The Bucs’ offseason haul has made the back end of the roster a lot more interesting, and a lot more crowded. That’s the theme heading into Jacksonville, where joint practices this week and Friday night’s preseason game against the Jaguars will serve as the last big tryout for players fighting to stay on Tampa Bay’s offense.
At quarterback, Baker Mayfield is the only true lock. The real question is whether the Bucs keep two passers or carry three.
Jake Browning, Jalon Daniels and Connor Bazelak are all in the mix, but Daniels stands out because he has shown a lot of promise and could be claimed if Tampa Bay tries to sneak him onto the practice squad. The quarterback market around the league is thin enough that Daniels might not make it through waivers.
A more aggressive move would be to cut Browning, keep Daniels as Mayfield’s backup, and try to stash Browning or Bazelak on the practice squad. Jacksonville should tell the story.
Running back could get squeezed by whatever happens at quarterback. Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell are roster locks, but if the Bucs only keep three quarterbacks, there may only be room for three backs.
That puts Sean Tucker, Josh Williams and Barika Kpeenu under the microscope. Tucker carries a $3.52 million price tag as a third-string back, while Williams is on his rookie deal.
Both can help as kick returners, and the staff likes each one for different reasons. Williams has a better chance to be around next year; Tucker, because of his cost and his impending unrestricted free agency, does not.
Tampa Bay may have to decide whether to keep both, or only one.
Wide receiver has one clear opening, but a long list of candidates. Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Ted Hurst and Tez Johnson are locked in, leaving the final spot to be fought over by Kam Johnson, Dean Patterson IV, David Sills V, Garrett Greene, Dennis Houston and Eric Rivers.
Right now, Kam Johnson seems to have the edge because he can handle punt and kick returns and has also taken steps forward as a receiver. Still, Patterson and Sills have made strong impressions, and both might be better pure receivers at this point.
If Kam Johnson misses, the punt-return job becomes a real issue in Tampa Bay, with Tez Johnson as one possible answer. For now, that sixth receiver job looks like Kam Johnson’s to lose, while Patterson, Sills and Greene are all plausible practice squad options.
Tight end appears a little more settled. Cade Otton, Payne Durham and Bauer Sharp are the locks, while Ko Kieft, Devin Culp and Kenny Fletcher Jr. are trying to make the case for the final spots.
Durham is in the last year of his contract, and his blocking at TE2 still matters. Sharp has done enough to separate himself from Culp and Fletcher, who have been too limited because their blocking hasn’t held up.
Kieft remains valuable as a special teams player and blocker, and his clutch touchdown catch from Daniels in Saturday’s preseason game only helped his standing.
Up front, the Bucs already have seven players essentially penciled in: LT Tristan Wirfs, LG Ben Bredeson, C Graham Barton, RG Cody Mauch, RT Luke Goedeke, OT Ben Chukwuma and C-G Dan Feeney. That leaves eight more linemen battling for two final roster spots, with Paul Rubelt in a separate category thanks to his International Pathway Program exemption. Rubelt, the German-born tackle, will automatically land on the practice squad if he doesn’t make the 53.
The other two spots could come down to who Tampa Bay trusts more between Justin Skule and Chukwuma, both of whom have had shaky camps. Skule brings veteran experience, while the team is still betting on Chukwuma’s athletic upside.
Inside, the final guard spot likely comes down to Luke Haggard and Billy Schrauth. Haggard was on the team last year and has put together a solid preseason, while Schrauth has missed a lot of time in camp and is only a fifth-round pick.
If Schrauth can’t get back on the field in Jacksonville, he could be headed for the practice squad. Whoever loses out between Schrauth and Haggard could end up there too, with Ben Scott, Elijah Klein and Henry Lutovsky also in the mix.
The Bucs will spend Tuesday and Wednesday in Jacksonville for joint practices, then close the preseason Friday night against the Jaguars. Coverage continues from Jacksonville throughout the week, including a postgame podcast after the finale.
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