Bucs To Watch In Preseason Week 2: Offense

After opening the preseason with a 27-17 home loss to the Steelers last Friday, the Bucs return to the field for more preseason action Saturday night at MetLife Stadium. The new-look Jets will be their hosts after the two teams squared off on the practice fields this past Wednesday.

There are position battles happening all over the field for the Bucs, and Saturday’s game will be the next big chance for anyone in those battles to get some separation. With that in mind, here is one Buccaneer to watch at each position when Tampa Bay takes on New York in Week 2 of preseason play.

We’ll start with the offensive side of the ball.

Quarterback: Kyle Trask

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photo By: Cliff Welch P/R

Last week, Baker Mayfield got the start against the Steelers. He finished 8-of-9 for 63 yards and a touchdown, showing good command of the offense and further cementing himself as the favorite for the Bucs’ starting quarterback job. But this week, as was planned, it’ll be Kyle Trask starting against the Jets. And this may be the final chance for the 2021 second-round pick to make it really difficult for Todd Bowles and Tampa Bay’s coaching staff to choose Mayfield over him to start the season.

Trask really played clean football early on in camp and closed the gap between him and Mayfield, making it a little less clear who would start come Week 1. But since he tightened the race, Mayfield has turned it on. He has cut down on the turnovers in practice and had the better game in the preseason opener. It feels like his job to lose, but if Trask takes advantage of his reps on Saturday night, maybe there’ll be more to the coaches’ decision for the preseason finale and regular season opener.

Running Back: Chase Edmonds

There was zero doubt about who the best running back on the field was for Tampa Bay last Friday. Whereas Ke’Shawn Vaughn struggled to find space and finished with just four yards on seven carries, veteran Chase Edmonds was more of a bright spot. The run game wasn’t all that special last week, but Edmonds showed really good burst and vision to the tune of 18 yards on six carries. Those numbers are by no means great, but he did have a 20-yard run called back due to a holding penalty.

Vaughn was assumed to be the Bucs’ RB2 this year, as he’s in a contract year and drew rave reviews from new offensive coordinator Dave Canales. But in the first two editions of the team’s depth chart (take those for what you will), it was Edmonds who was listed behind starting running back Rachaad White. It wasn’t much of a surprise, as Edmonds has put together a strong camp and looks the part of RB2 for an offense committed to running the ball better in 2023.

Wide Receiver: Rakim Jarrett

Bucs WR Rakim Jarrett Photo By: Cliff Welch/PR

The first of three carry-overs from last week on this list, Rakim Jarrett was a surprise inactive for Tampa Bay’s preseason opener. He had what Todd Bowles called a “leg injury” and missed his NFL debut. But he returned to practice this week and is now set for his debut Saturday night against the Jets, and he’ll be looking to build on what has been a strong camp for him. Assuming he’s back to 100% from whatever ailed him last week, look for Jarrett to be heavily involved throughout the evening, as the team’s top receivers are set to sit out again.

The undrafted free agent out of Maryland has an inside track to a spot on the Bucs’ 53-man roster, especially after Russell Gage suffered a season-ending injury this week. Jarrett may have forced his way onto the roster anyway, as he’s been a force throughout training camp so far. But now, he’ll have a chance to solidify his spot on the depth chart, which figures to include Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Deven Thompkins, Trey Palmer, David Moore and Jarrett.

Tight End: Payne Durham

Cade Otton and David Wells have gotten the spotlight at the tight end position for the Bucs over the last few weeks, and that’s been warranted. It’s been something of a quiet camp for fifth-round pick Payne Durham, and he looks to be more like Tampa Bay’s TE4 right now behind Otton, Wells and Ko Kieft. But he did have a big moment near the end of last week’s preseason opener, as he caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from John Wolford.

Perhaps finding the end zone will be a nice springboard for Durham, who is a big-bodied red zone threat the Bucs would love to trust come regular season time. It’s not that he’s had a bad camp, but the rookie has yet to make a strong impression. That’s why Saturday night’s game at MetLife Stadium could be a big opportunity for him, as he should get plenty of playing time and enough chances to make an impact on the game.

Offensive Tackle: Luke Goedeke

The second carry-over from last week’s list, Luke Goedeke had a mixed bag of a night in his preseason debut at right tackle. Early on, he had some big-time bully vibes — especially in the run game. He and rookie Cody Mauch were destroyers up front, and it was an encouraging sight to see. But then things came back down to earth for the second-year player, who allowed a couple of sacks, was flagged for a hold and failed to get much of a push in a few short-yardage situations.

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke and RG Cody Mauch – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

As Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo wrote over the weekend, things weren’t as bad as they appeared for Goedeke against the Steelers. Still, Tampa Bay needs better, more consistent play out of him against the Jets to get the confidence going in the right direction for him — and the team. He needs to continue wrecking in the run game while holding up better in pass protection. Otherwise, the Bucs may need to speed up any contingency plans they may have at the right tackle position.

Offensive Guard: Cody Mauch

Mauch is the final carry-over from last week’s offensive list. He had mixed results in his NFL debut against the Steelers. An early false start on fourth-and- 1 was a rough way to start, and he had some tough moments throughout the night. But he also had some good moments, particularly in the run game. You can see why the Bucs like Mauch, and you can also see why he (in partnership with Goedeke) will be be a work in progress.

There’s no better teacher than experience, especially for a rookie offensive lineman. Early difficulties were perhaps to be expected for Mauch, a product of North Dakota State. He’s moving up to the NFL from Division II, plus he’s moving to guard from the tackle position he’s played in college. There was plenty for the rookie to learn from last week, and Saturday provides him a chance to show some progress. He already started turning some heads in Wednesday’s joint practice with the Jets, which should help his confidence.

Center: Robert Hainsey

The Bucs’ center situation continues to be a bit puzzling. Ryan Jensen elected not to have knee surgery when he suffered a serious injury in training camp last year, and he returned to the field in the team’s playoff loss to Dallas in January. But he’s still being brought along slowly throughout camp, having lightly participated in 1-on-1s but not yet getting involved in full team drills. That has left Robert Hainsey as the team’s starting center. Hainsey started 17 games for the Bucs at center last year, and with the way things are going, he may have to start some more for them in 2023.

Jensen was given the week off this week, and there’s no guarantee he’s going to ramp up fast enough to start Week 1 against Minnesota. There’s also no guarantee he returns to his previous form. So, Tampa Bay needs Hainsey to be a solid fall-back, and he’s looked like one so far this summer. Saturday night is another chance for him to show the work he’s put in during the offseason and cement himself as someone the coaches can be confident in if Jensen’s situation remains unclear. Whether he’s the starter again or the Bucs opt to give Nick Leverett the start at center, Hainsey needs to play really well whenever he enters the game.

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