The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been ravaged by injuries all throughout the roster. Even though they were pushing ahead without key contributors on the team, the blows are finally starting to catch up to them as the season goes on.
Starting 3-0, the team has fallen to 6-4 after a Week 11 loss, 44-32, to the Buffalo Bills. However, the hope for the team is that they’ll be getting healthier in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, the one player that remains the most significant question mark for them is Jalen McMillan.
When Will Jalen McMillan Return?
In his rookie season, McMillan played a critical role in Tampa Bay’s success. Appearing in 13 games, he caught 37 passes for 461 yards and eight touchdowns. Unfortunately, he hasn’t seen any action so far this season.
A neck injury in the preseason ruled him out to begin the year. Things took a turn for the worse when it was confirmed that the sophomore had broken bones in his neck that would require him to be in a brace for an extended period of time.
During an appearance on the Ira Kaufman podcast near the start of November, head coach Todd Bowles provided an update on the young wide receiver. “He’s getting better,” is how Bowles began his soliloquy.
“But necks are not like ankles or arms where you see progress where you can lift on ’em and work ’em out when you’re still on the brace and you say, ‘Oh, he looks good today, he’s getting stronger, he is getting faster.’”
As a result, the timeline for the injury has been a little more complicated. So far, Bowles hasn’t provided any certainty about when fans can expect McMillan back in the lineup. The earliest estimate was for December.
And that is something that hasn’t changed. However, the only caveat remains how McMillan is feeling regarding his health. As Bowles explained during the podcast appearance, the Buccaneers would be as cautious as possible with his injury.
“It’s a neck injury. And those, like you said, it’s a life thing if it doesn’t heal the right way. So they’re saying it’s healing the right way.” As things currently stand, the locker room can use all the help it can get.
Mike Evans is out for a significant portion of time with a broken clavicle, while Chris Godwin has fluttered in and out of the lineup. Superstar rookie Emeka Egbuka, who’s ranked 25th on PFSN’s WR Impact, has carried the biggest load offensively.
However, he has also dealt with hamstring injuries throughout the year. As a result, the team is relying heavily on its depth at the wide receiver spot, with names like Tez Johnson and Sterling Shephard playing a key role for them.
The worry and caution, particularly with the nature of McMillan’s injury, is entirely understandable, and even admirable. But the team needs help fast, or their guarantee of a playoff spot could quickly turn into a legitimate concern.
