TAMPA, Fla. — New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has a big job ahead in rebuilding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense after the departure of franchise icon Mike Evans, who signed with San Francisco in free agency.
Third-round pick Ted Hurst may not fully replace Evans’ production, but the rookie could help fill the void as a true downfield threat at the X receiver spot.
“You can see the skillset right away. He’s a true X receiver," Robinson said. "You’re never going to replace a Mike Evans, but you look for traits and similarities. He can run, he’s got great hands, and he’s a very instinctual player.”
While Evans is gone, Robinson still has plenty of talent to work with.
Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, and Emeka Egbuka headline the receiver room. Bucky Irving gets help in the backfield with the addition of Kenny Gainwell, while Baker Mayfield enters a contract year at quarterback.
“This group has an edge to it, and you want to keep that edge," Robinson said. "Last season didn’t end the way they wanted. Baker naturally plays with that mentality, but you can feel it even more now. He’s been intentional with his footwork and fundamentals.”
Robinson’s goal is to keep the offense operating at the high level it reached in 2024 under former OC Liam Coen.
The Bucs finished in the top five in both rushing and scoring last season. Coen turned that production into a head coaching job in Jacksonville.
“Liam and I still talk almost every day. We’re not talking ball now that we’re in the same division, but we’ve had a lot of natural conversations about how he saw players and how the run game evolved with some of the concepts we saw in L.A.," Robinson said.
The Bucs return to the practice field for OTAs beginning May 26.
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