Bucs Monday Mailbag: With Jones’ Addition, Which WRs Get Cut?

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Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds answers your questions from the @PewterReport Twitter account each week in the Bucs Monday Mailbag. Submit your question to the Bucs Monday Mailbag each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag. Here are the questions we chose to answer for this week’s edition.

QUESTION: Which WRs are in danger of not making the roster now that Julio Jones is on the team?

ANSWER: The wide receivers who are in danger of not making the team are the ones who can’t find a role on special teams. The offseason addition of Russell Gage and Julio Jones means that the top four receivers on the depth chart will not play special teams. Neither Mike Evans nor Chris Godwin play on teams, of course.

It seems like one of the receivers will emerge as the return specialist. Jaleon Darden seems to have the early lead with rookie Deven Thompkins and Scotty Miller also factoring in the return game competition. Tampa Bay will either keep six or seven receivers depending on special teams. That might make it difficult for more established players like Miller, Tyler Johnson and Breshad Perriman to stick around this year.

But it does create an interesting scenario. Do the Bucs think they can stash a veteran receiver on their practice squad? Perriman had recent stints with the New York Jets (2020) and Detroit (2021 camp) before signing with the Bucs again. If he couldn’t stick with receiver-needy teams like the Lions and Jets, he might not be in demand again after the preseason this year. So part of Tampa Bay’s strategy when it comes to roster cuts might be to see which veterans they can stash on the practice squad.

The preseason will determine the last two or three receiver spots, but I think Cyril Grayson, Jr. ends up making a serious push for the 53. And I think the other spot could come down to either Darden or Thompkins. If the Bucs keep seven receivers then Perriman, Johnson or Miller are back in play, but there’s still plenty of time for things to change.

QUESTION: Will Joe Tryon-Shoyinka will have more than 10 sacks? How does he compare to the Jason Pierre-Paul of 2020?

ANSWER: For starters, Jason Pierre-Paul had 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions in 2020. He helped the Bucs win the Super Bowl that year, adding two sacks in the postseason. But he was also Tampa Bay’s lone Pro Bowler that year. If Joe Tryon-Shoyinka had that type of season in his second year with the Bucs the team would be thrilled. But that might be a tall order in 2022.

After a four-sack rookie season, the Bucs are hopeful he can at least double that production in his first year as a full-time starter. It’s possible, as Tryon-Shoyinka has received rave reviews from his teammates and head coach Todd Bowles. He’s one of the fastest and most athletic edge rushers in the league. And he got stronger in the offseason.

During his rookie season JTS had to play inside a good deal in nickel rush defense due to Pierre-Paul’s shoulder injury. Now he’ll see more time at outside linebacker on third downs with the addition of quicker defensive tackles Logan Hall and Akiem Hicks. This should help Tryon-Shoyinka master the edge rusher position because he’ll have more reps to set up moves against offensive tackles in games. Ten sacks is not out of the realm of possibility for Tryon-Shoyinka due to his speed off the edge. He’ll just need to do a better job of wrapping up to ensure reaching double-digit sacks in 2022.

QUESTION: What have you seen and heard about Luke Goedeke? For a player who is theoretically vying for the starting left guard job, it feels like we’ve heard almost nothing about him so far. And why do you think Brandon Walton is taking starting LG snaps? Looked that good to them, or another reason?

ANSWER: Luke Goedeke, a second-round draft pick, has a ways to go before he wins the starting left guard spot. The Bucs like his potential, but he had a rough first day in pads on Monday. Goedeke didn’t fare well in 1-on-1 pass pro drills except when facing fellow rookie Logan Hall. In 11-on-11 drills, Goedeke got blown up by nose tackles Vita Vea and Rakeem Nunez-Roches in the same practice period.

Goedeke is making the adjustment from playing right tackle at Central Michigan to left guard in the NFL. The action happens so much faster inside with defensive tackles right on top of you off the snap. Goedeke does a good job throwing his hands and packs a physical punch. But he needs to improve his footwork and get faster off the snap. That will come with more practice reps.

Goedeke was blown up on one rep by nose tackle Vita Vea and wound up on the ground. He just about took out Blaine Gabbert’s left knee in the process. The veteran backup QB wasn’t happy about the close call and chucked the ball into the stands in a sign of frustration.

As for Brandon Walton, he was back at right guard with the second string on Monday. Aaron Stinnie was back as the starter at left guard. Pat O’Connor had some nice comments about Walton’s game in his most recent Bucs Camp Diary. The battle for the left guard spot is far from over, and Tampa Bay is going to give as many players as possible a legit shot at the job.

QUESTION: The Bucs said they just wanted to try out everyone for LG but do you think Aaron Stinnie on the second team at RG is backlash for the Ryan Jensen injury?

ANSWER: I think that might have been part of it. Perhaps the Bucs wanted to send a message to Aaron Stinnie, who shoved Logan Hall into Ryan Jensen’s knee on Thursday. Elevating Brandon Walton to the role of starter for two practices and demoting Stinnie to the backup right guard might have had a level of punitive punishment associated with it.

At the same time, Stinnie was back as the current starter at left guard on Monday. The Bucs want to get the best player in the lineup to replace Ali Marpet. Stinnie has experience, and unfortunately had to learn a lesson on practice etiquette at Jensen’s expense. He’s the leader in the clubhouse now, but at some point the job figures to go to Goedeke.

QUESTION: What’s the low down with Cam Brate? Since getting here he has always delivered when asked. But with all this TE talk lately I’m not hearing his name. He’s a low-key guy, but will eventually get tired of being overlooked.

ANSWER: Tom Brady certainly isn’t overlooking Cam Brate. The retirement of Rob Gronkowski has opened the door for the starting tight end position and Brate is squarely in the mix. In fact, he’s been the best tight end in camp so far. Brate knows the offense and still moves well at age 31. Without Gronkowski the Bucs might use fewer two tight end sets and go with more three- and four-receiver sets this year.

Newly signed Kyle Rudolph has clearly lost a step, and isn’t as quick as Brate is. Rudolph is bigger and more physical and should be an asset as an inline blocker. That’s an area where Brate is adequate, but doesn’t shine. Rudolph and Brate will battle to start and for in-game reps.

Rookie Cade Otton has had a very good start to camp. He’s caught the ball well so far, and is perhaps a tick faster than Brate. Otton could be the future at the tight end position if he can win the No. 2 role – or at least a healthy share of playing time – as a rookie. The Bucs are high on him and believe he could be a Day 3 draft steal. Time will tell.

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