The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost more than a game in Monday's defeat to the Baltimore Ravens. Future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans re-aggravated a hamstring injury that will reportedly keep him out until after the Week 11 bye. In even more devastating news, Chris Godwin was lost to a gruesome season-ending ankle injury.
That leaves starting quarterback Baker Mayfield without proven weapons in the passing game for the foreseeable future. Rookie Jalen McMillan and veteran miscast Sterling Shepard are the No. 1 and 2 receivers in Tampa's offense. That's concerning for a team competing for the NFC South division title.
The upcoming NFL trade deadline (Nov. 5) offers the Buccaneers a last-ditch opportunity to replace Godwin. General manager Jason Licht should get aggressive. We've identified three potential receivers they could target.
Tyler Boyd, Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans just traded superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs, according to multiple reports. General manager Ran Carthon is understandably willing to sell off assets at the deadline, given his team's 1-5 record. Another veteran pass catcher that could garner interest is Tyler Boyd.
Boyd signed a one-year contract with the Titans to reunite with head coach Brian Callahan, who previously coached him in Cincinnati. The Titans were expecting to compete for the playoffs this season, but that hope hasn't come to fruition. They now require draft capital to accelerate their rebuild. Boyd would be a straightforward replacement for Godwin in the slot.
Mike Williams, New York Jets
The New York Jets finally made their move to acquire wide receiver Davante Adams. The Jets now have three clear-cut top wideouts, Adams, Garrett Wilson, and Allen Lazard. Those are the pass-catchers Aaron Rodgers is most comfortable with. Those recent happenings have made Mike Williams expendable. Williams has been linked to a trade for several running weeks, and something should get done before the deadline.
Williams played just 33% of the Jets' offensive snaps in Sunday's blowout defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was his lowest involvement since Week 1, his first official game from a previous season-ending knee injury. Williams' vertical skill set could help the Buccaneers absorb Evans' multi-week absence.
Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas Raiders general manager Tom Telesco is clearly a willing dealer at the deadline after trading Adams to the Jets. Another veteran wideout that could pique interest is Jakobi Meyers. The aging Meyers is signed through next season, but any acquiring team could release him in the offseason while gaining notable cap savings.
Brock Bowers, Tre Tucker, and an inevitable rookie receiver are the future of Vegas' pass-catching corps. Telesco and Antonio Pierce could also position themselves to select a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, meaning the more draft capital, the better. Meyers enjoyed a season-best performance the last time he suited up, recording six receptions for 72 receiving yards in an early October defeat to the Denver Broncos. It was a good showcase of his abilities ahead of the deadline.