SR’s Fab 5: Bucs’ 5 Biggest Concerns, 5 Biggest Positives In Camp

SR’s Fab 5 is a collection of reporting and analysis on the Bucs from yours truly, Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds. Here are four things that caught my attention this week, plus some random tidbits in my Buc Shots section at the end. Enjoy!

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FAB 1. 5 Biggest Bucs Concerns

Wirfs’ Injury

Aside from quarterback Tom Brady, right tackle Tristan Wirfs is the Bucs’ best player. He comes with All-Pro credentials and is the best right tackle in the game. Wirfs suffered what is believed to be an oblique strain in Thursday’s practice in Nashville and won’t play on Saturday night.

Oblique strains can be tricky injuries to fully recover from. The start of the regular season is three weeks away. That means Wirfs could be in jeopardy of missing Week 1 at Dallas. We all know what happened the last time Wirfs missed a game. The Bucs lost the Divisional Playoffs to the Rams.

SS Keanu Neal

Bucs S Keanu Neal – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs have some specific packages that feature Neal on defense. Neal will play some in base defense, but Bowles will deploy a three-safety look that will feature Neal, Ryan and Edwards out there with Winfield, too.

The Bucs would have liked to have gotten more of a look at Neal in practice and perhaps in a preseason game. But he suffered an arm injury – likely either a biceps or triceps – and is expected to miss the next three weeks.

Shaky Bucs Secondary

The Bucs’ revamped secondary was supposed to be better this year, and that could very well still happen. But Tampa Bay’s defensive backs were whipped in Tennessee by a non-descript Titans receiving corps on Wednesday. And it was even worse on Thursday’s joint practice. The Bucs hope it was just dead legs from four straight practices and the travel to Tennessee.

Antoine Winfield Jr. has undergone some growing pains in his transition to slot cornerback. He’s more physical than Sean Murphy-Bunting, which is why he’s being used inside. But he’s still learning the nuances of the position and getting used to more man coverage. Safety Logan Ryan is 31 and doesn’t have top speed anymore. He got exposed by the Titans a few times in practice. And we’re still waiting to see more interceptions from Mike Edwards.

Shaky Interior O-Line

The Bucs traded for right guard Shaq Mason, who excels as a run blocker. But he may not be as good as Alex Cappa in pass protection. At 6-foot-1, 310 pounds, he’s certainly not as stout. If Mason doesn’t win off the snap, he can get blown back deep into the pocket, which is what happened a couple of times in practice in Tennessee. Throw in the fact that the Bucs have a new center in Robert Hainsey and this certainly isn’t the same squad that won the Super Bowl in 2020.

Oh, and the Bucs don’t even have a clear-cut starter at left guard yet, either. They’ve tried Nick Leverett, Aaron Stinnie, Brandon Walton and now Luke Goedeke at the position. There is no current favorite to win the job nearly a month into camp. Goedeke might emerge as the guy if he plays well in the final two preseason games, but it’s been a big transition for him. It’s not only moving from right to left and tackle to guard, but going from Central Michigan to the NFL.

QB Tom Brady

If and when Brady returns to Bucs camp, everyone will breathe a sigh of relief. He’s missed a total of seven practices either due to a veteran rest day or an excused absence for a personal reason. Brady is supposed to return to camp next week, but when asked on Thursday, Bowles didn’t have a definitive date. That was a bit alarming, and perhaps a clue that whatever personal issue Brady is dealing with appears to be fluid. That’s the concern – not Brady himself.

I would find it a bit surprising if Brady didn’t play in the Colts preseason game. But then again, he didn’t play in any preseason games in 2020 and won the Super Bowl. And now he’s in the third year of this offense. Don’t be concerned about the time Brady missed in camp. Just be concerned if Brady’s absence lingers. Once he’s back, all will be right with the world.

FAB 2. 5 Biggest Positives About Bucs Camp

It’s only fair to balance out any camp concerns with some positives from Tampa Bay’s 2022 training camp. So, here are five notables that have the Bucs coaching staff and front office buzzing right now.

Unreal WR Depth

The Bucs have an embarrassment of riches at the receiver position this year. Tampa Bay is embarrassingly deep – not just with veterans, but with young players too. It will be interesting to see how the competition shakes out when the final roster cuts are made. There could be one or two undrafted free agents making the team, depending on if the Bucs keep six or seven receivers. Kaylon Geiger and Deven Thompkins are rookies in the mix.

Tampa Bay is in a no-lose situation at receiver. Whoever they keep will help the team from a depth standpoint. The players at the top of the depth chart – Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage and Julio Jones – are the best quartet of receivers in the NFL. Go ahead and call them the Fantastic Four.

Trask’s Development

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

There is no guarantee that Kyle Trask will eventually be a starting quarterback in Tampa Bay. Or the NFL, for that matter. Nor is there a guarantee that Trask will even beat out Blaine Gabbert for the No. 2 QB spot on the Bucs depth chart this year. But he has made some serious strides this year and looks more like a competent NFL quarterback than he did last preseason.

Trask has his detractors – likely folks that root against the Gators. But there’s no denying he’s made some progress with the increased reps he’s gotten in training camp this year. Trask also played most of the first preseason game and is expected to receive a similar amount of playing time at Tennessee to further aid his development.

Athleticism Up Front On Defense

The Bucs couldn’t do much twisting and stunting up front last year with their defensive personnel. Aging tackles like Ndamukong Suh and Steve McLendon were too slow. Throw in the fact that Will Gholston, Vita Vea and Rakeem Nunez-Roches weren’t that fast either and a big part of Todd Bowles’ defense couldn’t be implemented.

Now with the addition of Akiem Hicks and rookies Logan Hall and Mike Greene, Bowles can get more creative up front with twists and stunts involving tackles. Not only will these newcomers allow for more TT stunts, but holdover Patrick O’Connor, who is one of the quickest linemen on the team, should thrive too.

White’s Improved Coverage

You can’t say that Devin White has quietly had a great camp when it comes to pass protection. Yes, White has kind of flown under the radar in camp so far, but he’s been far from quiet. In fact, it’s not uncommon for White, one of the biggest trash talkers on defense, to yell at the backs and tight ends he’s covering. “I’m running your routes for you!” White likes to say.

In order for White to be a complete linebacker and live up to his Pro Bowl status, he had improve his pass coverage. Now, White is showing better instincts against the pass. He’s getting to his landmarks quicker in zone coverage, and taking proper angles in man coverage. Expect 2-3 interceptions from White this season as a result.

Nassib’s Addition

It’s unfortunate that it had to come at Cam Gill’s expense, but it’s great to see the Bucs re-sign Carl Nassib. Not only did Nassib have 12.5 sacks in two seasons with Tampa Bay before (2018-19), he was a great set-up man for Shaq Barrett in the 2019 season. Barrett got about half of his 19.5 sacks rushing opposite of Nassib that year.

Nassib is also an extremely popular player in Tampa Bay. He was voted as a team captain in 2019 by his peers. Nassib showed great leadership while Jason Pierre-Paul rehabbed his injured neck that year. At 6-foot-7, 275 pounds, Nassib adds size, strength and pass rushing ability. He joins the likes of Barrett, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Anthony Nelson as the Bucs outside linebackers.

FAB 3. The Next 5 Bucs Roster Cuts

The next round of roster cuts takes place on Tuesday, August 23 at 4:00 p.m. ET. After the Bucs’ second preseason game, they’ll have to trim the roster from 85 players down to 80 players. Here is my best guess as to which five Bucs will be released next.

WR Vyncint Smith

Tampa Bay has 13 wide receivers on the roster. Nine of them, including Smith, are vying for two or three roster spots. Smith has four seasons in the NFL, but has not looked as good as some of the holdover receivers like Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson or Jaelon Darden. Nor has he looked as good as some of the young, undrafted receivers.

The Bucs might want to do Smith, a veteran, a favor and give him a head start in finding a new team. They did that earlier in the week with veteran defensive back Ross Cockrell. Smith was featured in the Titans practices this week and made a couple of nice catches, but had a few big drops, too.

DT Willington Previlon

Bucs DL Willington Previlon – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Tampa Bay has 10 defensive linemen on the roster and Previlon just hasn’t done much at all to stand out in practice or in the first preseason game. Rookie Mike Greene has turned some heads up front. He might beat Previlon out for a spot on the practice squad or maybe even a spot on the 53.

While Previlon’s name is fun to say on the Pewter Report Podcast, it just doesn’t seem like he will stick around past the second preseason game. Previlon needs to show up in a big way on Saturday night in Nashville to prevent that from happening.

TE Bug Howard

The Bucs currently have six tight ends and will keep either three or four on their final 53-man roster. Howard is one of the most recent additions to the team, and usually in training camp it is last in, first out. Howard is a receiving tight end, but he hasn’t shined much in the passing game in camp.

He had a big holding penalty in the first preseason game, which negated a big Kenjon Barner run, too. Rookies Cade Otton, Ko Kieft and JJ Howland are more versatile and have had brighter moments in practice, too. It’s time the Bucs pare down their tight end roster to five.

CB Kyler McMichael

It’s either going to be McMichael or Don Gardner when it comes to the first cornerback cut during training camp. Dee Delaney hasn’t looked good this preseason and his release wouldn’t be a surprise, either. But at least Delaney has some playing experience last year going for him. Tampa Bay has eight cornerbacks and could trim down to seven for the final preseason game.

The guess is McMichael gets released because he’s built more similarly to Delaney at 6-foot, 202 pounds. Gardner is taller at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds and he’s made a few more plays in practice. Neither cornerback will likely make the 53-man roster, but could wind up on the practice squad.

RB Patrick Laird

Laird was signed to replace Kenjon Barner, who went on injured reserve earlier in the week with a groin injury. Barner was having a good camp, but the Bucs needed another runner because Giovani Bernard has also been out. Bernard is expected to return as early as next week. That means Laird would likely get released.

That would give the Bucs four running backs for the final preseason game, which is what the team will carry during the season. Leonard Fournette will be the starter along with Rachaad White, Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Bernard.

FAB 4. 5 Undrafted Rookies – Other Than WRs – To Watch

Tampa Bay’s undrafted wide receivers have stole the show this summer. The trio of Jerreth Sterns, Deven Thompkins and Kaylon Geiger Sr. have all made plays and put themselves in position to contend for a roster spot. Here are five other undrafted free agents making some nose in training camp and the preseason too.

OT Dylan Cook

Cook has quietly had a great training camp and preseason. He fared well against both Miami and Tennessee in the joint practices, playing both left and right tackle. The 6-foot-6, 305-pounder hails from Montana, where he started 23 of 27 games he played in at right tackle.

Cook started off his college career at quarterback before transitioning to the offensive line. He likely won’t beat out veteran backups like Josh Wells or Fred Johnson for a roster spot. But he could very well wind up on the practice squad as a developmental tackle for the future.

S Nolan Turner

Bucs S Nolan Turner – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Will the Bucs keep five safeties? If Turner continues to impress on defense and on special teams, they just might. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles appreciates Turner’s smart, heady style of play. He rarely makes mistakes and has shown great instincts in pass coverage.

Keanu Neal’s injury has been a blessing in disguise for Turner. He got increased reps in practice in Tennessee and that will continue in the final two weeks of training camp. Turner will also get more game reps in the final two preseason games, which should only aid his cause.

DT Mike Greene

Greene made the team as a rookie try-out player during the rookie mini-camp. The Bucs cut Kobe Smith to make room on the roster for the James Madison product. He has a powerful build at 6-foot-3, 293 pounds, and is quite agile for his size.

Greene has worked his way up the depth chart ahead of the likes of Willington Previlon and Benning Potoa’e so far in camp. He had a nice debut against the Dolphins. We’ll see if he can continue to play at a high level in the second preseason game at Tennessee.

ILB Olakunle Fatukasi

Fatukasi made a nice splash in the preseason opener against Miami. He had six tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. One of those tackles came on third down by the marker, which forced a Dolphins punt.

The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Rutgers product followed that up with a solid week in Nashville against the Titans in joint practices. The switch has been flipped over the last two weeks and the undrafted free agent linebacker has really come on. He could push Grant Stuard for a roster spot this year.

TE JJ Howland

Howland had a slow start to training camp, failing to line up correctly on a number of plays. But he seems to have a much better grasp of the Bucs playbook now and is letting his talent shine. At 6-foot-6, 255 pounds, the Yale product certainly looks the part and fits the Bucs’ mold at tight end.

Howland had a nice debut in the preseason loss to Miami, catching three passes for 42 yards, including a 29-yarder down the seam from Kyle Trask. He likely won’t make the 53-man roster with the Bucs having a pair of veterans in Cam Brate and Kyle Rudolph along with rookies Cade Otton and Ko Kieft. But he can certainly make a push for the practice squad.

FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• WHERE IS BRADY? ON THE MASKED SINGER, OF COURSE: What is the personal reason for Tom Brady’s excused absence from Bucs camp? Is he The Masked Singer on Fox? The speculation is running rampant at this stage.

• THIS WHOLE MASKED SINGER THING IS GOING TOO FAR: It really is. Brady isn’t The Masked Singer … is he?

• IT’S REALLY GONE TOO FAR: Yes, it has.

THIS WEEK’S PEWTER REPORT PODCASTS

• BUCS-TITANS CAMP COVERAGE ON THE PEWTER REPORT PODCAST: The Pewter Report Podcast is energized by CELSIUS and broadcasts four live episodes each week. Next week’s schedule will feature PR Podcasts on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as the Bucs return from Tennessee for the final week of camp. Those will be followed by a post-game podcast next Saturday after the Bucs at Colts preseason game.

***There will be a NEW Pewter Report Podcast this Saturday night, approximately 45 minutes following the Bucs vs. Titans preseason game.

Matt Matera and Kasey Hudson react to the signing of Carl Nassib and the roster cutdown to 85 players on Tuesday.

Scott Reynolds and Josh Queipo analyzed the first Bucs vs. Titans practice in Nashville on Wednesday.

Reynolds and Queipo reacted to the latest Tom Brady news and broke down the Bucs vs. Titans practice on Thursday.

Watch the Pewter Report Podcasts live on our PewterReportTV channel on YouTube.com and please subscribe (it’s free) and add your comments. We archive all Pewter Report Podcasts. So, you can watch the recorded episodes if you missed them live.

There is no better time to listen to or watch a new Pewter Report Podcast – energized by CELSIUS – than Friday afternoon on the way home from work. Or early Saturday morning during your workout or while running errands.

The popularity of the Pewter Report Podcast continues to grow. In addition to listening to the Pewter Report Podcasts on PewterReport.com, you can also subscribe to the free podcasts at PodBean by clicking here and on SoundCloud by clicking here. And of course, the Pewter Report Podcast is also available on iTunes and YouTube. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode.

FINAL VIDEO

• CARL IS COMING! The Bucs re-signed edge rusher Carl Nassib, who had 12.5 sacks in two seasons with the Bucs. Here is a look at his highlights from the 2018 season, which was his first in Tampa Bay.

The post SR’s Fab 5: Bucs’ 5 Biggest Concerns, 5 Biggest Positives In Camp appeared first on Pewter Report.

The post SR’s Fab 5: Bucs’ 5 Biggest Concerns, 5 Biggest Positives In Camp appeared first on Pewter Report.