How Good Can Jalen McMillan Be?
July 31st, 2024
Jalen McMillan balling out.
One thing that spooked Joe about rookie receiver Jalen McMillan was him tearing up the Bucs defense in underwear football.
Joe has been burned before thinking a receiver is hot sh!t in underwear football only to go all MIA when the pads came on.
Well, after last night’s practice, Joe is now wondering how high McMillan can raise his game.
The way McMillan is practicing, the fair question now has gone from “Can he make the team?” to “Will he start?” After two practices with the pads on, McMillan might actually be better than when he practiced in underwear football.
You can read between the lines from Todd Bowles that McMillan’s play isn’t a mirage.
“He’s another one having a great camp,” Bowles boasted. “He’s a good football player. Since he’s come in, he’s made every play since Day 1. He’s very intelligent. He wants to be good, he wants to learn.
“The receiving group loves him and he continues to get better and better. I like where he’s at. He looks like he looked out of pads. He looked good then, he looks good now.”
This wide receiver room is deep. Of course, it’s top-heavy with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin but it’s solid after that. Joe doesn’t believe there is much if any dropoff between Trey Palmer, Sterling Shepard and McMillan.
Bucs not named “Evans” or “Godwin” ought to have fresh legs this fall. At worst, they ought to be in a rotation. Liam Coen wasn’t joking.
Special Guest Todd Bowles On The Ira Kaufman Podcast, And More
July 31st, 2024 at 6:52 am
Jalen McMillan is Chris Godwin 2.0. If he continues to impress into the season, Jason Licht will have a difficult time justifying a huge contract for Godwin.
July 31st, 2024 at 8:20 am
Feeling the same way, let them have some rotation. Possibly when we are way ahead toward the end of the 4th quarter. Yes, optimistically believing that will happen and everyone stays healthy!
July 31st, 2024 at 10:13 am
As soon as we took him, I thought he would be an immediate starter. I loved his game at Washington & felt-like he was their 1A prior to his Senior Season… But, then he kinda fell off my radar. Looks like he fell off LOTS of other’s radars as well. BIG WIN for us… Stole him. I think he could potentially have a DJ Moore type of ceiling, fundamentally!!!!
July 31st, 2024 at 12:48 pm
My nephews, who both live in the Seattle area, are huge Huskies fans. They both told me McMillan would be great. He was hurt most of his senior year. He’ll take over for Godwin in 2025 as the #2 behind Mike.
July 31st, 2024 at 2:05 pm
I don’t watch college football really, and we drafted him I didn’t know how he was. But just watching like 5 minutes of his highlights sold me – he’s very very much in the mold of Chris Godwin. Just a professional WR who looks ultra smooth – those guys are always extremely effective so long as they have NFL size, speed and quickness, and McMillan has all of those.
As for people talking about him starting or talking about Godwin… This is 2024, you’re not starting a FB, you start 3 WRs, which means you need 3 starting WRs. If McMillan starts day 1, or perhaps Shepard has a resurgence and starts the year, makes no difference as they’re all going to play. Don’t be eager to run off an ALL-PRO like Godwin.
July 31st, 2024 at 2:42 pm
Bucs are high on Jalen McMillan and already talking replacing Chris Godwin after next year.
A couple of years ago Jalen was out for the season in Washington with an injury.
Let’s play a season at a time and look at what’s the best scenario for the players and Bucs future in 2025 and 2026.
July 31st, 2024 at 3:58 pm
AlabamaBucsFan Says:
July 31st, 2024 at 6:52 am
Jalen McMillan is Chris Godwin 2.0. If he continues to impress into the season, Jason Licht will have a difficult time justifying a huge contract for Godwin.
JL will have little difficulty justifying CG14’s next contract: The salary cap goes up, not down, and only recently is he FULLY healed. JL won’t feel the need to rework McMillan’s contract for AT LEAST two years, no matter how great he might turn out to be, CG14 2.0 or not. And finally, and most obvious to Bucs fans who pay attention, CG14 has always been a pro’s pro, even as a rookie! He does EVERYTHING right, on and off the field, and always has, which makes him exceptional. I’m on-board with those fans (and former Bucs) who understand that the offense SHOULD run through him. That is to say, he can make ANY defender at any level look foolish, which when you think about it, is astounding. He’ll run thru or past DBs, brush off LBs, and will gladly do the dirty work inside to complement other playmakers. I’m convinced CG14 will be be a Buc for life.
July 31st, 2024 at 4:54 pm
I have an erection for depth. So do Licht and Todd. Jason and Greenberg will figure out a way.
July 31st, 2024 at 5:53 pm
Checks only 2 of the 3 Bucs receivers boxes for Injured, Old and Slow- but he’ll get there, he will get there..
July 31st, 2024 at 6:06 pm
Not injured, not old, not slow!!! Me thinks maybe you a little slow……no?
July 31st, 2024 at 9:14 pm
Problem is Evans only signed 2 years. We need another stud receiver to compliment J Mac in the future via the draft trade or somehow keeping Godwin which seems more likely day after day.
July 31st, 2024 at 10:49 pm
I think if Bucs are awful, trade Godwin…
If he’s great again, maybe franchise him for 1 more year