Before the conclusion of the 2025 NFL regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are likely to get reinforcements back, including receiver Mike Evans, receiver Jalen McMillan and defensive lineman Cal’Jah Cancy. The Bucs have suffered injuries in fixtures on both sides of the football in 2025 and the aforementioned trio will help solidify the unit.
“J-Mac, Mike and Kensi have been working hard and working hard and trying their best to bounce back and sprint-wise, they’re doing well,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “Other than that, we’ll have to see but I think they’ll all be back before the season is over, I can’t tell you when.”
Jalen McMillan suffered a neck injury in the second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He suffered neck and head injuries after a catch in the club’s preliminary slate and was placed on injured reserve with a return designation on August 26. In 2024, McMillan emerged during the second half of the season. His seven touchdowns in his final five games of the regular season were the most by any Buccaneer in a five-game period in club history, which also included Mike Evans and Jimmy Giles. McMillan joined Ja’Marr Chase to become the second player to record seven or more touchdown catches in a five-game span that season. His eight touchdowns are the third-most by a Buccaneers rookie in franchise history, surpassing Mike Evans (12 in 2014) and Mike Williams (11 in 2010). He combines long-range speed with the ability to fake the mid-passage and isolate leverage gains.
Midway through Monday Night Football in Week Two against the Texans, Caliza Cansi suffered a pectoral tear and was placed on injured reserve on September 17. Kensi led the Bucs with 7.5 in 2024 and continued to be a strong performer on the field. He missed most of his 2023 rookie training camp and nearly four full games that season due to a calf strain, then suffered a similar injury before the start of the 2024 campaign and missed five contests. When healthy, he has posted 55 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one pass defense in 28 career games. He has elite first-step quickness off the line to infiltrate the opposing backfield and has excellent change of direction and contact balance.
In the Week 7 clash against the Lions on Monday Night Football, Mike Evans broke his clavicle and was placed on injured reserve on October 22. Evans returned from a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury before suffering an illness against the Lions. He was targeted four times in the game, including a deep ball, resulting in Evans suffering both a shoulder injury and concussion. He began his tenure with an NFL-record streak of 11 consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards. Evans is the Buccaneers’ all-time leader in receptions (850), receiving yards (12,824), touchdown receptions (106), total touchdowns (107) and points scored (650), and his touchdown catch total ranks 10th in NFL history. The jump-ball specialist and back-shoulder catch lover sets the standard in Tampa Bay and makes competitive catches look easy.
The return of the cornerstone trio will be a welcome sight for Bucs fanatics and will elevate the team on both sides of the football.
<a href=