Tez Johnson

Johnson has seen a sharp decline in targets as the Buccaneers' receiving corps returned from injuries, catching just 5 of 10 targets for 32 yards and one touchdown over the final five games as Evans, Godwin, and McMillan returned. With Egbuka, McMillan, and Godwin locked into the roster for at least the next two seasons, Johnson provides reliable depth, but his ceiling is severely capped.

Tampa Bay invested a 3rd-round pick (84th overall) in Georgia State WR Ted Hurst, a 6'4"/210 lb outside WR with a 4.42 40-yard dash. While Hurst is a different prototype than Johnson's slot/gadget role, this investment signals the Bucs want a true Evans-profile successor and further limits target share available to Johnson.

Tez sits 5th-6th in a crowded room behind ascending alpha Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and rookie Ted Hurst, with Kameron Johnson and UDFA/rookie deep threats also competing for snaps. Even with Mike Evans gone, the path to meaningful volume is blocked.

Snap share collapsed to 13-25% over the final four games (0.0, 0.9, 3.9, 3.2 pts) as the receiving corps got healthy, confirming he's the first man squeezed out when the room is whole. PPR #70 finish was buoyed by early-season opportunity, not a sustainable role.

At 23.7 years old, Johnson is in the prime developmental window for WRs with significant upside runway ahead. Early success could translate to elite dynasty value as he enters his peak years.

Mike Evans' confirmed departure to the San Francisco 49ers on a 3-year, $60.4M deal removes the Bucs' historic alpha target, creating 100+ targets to redistribute. Johnson is a candidate for a slice of those, particularly if Hurst (as a rookie) needs time to develop.

New OC Zac Robinson (ex-Rams) is known for spreading targets across the route tree, motion-heavy schemes, and gadget/slot usage — he helped Puka Nacua post a historic rookie year, and Johnson's profile fits that mold if Robinson designs specific packages for him.

Chris Godwin has a documented injury history (torn ACL 2021, broken ankle 2023); a Godwin absence again represents the most realistic near-term path for Johnson to step into a 70-90 target role.

GM Jason Licht explicitly stated in March 2026 that Johnson's role 'will expand' and called his usage 'exciting,' citing the Evans departure as opening space. This is meaningful front-office validation before the draft complicated the picture.