The Buccaneers’ first official depth chart arrived Tuesday morning, and it already tells a few stories before Friday’s preseason opener at New York against the Jets.
The biggest takeaway is on defense, where several rookies have been working with the starting unit in camp but only one of them showed up as a starter on the initial chart: outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr., the team’s first-round pick. Inside linebacker Josiah Trotter, along with cornerbacks Keionte Scott and Ayden Garnes, have all seen plenty of first-team work, but they were not listed as starters.
Some of the other choices are more eyebrow-raising than others. Vita Vea is still listed as the starting nose tackle despite his “hold in” over a contract dispute and his supposed back injury. He has missed every training camp practice so far, but he traveled with the team to New York and remains the clear starter at nose tackle whenever he’s ready to get back on the field.
The secondary brought the first real surprise. Benjamin Morrison is listed as a second-string corner opposite rookie Keionte Scott even though he has not taken part in a single team drill during camp because of a hamstring injury.
Jacob Parrish is listed as a starter next to Zyon McCollum, which matches what has been happening since camp opened on July 29. In nickel looks, Scott has typically slid inside to play the slot while McCollum and Parrish stay outside.
Rookie Ayden Garnes and Damarion “Pepe” Williams, who spent last season on the practice squad, have also gotten strong runs with the first team. Morrison, meanwhile, has barely practiced while recovering from yet another hamstring injury, so listing him as a second-string corner because he played in 10 games as a rookie feels like a stretch. He still has to prove he can stay on the field in Tampa Bay.
At linebacker, SirVocea Dennis is still shown as the starter at middle linebacker, even though Todd Bowles has kept him there mostly because of his four-year experience. Josiah Trotter, the Bucs’ second-round pick, has been the more active playmaker in practice.
Dennis has been quiet through the first two weeks of camp, while Trotter has been the one flashing. It feels like only a matter of time before Trotter takes over the Mike linebacker job.
Another defender pushing upward is second-year outside linebacker David Walker. He’s been Tampa Bay’s most productive player in camp, with at least one sack in nine straight practices.
Walker has mostly worked with the third team opposite Chris Braswell, but he finally moved to the second unit during Sunday’s practice and responded with two sacks on offensive tackle Ben Chukwuma. Al-Quadin Muhammad and Anthony Nelson, the listed second-string outside linebackers, have both had quiet camps, and Walker’s production has clearly earned a bigger role even if the official chart hasn’t caught up yet.
The last defensive head-scratcher is safety J.J. Roberts.
The second-year defensive back is listed as a second-stringer even though he has not practiced at all this offseason or in camp after last year’s promising rookie season ended with a torn ACL in joint practices at Pittsburgh. Tampa Bay added safeties Ifeatu Melifonwu and Xavier Williams because of that absence, so Roberts’ placement on the chart stands out.
On offense, the chart is much more straightforward. Wide receiver David Sills V, who played last year in Atlanta under offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, is listed on the second string ahead of Kam Johnson, last year’s WR6. Sills has missed the last three practices with a banged-up knee, but he has made more plays than Johnson, so this looks more like an interesting note than a true shock.
Ted Hurst III and Tez Johnson landing on the second team at receiver is also right in line with what has shown up in camp. One other receiver note is that undrafted free agent Dean Patterson IV is listed as a third-string receiver alongside Tez Johnson and Garrett Greene, while Eric Rivers, the more decorated undrafted free agent who has struggled in camp, is on the fourth string with Dennis Houston, who was on Tampa Bay’s practice squad last year.
Tight end also produced a surprise. Rookie Bauer Sharp is listed as the fifth tight end behind Devin Culp, even though Sharp has seemed to get more work with the second-team offense and has made more plays.
Cade Otton is the clear starter and is having a very good camp, Payne Durham is TE2, and Ko Kieft looks like TE3 for now. Sharp, the team’s sixth-round pick, and Culp appear to be battling for the final tight end spot.
The return jobs still lean on familiar names. Kam Johnson is listed as the punt returner and as a co-kick returner with Sean Tucker, while Tez Johnson is the No. 2 punt returner. Josh Williams and Kenny Gainwell are the backups on kick return.
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