The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are about to kick off training camp on Tuesday, with veterans due in on Wednesday, and there’s no shortage of storylines to track once the pads come on.
That’s the point of camp, after all. It’s where offseason buzz gets tested against real football, and where the Bucs will start sorting through their free-agent additions and draft picks while giving a clearer picture of how new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson plans to run the offense.
A lot of attention will naturally land on first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr., who will finally get the full-pads look that tells you the most about a young player before the season begins. But he won’t be the only rookie worth watching closely.
The other name to keep on the radar is wide receiver Ted Hurst.
Tampa Bay took Hurst out of Georgia State in the third round after opening the draft on defense, and the fit is obvious on paper. Mike Evans is gone in free agency to the San Francisco 49ers, leaving the Bucs searching for a true outside “X” receiver to help replace that role.
Hurst brings plenty to like. His athletic numbers jump off the page, including a 4.42 40-yard dash, and he turned heads at the Senior Bowl.
At the same time, the jump from Georgia State comes with questions. The competition he faced wasn’t strong, and his route running and work at the catch point are still developing.
That’s what makes camp so important for him.
If Hurst learns quickly, Tampa Bay could have something real here. He has the size and speed to work on the outside if he can show he’s physical enough against the Bucs’ cornerbacks. Even if he isn’t ready to handle a full-time role right away, he could still become a dangerous red-zone target.
There’s also a clear coaching connection. Robinson had Drake London in Atlanta over the last two seasons, and Tampa Bay needs a similar type of receiver for this offense. If Hurst closes the gap faster than expected, he could fill that lane and give the Bucs’ attack another layer.
How often he runs with the first team will tell the story. More reps there would suggest Tampa Bay sees him as a real part of the plan. If most of his work comes with the second or third group, the timeline may be a little longer.
Hurst will have competition for snaps in a crowded receiver room, with Tez Johnson and David Sills also in the mix. The question is whether he can force his way into the lineup, even in specific packages or situations. If he does, the Bucs may have landed a draft steal right where they needed one.
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Before Baker Mayfield became the face of the Buccaneers offense, he was just a name Emily Wilkinson decided to look up before their first date, and what turned up was not exactly a polished introduction. Wilkinson said a Google search brought back the kind of headlines that followed Mayfield early in his career, from his 2017 arrest to the on-field flare-ups that made him one of footballs more polarizing quarterbacks.
The timing makes the story land a little differently now, with Mayfield in the final year of his Tampa Bay contract and talks still hanging over his future. Wilkinson and Mayfield have since built a life together, including marriage in 2019 and two children, but the same player whose past once raised eyebrows is now at the center of a bigger question for the Buccaneers about what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Tristan Wirfs Deserves More Respect In Tampa Bays Biggest Debate
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Wirfs also sits in a frustrating spot that has nothing to do with his play and everything to do with his position. Offensive linemen almost never get the kind of individual recognition that follows quarterbacks and skill players, and the modern NFL MVP award has never gone to one. Even if Wirfs keeps grading out among the leagues best and remains central to what Tampa Bay wants to do, he would still have to fight history as much as he would the rest of the field. [Read more 🡒]