On December 3, 2025, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers officially designated veteran WR Mike Evans and young receiver Jalen McMillan to return from the injured reserve, opening a 21-day window to rejoin the active lineup.
Evans suffered a broken collarbone against the Detroit Lions and has been sidelined since Oct. 22. This comes after he missed more games earlier this year with a hamstring injury that limited him to just four appearances in the 2025 season. In those games, he had 14 catches for 140 yards and one touchdown. McMillan, meanwhile, suffered a neck injury during the preseason and has not played at all this season. The return itself was notable because McMillan suffered a fractured vertebra, an injury that would not only be season-ending but also threaten his career.
advertise
When healthy, Evans represents a very different asset as a proven veteran and McMillan as a rising young weapon. Evans remains a vertical threat and a matchup nightmare for defenders. McMillan is young, quick and has the potential to carve out a niche as a complementary option in the passing game.
That kind of depth would be valuable for an offense trying to get back on its feet after injuries hampered consistency. With contributors returning, the Buccaneers may soon have a more dynamic and balanced wide receiver corps.
That said, patience remains. As of the latest update, both Evans and McMillan are not expected to play in the upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints. The coaching staff has allowed them to return slowly, favoring incremental progress rather than pushing for an immediate return. Still, the fact that the pair are back in training is a major boost.
Assuming their return goes well, Tampa Bay’s offense could become even more potent in the coming weeks, giving the team more weapons and flexibility as the regular season ends and enters the playoffs against a crowded NFC Conference.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Buccaneers’ passing game ready for rebuild and big returns
