SR’s Fab 5: Inside Scoop And Analysis From Bucs Mini-Camp

Welcome to SR’s Fab 5 – my weekly insider column on the Bucs that features five things that are on my mind. SR’s Fab 5 is now a quicker read, but still packs a punch. Enjoy!

I’m off next week, so there won’t be another SR’s Fab 5 column until Friday, June 28. In the meantime, enjoy my insight, analysis and inside scoop from Bucs mandatory mini-camp.

FAB 1. Size Matters: Bucs Winners From Mini-Camp

Bigger doesn’t always necessarily mean better, but it certainly helps when it comes to the sport of football, generally speaking. There was a concerted effort in Tampa Bay for several players to get bigger and stronger and many did just that this offseason in the Bucs strength and conditioning program.

A few rookies who needed to add size prior to training camp did that even prior to rookie mini-camp. Tight end Devin Culp, the team’s seventh-round pick, weighed in at 231 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he blazed a 4.47 time in the 40-yard dash. But he reported to the Bucs last month already weighing 245 pounds and plans to be near 250 for training camp.

Undersized inside linebacker Kalen DeLoach, an undrafted free agent, weighed 210 at the Combine, but reported to Tampa Bay at 215 and plans to be at 220 by the time camp comes at the end of July.

When it comes to the Bucs’ veterans, there were several offseason winners when it came to adding needed size – or adjusting their size in the case of defensive tackle Vita Vea. Here are five Bucs whose hard work this offseason really stood out heading into training camp.

DT Vita Vea

On a recent Pewter Report Podcast, Bucs general manager Jason Licht broke the news about the story behind Vea working out with Ndamukong Suh this offseason and reporting to mandatory mini-camp in incredible shape. When asked how much he currently weighs, Vea said 347 pounds, which has been his listed weight since his rookie season in 2018.

Now at age 29, Vea has shed about 20 pounds in an effort to be more quick and agile and possibly prevent some of the soft tissue and foot injuries he’s had from carrying excess weight in years past. Vea has typically played in the 360s, but wants to extend not only his career, but also the prime of his career. It’s a smart move that should allow Vea to become more of a dominant player in 2024.

DT Calijah Kancey

At 6-foot, Kancey doesn’t have the frame to gain much more weight. He plays between 280-286 pounds, but last year’s first-round pick has added muscle, especially to his lower body, which will help him anchor better against double teams in the running game. The Pitt product got pushed around at times at the line of scrimmage during his rookie year.

Kancey is still below 290 pounds, but has converted some fat to muscle. That should only make him even quicker as he heads into his second season in Todd Bowles’ defense as the chief disruptor up front. Playing next to Vea, Kancey has the chance at becoming a double-digit sacker this season after recording 5.5 sacks last year, including a sack and a half in the postseason.

DT Logan Hall

Hall is the forgotten man on defense in Tampa Bay. The former top pick of the 2022 draft has gotten lost in the shuffle a bit as he’s tried to transform his body from a 260-pound defensive tackle at Houston to one closer to 300 pounds at the NFL level. Hall played in the 270s in his first year with the Bucs and then got bigger last year, playing around 285 pounds.

It’s been an adjustment learning how to move with more weight on, but Hall looks bigger and stronger and is a lean 295 pounds right now. Veteran Will Gholston has taken him under his wing and believes Hall is in for a breakout season, especially as a pass rusher. But Hall’s sacks will likely have to come on first and second downs as Vea and Kancey will typically be on the field in nickel defense.

RG Cody Mauch

Mauch had an up-and-down rookie season, but started all 19 games at right guard and didn’t miss a single snap. That was quite a feat by itself. The team’s second-round pick hit a bit of a rookie wall at midseason, but finished the year strong and developed some great chemistry with right tackle Luke Goedeke.

Mauch has added 10-15 pounds this offseason and is closer to 320 pounds. He’s transformed his body from that of an FCS left tackle to an NFL guard. Mauch’s upper body and lower body have seen an increase in size and that should help him anchor better in pass protection and get more push at the line of scrimmage in the run game this season.

OLB Markees Watts

Watts is the most “bendy” of the team’s edge rushers. Built lower to the ground at 6-foot-1 like former Bucs pass rusher Shaq Barrett, Watts’ quickness off the snap helps him get great leverage on offensive tackles. There are times when Watts rushes the passer and flashes like Barrett in his prime because he wears his old No. 58 jersey. Weighing just over 240 pounds as an undrafted free agent last year, Watts needed to add some size to be able to play the run better and help set the edge.

No stranger to the weight room, Watts added more size to his chiseled physique and is now just over 250 pounds, which was the weight Barrett played at during his time in Tampa Bay. Watts has the ability to be anywhere on the depth chart from OLB5 to OLB2 behind Yaya Diaby. It just depends on how effective Watts is at not only getting to the quarterback but also stuffing the run the way Barrett did.

FAB 2. On The Hot Seat: Bucs Losers From Mini-Camp

NFL offseasons comprise of OTAs (organized team activities) and the mandatory mini-camp, which is just three more OTA practices – but attendance is mandatory. Oftentimes called “flag football” or “underwear football” because of non-contact rules, it’s hard to truly gauge football players without football pads on.

Having said that, there are five Bucs who appear to be on the hot seat heading into training camp for various reasons.

OLB Randy Gregory

Gregory was a no-show during the entire offseason program, skipping the voluntary OTAs and even missing the three-day mandatory mini-camp. The veteran newcomer’s absence was unexcused and he’s subject to being fined $100,000 by the team as a result. Not a good look for a player with a checkered past coming to a new team.

Todd Bowles’ defense is quite sophisticated, so if Gregory is still on the team by the time training camp rolls around, he’ll be far behind the others in terms of knowing the defense – despite being a 32-year old veteran. The Bucs have quite a bit of talent at outside linebacker, especially with the recent addition of second-round pick Chris Braswell. Gregory is not a lock to make the 53-man roster – especially after skipping the entire offseason.

RB Sean Tucker

There was a lot of buzz surrounding Tucker last year when he signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent. He missed the offseason as he recovered from a heart ailment, but did enough in training camp and the preseason to actually win the No. 2 running back job behind Rachaad White. But in limited playing time at the start of the season, Tucker was too hesitant of a runner and struggled in pass protection.

As a result, he was passed on the depth chart by veteran Chase Edmonds. Entering his second year in Tampa Bay, Tucker is now buried on the depth chart behind White, rookie Bucky Irving, the team’s fourth-round pick, and Edmonds again. He’ll need a Herculean-type training camp to climb the depth chart again, but the reality is that he’s in danger of sliding down to the practice squad in 2024.

TE Ko Kieft

Kieft is recovering from an undisclosed injury and missed the entire offseason as a result. While it was necessary for him to rehab his injury, the timing wasn’t great as Kieft not only has a new offensive coordinator in Liam Coen to impress, but also a new position coach in Justin Peelle. Kieft is a one-dimensional player who is a better blocker than he is receiver but hasn’t had a chance to improve in that area this offseason.

With Coen’s new offense featuring more three-receiver sets and far fewer double-tight end sets, the Bucs may keep six receivers this year and just three tight ends rather than four. Cade Otton will start once again, and Payne Durham has made some big strides this offseason. That means Kieft will be fighting for a roster spot with seventh-round pick Devin Culp, who is the fastest tight end, and practice squader Tanner Taula, who has flashed this offseason as a receiver.

C Robert Hainsey

Hainsey is in a bit of a predicament. He’s vying for the starting center job with Graham Barton, the team’s first-round pick. Barton is a bigger, stronger center and one who has elite athleticism, too. Throw in the fact that Barton is super smart having come from Duke and it’s all but assured that the rookie will win the job in the preseason barring injury.

The problem for Hainsey is that the battle at left guard is between newcomers Sua Opeta and Ben Bredeson, who have been rotating in and sharing starter snaps this offseason. Hainsey is not in the mix for that spot and has not taken any snaps at left guard to my knowledge. So it’s an all-or-nothing battle at center for the two-year starter. If Hainsey loses out to Barton, he’s likely going to be relegated to a backup role at center this season.

WR Sterling Shepard

While Shepard is the only real veteran receiver outside of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, he’s not a lock to make the 53-man roster despite the buzz his signing caused last week. At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, Shepard is neither big nor fast. And at age 31, injuries have robbed him of some of his speed and quickness. Shepard also is behind in terms of learning Liam Coen’s playbook, but does have the benefit of the next six weeks to try to catch up.

Shepard is a savvy, crafty veteran and a good insurance policy in camp and the preseason in case there are injuries to any of the top four receivers on the depth chart. The problem for Shepard is that rookie Jalen McMillan and Trey Palmer have had excellent offseasons and are vying for the WR3 role. That only leaves one or two spots left on the depth chart, depending on if Tampa Bay keeps five or six receivers. Rakim Jarrett and Kameron Johnson have also impressed, meaning it will be hard for Shepard to make the team.

FAB 3. Bucs Sleepers Heading Into Training Camp

OLB Jose Ramirez

While Markees Watts continues to get rave reviews this offseason, the buzz is just as strong for Ramirez, who deserves honorable mention as a mini-camp winner. Ramirez has really transformed his body this offseason, shedding some excess weight and really toning up and getting stronger. That should help against bigger offensive tackles, but even last year Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke were saying that Ramirez gave them fits in practice with his stealthy pass rush moves.

Also undersized at 6-foot-2, 252 pounds, Ramirez faces the same challenge as Watts does. He’ll need to flash as a pass rusher on third down, but also be stout enough to set the edge and stuff the run on early downs. Ramirez pulled a hamstring and missed the last two preseason games last year. That allowed Watts to claim a spot on the 53-man roster while Ramirez wound up on the practice squad. Ramirez is in better position to challenge for a roster spot this year with a better physique.

TE Payne Durham

Durham has worked on his body this offseason and gotten a little leaner, but also putting on some muscle that will help him in the run game at the line of scrimmage as a blocker. At 6-foot-6, 255 pounds, Durham has great size to be a red zone threat, and has a much better understanding of what it takes to succeed in the NFL after an up-and-down rookie season.

Durham came to the Bucs last year as a notoriously slow rookie, running a 4.87 in the 40-yard dash. That caused him to slide to the fifth round. But Durham has become a tick faster and gained some quickness due to the offseason program and can separate from coverage even better this year. Durham is in prime position to win the TE2 role heading into training camp as a result.

CB Tyrek Funderburk

Funderburk was one of the rookies that Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said he was anxious to see in training camp once the pads come on. He had an interception during the mandatory mini-camp and almost came away with another one. The 6-foot, 186-pound Funderburk has flashed at cornerback and will challenge Keenan Isaac for a spot on the depth chart.

The Bucs are set with their top four cornerbacks in Jamel Dean, Zyon McCollum, Bryce Hall and Josh Hayes, who was one of the best gunners in the NFL last year. Funderburk will need to splash on special teams and prove his worth there to win the CB5 role, and Isaac does have a year’s worth of experience on him. But Funderburk has impressed in both the slot and outside, and heads to training camp with some momentum.

S Marcus Banks

The Bucs lack depth at safety behind starters Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead. Gone are Ryan Neal and Dee Delaney, and only Kaevon Merriweather remains as a holdover depth piece at safety. Tampa Bay drafted Tykee Smith in the third round and he has the ability to play nickel cornerback and safety, and last year’s nickelback, Christian Izien is also cross-training at safety this offseason.

But Banks, an undrafted free agent, is a sleeper who has flashed in the offseason and has the chance to either join Merriweather as a reserve safety on the depth chart or unseat him for a roster spot. At 6-foot, 190, Banks isn’t as big or physical as the 6-foot, 212-pound Merriweather, but he is faster. Banks has 4.45 speed, which allows him to play both free and strong safety, while Merriweather, who has 4.62 speed, is primarily a strong safety.

WR Kameron Johnson

Johnson is a 5-foot-10, 190-pound receiver from tiny Barton College in North Carolina. The Bucs didn’t even have any Barton tape in their system, but the team’s area scout went to school and watched Johnson practice and watched game tape there and pounded the table for him after the draft. Jason Licht and John Spytek, being excellent at their jobs and trusting their area scouts, listened and signed Johnson in undrafted free agency.

A very gifted athlete, Johnson’s speed and agility are on par with former Bucs receiver Deven Thompkins. But Thompkins was 5-foot-8, 155 pounds and Johnson is 35 pounds heavier and two inches taller. Keep an eye on Johnson as a possible return specialist as well as making a run at the WR6 spot on the depth chart during training camp.

FAB 4. Most Stacked Position Heading Into Camp – Offense

The Bucs have seen significant upgrades on offense this offseason with running back Bucky Irving bolstering that room, and rookies Graham Barton and Elijah Klein and veterans Sua Opeta and Ben Bredeson adding even more talent to the offensive line. But when it comes to the most stacked collection of talent on offense, the wide receiver position stands out.

Not only do the Bucs return the only receiver duo to have 1,000-yard seasons in each of the last three years in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but Tampa Bay has a pair of young, talented receivers in Jalen McMillan, this year’s third-round pick, and Trey Palmer, who was last year’s WR3. That quartet is immensely talented, and Godwin will be heavily motivated entering a big contract year.

Tampa Bay will likely keep at least five receivers this year – possibly six due to Liam Coen favoring three-receiver sets. And the Bucs have several talented players vying for the final roster spot or two.

Rakim Jarrett, an undrafted free agent from a year ago, continues to turn heads in practice and could be a factor as a kick return candidate, too. He’s a favorite to claim either the WR5 or WR 6 spot. Tampa Bay is also fond of undrafted free agent rookie Kameron Johnson, as well as Ryan Miller, a practice squader from last year, keeps making plays in practice.

Throw in veteran newcomer Sterling Shepard, a 31-year old receiver with plenty of experience, and the group of 13 wide receivers gets even stronger. Shepard, who was college teammates with Baker Mayfield at Oklahoma, will also be in the mix for one of the final spots on the wide receiver depth chart.

Outside of Evans, Godwin, Palmer and McMillan, that’s four legitimate competitors battling for one or two roster spots at wide receiver. The Bucs haven’t had this type of depth since Evans, Godwin, Antonio Brown, Scotty Miller and Tyler Johnson helped the team win Super Bowl LV in 2020.

FAB 5. Most Stacked Position Heading Into Camp – Defense

As far as Todd Bowles’ defense goes, the one position that appears to be stacked is outside linebacker. While the Bucs may or may not have a double-digit sacker this year, there seems to be enough young talent to have an edge rusher – or two – emerge as a real force getting after the quarterback. Remember in 2020, Shaq Barrett only had eight sacks in the regular season and Jason Pierre-Paul was the Bucs’ lone Pro Bowler with 9.5 that year.

Yaya Diaby figures to be one of the starters, and currently Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who is entering a huge contract year, is penciled in as the opposite starter. Behind those two are six-year veteran Anthony Nelson, who is also in a contract year, and Chris Braswell, the team’s second-round pick.

Tryon-Shoyinka and Nelson should be highly motivated this year with a new contract in Tampa Bay – or elsewhere – on the line. And Braswell could have a similar rookie year to Diaby where he starts off slow as a rotational player but emerges as a starter over the second half of the season.

After those four, the Bucs have two other young, promising pass rushers in Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez. Watts was a situational pass rusher last year who led Tampa Bay’s edge rushers with a 23.1% pass rush win rate – albeit with a smaller sample size. He and Ramirez are both in the mix for the OLB5 spot on the depth chart. If both shine, Tampa Bay may even find a way to keep six outside linebackers if the guys at the end of the depth chart are star special teams contributors.

And finally, there is free agent addition Randy Gregory, who was a no-show for the entire offseason, including the mandatory mini-camp. Skipping that will get him fined around $100,000, but it also puts him way behind everyone else in terms of learning the intricacies of Bowles’ defense.

If Gregory decides he wants to play football, shows up to camp and quickly gets caught up, he’ll become the seventh legit option to make the Bucs outside linebacker depth chart. Oh, and Tampa Bay is also pleased with undrafted free agents Shaun Peterson Jr. and Daniel Grzesiak.

The Bucs didn’t go out and spend a fortune on a free agent like Danielle Hunter or Bryce Huff. But they may have an underrated, untapped talent on their existing depth chart who can emerge the way Barrett did in his first season in Tampa Bay in 2019.

The post SR’s Fab 5: Inside Scoop And Analysis From Bucs Mini-Camp appeared first on Pewter Report.