The Buccaneers are headed to Cincinnati for Week 1 with plenty of attention on the fresh faces, but the players who swing games are often the ones flying a little lower on the radar. Tampa Bay has that kind of depth this season, and Sunday could be a good early test of how many pieces Jason Licht and Todd Bowles really have at their disposal.
With Jalen McMillan unavailable, the receiver who could quietly matter is Tez Johnson. The rookie Ted Hurst will draw the spotlight after being drafted in the third round to work at the "X" position, but Johnson has a chance to slide into meaningful snaps.
He put together a strong camp and caught five touchdowns for the Bucs last year. He also brings NFL experience that Hurst doesn’t have yet, along with the kind of quickness that can punish defenders when he finds space.
If McMillan doesn’t play, Johnson should get a look.
Benjamin Morrison is in a different spot, but he could still wind up helping. Jacob Parrish won the outside corner job in training camp, so Morrison isn’t starting there to open the year.
Even so, Todd Bowles has options with him. Morrison can step in for either Zyon McCollum or Parrish if injuries or package changes force the issue, and he could also be part of dime looks with six defensive backs on the field.
He may not be in the starting lineup, but there’s a path for him to make his presence felt.
Up front, Elijah Roberts looks like one of the better rotational bets on the roster. Tampa Bay is counting on Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey to anchor the defensive tackle group, but the line needs reliable depth behind the headline names.
Roberts gave the Bucs two sacks, 14 combined tackles and five QB hits last year, and he showed he could create pressure while holding up in the run game. In Bowles’ scheme, he can fill in at several spots, including for A'Shawn Robinson or Kancey, and if he takes another step, he could help keep the front seven disruptive all game long.
There’s also a chance for a practice squad call-up to matter at running back. Sean Tucker appears unlikely to play Sunday, and if that holds, Josh Williams would probably be elevated in his place.
Williams is built similarly to Tucker at 5-9, 210 pounds. The Bucs used Tucker as the goal-line back in 2025, and while it’s unclear whether offensive coordinator Zac Robinson would use that same approach this year, Tucker’s doubtful status opens the door for Williams to handle those snaps.
If he gets the short-yardage work and turns it into touchdowns, that would be a meaningful contribution.
Another name to keep in mind is Keionte Scott, Tampa Bay’s new nickel cornerback out of Miami and a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He already has a built-in connection with first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr., since the two were college teammates, and his preseason tape suggests he could be ready for a role right away.
Scott’s tackling and physical style stood out in August, and that could make him useful as a blitzer while also helping him set the edge against the run on his side. Coverage is still part of the equation, but he showed enough there in preseason to suggest he can handle it.
Parrish stood out as a rookie nickel last year, and if Scott can follow that path, Tampa Bay’s defense could have another useful piece in place right away.
In Other News...
Bengals Suddenly Face A Tougher Opener Than Expected
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Egbuka had already shown enough promise as a rookie to draw attention before injuries slowed him down, and his return helps deepen an offense that wants to start fast. For the Bengals, it adds one more layer to a road test that already carried plenty of early-season pressure, because opening-day assignments tend to get a lot harder when a teams passing game is healthier than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Andrei Iosivas Brings An Unexpected Off-Field Twist Into Bengals Opener
Gia Duddys trip to Greece may end up sending a little extra attention toward the Bengals Week 1 matchup with Tampa Bay, even if it has nothing to do with what happens on the field. While shes headed overseas for a friends wedding, Andrei Iosivas is stepping into the opener with the kind of optimism teams like to carry into September, speaking openly about how excited he is for the game and about Cincinnatis Super Bowl ambitions.
For the Bengals, Iosivas has become part of the wider conversation around a roster trying to turn expectation into something more concrete. Drafted in 2023 and still playing under a four-year contract, the receiver is part of the young core that keeps the teams outlook pointed high, and the opener gives him an early chance to help set the tone. Whether the off-field subplot is around for kickoff or not, it has added another layer of intrigue to a game Cincinnati was already eager to get to. [Read more 🡒]
Marvin Lewis Sees One Real Edge For These Bengals
Marvin Lewis has seen enough Bengals football to know when a roster has a real chance to separate itself from the pack, and during a recent visit to practice before the season opener against Tampa Bay, he pointed to a familiar kind of advantage. He likes the offensive talent, sees the defensive additions as meaningful, and believes the continuity on the roster gives Cincinnati a chance to stay ahead of the usual AFC North grind.
Lewis also noted that the division landscape looks a little different in Baltimore and Pittsburgh, which only adds to the sense that the Bengals may have a cleaner path than they have in some recent seasons. The former head coach singled out Dexter Lawrence among the names that can shape that balance, and his larger point was simple enough: Cincinnati has enough in place to think about winning the division in 2026, even if the road there still has plenty of moving parts. [Read more 🡒]