Losing six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans to the San Francisco 49ers this offseason was a gut punch to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Evans had been with the Bucs for the first 12 years of his career, hitting 1,000 yards or more in 11 of those seasons.
But his departure was a passing-of-the-torch moment for 2025 first-round pick Emeka Egbuka, who led the team in receiving last season as a rookie with 63 receptions, 938 yards, and six touchdowns.
Egbuka is Tampa’s unquestioned WR1, with Chris Godwin Jr., Tez Johnson, Jalen McMillan, and Kameron Johnson falling in line behind him.
The Bucs did bring back tight end Cade Otton, but Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports thinks they should make a run at another TE to give quarterback Baker Mayfield another weapon to throw to, and he named former Pro Bowle Jonnu Smith as the best fit for Tampa’s offense.
“(Offensive coordinator) Zac Robinson’s Falcons ran the sixth-most plays with multiple tight ends on the field last year,” Pereles wrote. “Now he’s calling the shots in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers retained Cade Otton this offseason, but Smith could add some YAC juice to the room. The Buccaneers’ current second tight end is Payne Durham, who had one catch last year.”
Smith spent last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though his numbers didn’t jump off the page, his 38-catch, 222-yard, two-touchdown output was solid in a TE2 role behind Pat Friermuth.
The 30-year-old Smith is just one year removed from his best season as a pro, in which he logged 88 catches, 884 yards, eight touchdowns and made his first Pro Bowl.
Given Tampa got exactly two receptions, 17 yards, and one touchdown out of its backup tight ends last season, adding someone of Smith’s caliber would be a huge upgrade not only for the team’s TE depth but for the number of competent pass-catchers Mayfield has at his disposal.
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