Egbuka and Godwin, arguing that a receiver with Egbuka’s profile should receive far more designed opportunities downfield and in space. He pointed to the team’s sub-200-yard passing average through four games as evidence that the current approach is not creating enough explosive plays or consistently putting its best targets in advantageous situations.
That criticism carries a direct consequence for the Bucs’ quarterbacks. Tampa Bay entered the season with Egbuka, Godwin, Otton and Baker Mayfield as the core of a passing attack that should have multiple ways to stress coverage. Instead, Yarcho sees an offense that has allowed Otton to share the target lead while Egbuka has yet to produce a reception longer than 21 yards this season.
The next offensive adjustment is straightforward: Give Egbuka a larger, more varied role before the Buccaneers turn a four-game slide into a season-long identity. Yarcho’s argument is not simply about target volume. It is about using a first-round receiver as a primary problem for opposing defenses rather than a complementary option limited to quick throws.
Buccaneers News and Notes
– Yarcho revisited January reporting from Fox Sports’ Greg Auman that the club spoke with Sean McDermott about joining Todd Bowles’ staff. Yarcho stressed that his belief the outreach could have doubled as a contingency plan was his own theory, but said McDermott’s presence could have given Tampa Bay a more credible in-season coaching alternative.
– Yarcho would not use a potential top-five draft choice on a successor to Mayfield. He instead identified Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith as his preferred selection if the Buccaneers remain high enough to draft him, arguing Smith could eventually pair with Egbuka.
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