Emeka Egbuka isn’t running from the moment. With Mike Evans gone, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a new voice and a new tone-setter in the wide receiver room, and the former first-round pick sounds ready to step forward.

Evans, the longtime face of Tampa Bay’s receiving corps, signed a three-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers in March. That leaves a massive leadership gap for a Buccaneers offense still loaded with talent but missing one of the most respected players in franchise history.

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Egbuka, who caught 63 passes for 938 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie in 2025, said this week on Up & Adams that Tampa Bay understands what Evans meant.

“Obviously, I think there’s a passing of the torch, and it needs to be received by someone,” Egbuka said.

That “someone” may be Egbuka, though he made it clear this won’t be a one-man job. The Bucs still have Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and rookie Ted Hurst, giving Tampa Bay a deep group with plenty to prove.

“We have Chris Godwin, we have Jalen McMillan, and we have a bunch of guys who are ready to make an impact,” Egbuka said.

Still, replacing Evans is about more than catches and touchdowns. It’s about presence. Egbuka said Evans remains beloved inside the building and across the Tampa community, adding, “There’s nothing but love for him. There’s no hard feelings or anything.”

The Bucs believe leadership is part of what made Egbuka worth investing in. He said Tampa Bay emphasized that trait during the draft process.

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“I was a captain at Ohio State — been a captain on pretty much every football team I’ve been a part of,” Egbuka said.

Now comes the real test. Evans helped define an era of Buccaneers football. Egbuka doesn’t have to become him, but Tampa Bay clearly needs him to become more.

The torch is available. Egbuka sounds ready to grab it.