Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka left a joint practice with the New York Jets a bit early. The initial diagnosis was unclear, but Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that the ailment is a toe issue.
Garafolo described the injury as minor.
However, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times was able to provide some more clarity regarding the specificity of the injury.
Stroud reported that the injury is a toe sprain. However, the severity is still unknown, and the team is currently awaiting results.
A toe sprain does go along with what Garafolo noted; he does not believe it to be as severe as a break. However, that could still lead to some time being missed.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Suffers Toe Sprain in Joint Practice With New York Jets
Toe sprains can vary in severity. For example, Joe Burrow had a toe sprain that did not appear to be an issue initially. However, it was a Grade 3 sprain, and that meant ending his season early.
At the same time, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden had a toe sprain in this training camp. He missed a few days but has already returned.
There are three different grades of a sprain. A Grade one sprain would mean missing a week or two and being back soon. A Grade 2 sprain might mean missing a few weeks. That would have him pushing to get back by the start of the regular season.
Then, there is Grade 3, which is what Burrow had. The early indication is that Egbuka is closer to Grade 1, but Stroud noted the team is not sure yet.
Buccaneers Need the Best of Emeka Egbuka
GettyEmeka Egbuka.
When Egbuka was healthy last season and the Bucs offense looked good, he was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He averaged 4.4 catches and 75.2 yards per game in the first nine games of the season. This had him on pace for 1,278 yards.
However, he got banged up, and so did Baker Mayfield. The offense was not as impactful as they were shifting personnel, and they fell apart down the stretch. Egbuka averaged 2.9 catches and 32.6 yards per game for the final eight games. That had him on pace for 555 yards over the course of a full season. Those are two entirely different players.
So, if Egbuka is not healthy, the Bucs are going to be in trouble.
The team let Mike Evans leave in free agency this offseason. They still have Chris Godwin, but he did not look the same in 2025, coming off of his 2024 injury. They also have Jalen McMillan, but he was injured in 2025 and is only in his third year. Lastly, they have Ted Hurst, but the rookie is unproven.
So, they are leaning on Egbuka to lead the way in the passing attack. The results of the injury and when Egbuka will be back will be important to follow. It is clear that he will miss the Bucs preseason opener against the Jets.
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