Keep informed with our daily updates: News, notes and more throughout the month of December
Scott Smith
Owen Wright
#49
RB
- Height: 5-9
- Weight: 217 lbs
- College: Monmouth
December 2 Updates
The Buccaneers re-signed second-year running back Owen Wright to their practice squad on Tuesday. Wright had spent four weeks on that unit before being promoted to the active roster on November 14. He was waived last Saturday to make room for the promotion of rookie quarterback Connor Bazelak to the 53-man roster.
Wright first joined the Buccaneers near the start of training camp but was subsequently released in the final roster cuts at the end of August. He returned to the team on October 7, signing to the practice squad, and was then elevated for game day against the San Francisco 49ers in Week Six and the Detroit Lions in Week Seven. He was added to the active roster after rookie running back Josh Williams drew a six-game suspension from the NFL and appeared in two more games.
In all, Wright has logged seven snaps on offense and 17 snaps on special teams this season. He has run three times for six yards and returned three kickoffs for 73 yards. During the preseason, he played in all three games and rushed 26 times for a team-leading 100 yards and a touchdown and added four receptions for 12 yards. He also returned one kickoff for 25 yards.
Wright, who split his college career between Monmouth and William & Mary, originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Ravens in 2023. He spent his rookie season on the practice squad and then landed on injured reserve for all of 2024.
for notes on the Bucs' depth chart for Week 14.
Mike Evans
#13
WR
- Height: 6-5
- Weight: 231 lbs
- College: Texas A&M
December 1 Updates
The Buccaneers are hoping to have their full receiving corps intact at some point during the team's playoff stretch run, and some serious progress could be made in that regard this week.
On Monday, Head Coach Todd Bowles addressed external reports that both Jalen McMillan and Mike Evans could return to practice this week, noting that he expects both to start ramping up their onfield activities in an effort to return from injured reserve.
"He's been running," said Bowles of McMillan, who suffered a significant neck injury during the preseason that kept him in a brace for several months. "It's just a matter of him putting on a helmet and seeing where he is strength-wise with his neck. He'll start doing more this week and we'll see exactly what, whether it's individual [position drills] or whether it's some more things this week as well. But he will start moving around."
As for Evans, who suffered a fractured clavicle and a concussion in Week Seven, Bowles didn't elaborate but did answer affirmatively about Evans potentially practicing this week.
"That's a possibility as well," said Bowles.
Evans is the franchise's all-time leader in virtually every receiving corps and ranks 10th in NFL history with 106 touchdown receptions. Last season, he led the Bucs with 74 catches for 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns, tying Jerry Rice's NFL record by surpassing 1,000 yards for a 11th consecutive season. He has played in just four games this season and has 14 catches for 140 yards and one touchdown.
McMillan came on strong in the second half of his rookie season after Chris Godwin was lost to an ankle injury, finishing with 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns. His seven touchdown catches over the final six weeks of the regular season led all NFL players.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin recently returned from a five-game absence due to a fibula injury and has played only four games this season. He had his most productive outing yet in Sunday's win over Arizona, playing 66.7% of the offensive snaps and catching three passes for 78 yards. First-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka leads the team with 52 catches for 791 yards and six touchdowns, and fellow rookie Tez Johnson has added five touchdown catches. If the Buccaneers can get Evans and McMillan back on the field in the coming weeks, they could feature one of the league's deepest pass-catching corps as they seek to secure a fifth straight division title.
to watch highlights from the Bucs' 20-17 win over Arizona on Sunday.
