Three Buccaneers pass rushers are spending part of their offseason in Las Vegas, and the setting tells you exactly what kind of work they’re chasing.
Sack Summit, the annual pass-rusher clinic run by Maxx Crosby, Cameron Jordan and Von Miller, is in its ninth year and has become one of the NFL’s premier offseason learning spots. Tampa Bay already has one regular attendee in tight end Cade Otton at Tight End University, and now three more Bucs are taking advantage of a different kind of classroom.
NFL reporter Brian Baldinger said Friday that Buccaneers defenders Rueben Bain, Calijah Kancey and David Walker are all at the event.
Bain’s presence stands out right away because he’s a rookie, and every rep, every tip and every detail from players like Crosby, Jordan and Miller can help speed up his adjustment. He’s expected to be Tampa Bay’s top pass-rushing threat, so getting the technical side sharpened now could matter quickly.
Walker is in a different spot. After being drafted in the fifth round, he was set back by a torn ACL in training camp last year, which kept him from playing his first real NFL season. He was a productive edge rusher at Central Arkansas, but the leap to the league is a major one, and a week around some of the game’s best pass rushers can only help.
Kancey is the outlier in the group because he lines up inside rather than on the edge. Still, his value comes from getting after the quarterback, and he proved that in 2024 with 7.5 sacks. Any technical edge he can pick up is useful, though staying healthy is the bigger issue after he missed most of last season with a torn pec.
The three will be back in Tampa Bay soon enough, with training camp set to open July 28.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Line Just Got The Kind Of Praise Fans Didn't Expect
For a unit that spent much of 2025 dealing with moving parts, the Buccaneers offensive line is suddenly getting a lot more respect than many expected. Sharp Football Analysis slotted Tampa Bays front among the leagues best, a nod that says as much about the talent up front as it does about how well the group held together through all the disruption. Tristan Wirfs remains the anchor, and the rest of the projected core with Luke Goedeke, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson gives the Bucs a foundation they can build around.
The bigger question now is whether that praise holds up once the season starts and the line is asked to stay healthy long enough to settle in. Tampa Bays offense has been at its best when the protection is clean and the run game has some balance, so the health of this group looms as one of the most important storylines on the roster. If the Buccaneers can keep their front intact, this could be one of the reasons the offense takes another step. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Fans Should File Away This Quarterback For Future Draft Talk
A quarterback to keep on the radar for later draft chatter is Drew Mestemaker, the Oklahoma State passer who is drawing attention as he heads into the 2026 season. For Buccaneers fans already thinking ahead to future quarterback discussions, he checks a lot of the early boxes that tend to get scouts interested, from arm talent to the kind of quick decision-making that can help a young passer settle in fast.
Mestemaker also brings mobility and the ability to work all levels of the field, which is part of why his stock could keep moving if the progress continues. The next step is the one that matters most for any rising quarterback: cleaner accuracy, more reps, and the kind of experience that turns promise into something NFL teams can trust by the end of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Tight End Enters Camp With His Future Suddenly At Stake
Payne Durham is heading into his fourth training camp with the Buccaneers in a very different spot than when he arrived. The tight end room is thin, which gives him a real chance to stay in the mix, but his role has been shrinking and the team has not gotten much offensive return from his presence as a blocker.
Durham will get his chance to answer those concerns in camp and preseason, where every rep matters for a player trying to hold onto a job. With Cade Otton, Ko Kieft and two rookies also in the picture, Tampa Bay has options at the position, and Durhams path forward depends on whether he can do enough in the coming weeks to keep himself relevant. [Read more 🡒]
