The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have dealt with 2 seasons of wide receiver Jalen McMillan fighting a losing battle with injuries — they’re hoping that in his 3rd season he finally gets the upper hand.
McMillan took the 1st step toward getting back on the field and healthy for the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals by returning to practice on Tuesday.
“Jalen McMillan (leg) has returned to practice today,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud wrote on his official X account on Tuesday.
“Bucs receiver Jalen McMillan is back today after missing more than a week with a leg injury,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account.
It’s an interesting time for McMillan to come back — the neck injury he suffered in a Week 2 preseason game in 2025 cost him the 1st 13 regular-season games last season.
McMillan also missed 4 games due to injury as a rookie in 2025.
McMillan Called ‘Secret Weapon’ for Buccaneers
Athlon Sports NFL reporter Luke Easterling put McMillan at the top of his list of overlooked “secret weapons” teams will employ in 2026.
With the departure of legendary wide receiver Mike Evans to the San Francisco 49ers in free agency, McMillan’s help will be needed now more than ever.
“Even with Mike Evans gone, the Bucs have a loaded receiver group with tons of talent, and McMillan is the most underrated member of the group,” Easterling wrote. “Chris Godwin Jr. is healthy again, and big things are expected from Emeka Egbuka in Year 2, but McMillan is primed for a breakout season after missing most of last year with a scary neck injury he suffered in the preseason. As a rookie the year before, McMillan caught seven of his eight touchdowns over the final five games of the season, scoring at least once in every game with two multi-TD games. Finally back to full strength, McMillan could make a huge impact even as Tampa Bay’s WR3.”
Injuries Have Always Been Issue for Jalen McMillan
Pewter Plank’s Josh Crysler identified McMillan, who has missed 17 games due to injuries over his 1st 2 seasons, as the “X-Factor” for the Buccaneers on offense in 2026 and thinks the former 3rd-round pick could be in for a career year.
That could be a dicey proposition for a player who hasn’t shown he can be healthy for a complete season.
“In a room that features Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson, and rookie Ted Hurst, Jalen McMillan is often overlooked and underrated,” Crysler wrote. “A big part of this is that he missed the majority of last season recovering from a devastating neck injury, so his stats, so he didn’t have the chance to make the impact he’s capable of. But a fully healthy McMillan could quietly step up into a massive role for the Buccaneers this season.”
McMillan has played a massive role in the offense before. As a rookie in 2024, McMillan had 37 receptions for 461 yards and 8 touchdowns, but put up the bulk of those stats down the stretch with 24 receptions for 316 yards over the final 5 games of the regular season — a stretch in which he led the NFL with 7 touchdowns.
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