By all reports in Tampa Bay, the Bucs have had an excellent training camp and covered a lot of ground as a new-look team in preparation for the 2020 season. But despite their talent level, a few questions still remain as the team begins to game-plan for their season opener in New Orleans just over two weeks away.

1. Can Bucs’ No. 3 Edge Rusher Be Effective?

Carl Nassib was far from a great player, but he was a suitable No. 3 edge rusher with a non-stop motor and the ability to play inside or outside and not be a liability. He was never the most talented player, but there was no questioning his heart when he stepped on the field, getting every drop of potential out of himself in Tampa Bay.

But with Nassib departed to the Las Vegas Raiders, it left a gaping hole at EDGE3, an important depth piece on any roster due to the need for rotational pass rushers in today’s NFL. Leading the way to replace him will be second-year outside linebacker Anthony Nelson, who was unimpressive in his 153 snaps a year ago, but the team insists has improved this offseason.

Bucs OLB Anthony Nelson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Nelson looked like a fine run defender last season, but he lacks the burst off the ball and the fluid change-of-direction skills that NFL pass rushers typically possess. Behind Nelson there is even less hope, as unproven players such as Quinton Bell, Kahzin Daniels, Cam Gill and Michael Divinity vie for the fourth and perhaps final outside linebacker spot.

The Bucs have the least cap space of any NFL team, so adding an edge defender to the roster seems like a long shot. But the team has managed to do it at running back, interior defensive line and along the interior offensive line, all areas I identified over the summer as critically lacking depth. Could a move be coming to add another edge pass rusher to the team?

2. Who Plays Free Safety, And Are They Good At It?

I wrote about this some recently, but both Bucs starting safeties are still unknown right now, as is how often defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will opt to deploy a 3-safety defense in Week 1 against New Orleans.

What we do know is that all the Bucs safeties should be able to play close to the line of scrimmage in more of a strong safety role, and two of them, Mike Edwards and Antoine Winfield, have experience in the slot as well. Jordan Whitehead has seen extensive matchup work against tight ends in the past, and figures to fill that role again in 2020.

Bucs SS Jordan Whitehead and CB Carlton Davis – Photo by: Getty Images

The bigger question is which Bucs safety ends up playing single high when the team is in Cover 1 or Cover 3, which made up about 50 percent of their coverage scheme last year. At training camp Edwards has taken most of the first team reps at free safety, with mixed results according to Scott Reynolds and Mark Cook in attendance. That’s not a surprise, considering his rookie season as a deep safety was a roller coaster ride as well, with more downs than ups.

Edwards could prove me wrong, but I’ve always seen him as a safety who is better deployed closer to the line of scrimmage or in two-deep shells. I don’t think he’s a single-high safety, a role that would have assuredly gone to Justin Evans if the second rounder’s health wasn’t keeping him off the field.

Even if Edwards begins the season deep, he could potentially be replaced by Andrew Adams, the team’s best safety a year ago, or by Winfield, who played there often for Minnesota a year ago. If he can make the calls and is ready from the neck up, I’d play Winfield there, back him up with Adams and use Edwards and Whitehead closer to the line of scrimmage against the run, as blitzers and versus tight ends in coverage. If Winfield can handle deep safety duties, it would free up all the team’s other safeties to be in a role best suited for their talents.

3. How Will The Young Secondary Gel Together?

I’ve already talked some about the safety room, but we may also be putting a little too much stock into how the team’s top three cornerbacks finished the 2019 season. Yes, Jamel Dean, Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting completed last year on a high note, playing some dominant football down the final stretch of the season, but growth isn’t linear for every player, and our expectations should be somewhat tempered.

Davis has been an up-and-down player for most of his career, and while he could find stability in year

Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Getty Images

three, he’ll also need to make more plays on the ball to live up to the “top ten cornerback” hype that Bruce Arians has put out there this offseason. Murphy-Bunting was suspect as a rookie in many of the same ways Davis was, being in good position to defend the catch point but not consistently doing it.

Dean flashed the brightest in 2019, but it still doesn’t seem like he’s been able to wrestle the starting outside cornerback spot away from Murphy-Bunting, although he’ll obviously man the position a ton when SMB slides inside in nickel packages.

There is no question that the position group on the Bucs roster that faces the most uncertainty heading into the season is the secondary. They are definitely talented, but they are also young, relatively unproven and have still played very little football together. Will cohesiveness and communication be an issue in 2020?

4. Can The Backs Pass Protect (And Catch)?

Last year none of the Bucs running backs stood out in pass protection, a vital role in Bruce Arians’ offense. Early reports out of camp this year are how improved the backs are in this area, but until the bullets start flying we’ll only learn so much.

Bucs RB Dare Ogunbowale – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Dare Ogunbowale was the team’s best returning pass protector, but he’s also the running back they’d like to use the least on offense if possible. That means Ronald Jones, who added muscle this offseason, and veteran LeSean McCoy will be relied upon early in the season as third down options. Whoever fares better in pass protection will see the bulk of the passing down snaps, and it’s not secret the Bucs would really like that player to be Ronald Jones.

Assessing Jones’ performance in pass protection during the team’s preseason intra-squad scrimmages will help, but the Bucs won’t know how far he’s come until he’s put in a true game situation in Week 1. If Jones struggles the options behind him are limited in pass protection, as McCoy was entrusted with few pass pro duties in Kansas City, and rookie Ke’Shawn Vaughn wasn’t anything special in that role in college.

5. How Quickly Can The Right Side Of The Bucs OL Play At A High Level?

I have high hopes for the future of the right side of the Bucs offensive line, as right guard Alex Cappa has reportedly taken another physical leap from his rookie year, and right tackle Tristan Wirfs’ projection should be sky-high given his college tape and athletic ceiling.

Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But how will they fare as a duo this season, especially considering the competition Wirfs has to deal with to begin his NFL career? That remains to be seen, as Cappa was the weak link of a strong Bucs offensive line last season, despite improving from his rookie year in 2018.

I think Cappa will be at least adequate this season, if not better, while Wirfs is more of a question mark. I fully believe Wirfs will end up as a stud right tackle in the NFL for years to come, but the adjustment for that position is among the toughest of any position in the league. The caliber of pass rusher they face on a weekly basis is just so much more deadly.

Tom Brady has survived rollercoaster offensive tackle play before, but as he ages and his ability to reset and throw with velocity and accuracy starts to wane a little bit, keeping him clean will be crucial for Wirfs and Cappa in 2020.

6. Is The Depth At Cornerback Capable?

At the outset of this article I mentioned the Bucs terrifying lack of depth at the outside linebacker position, but cornerback is almost as dire a concern. Considering that nickel is the predominant defense these days, competing for the backup spots behind the Bucs three starters right now are Ryan Smith, Parnell Motley, Mazzi Wilkins and Herb Miller.

We last saw Smith predominantly in coverage in 2018, the second consecutive season he struggled as an outside corner in Tampa Bay. Smith barely played on defense last year, but established himself as a special teams ace that will likely begin the year as the team’s first alternate at outside cornerback. That’s not a role anyone wants to see Smith have to fill, however.

Mazzi Wilkins and Herb Miller seem like long shots to make the final roster, especially given how undrafted free agent Parnell Motley has played in training camp. Motley had strong college tape and should have been drafted, but the Bucs appear to have lucked out with a roster-able cornerback for cheap.

Bucs CB Parnell Motley – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

That being said, asking Motley to start as a rookie in 2020 is probably going to come with some limitations the Bucs should be prepared to coach around. He has experience playing inside and outside at Oklahoma, but in Tampa Bay his best shot at seeing the field could come in surpassing Smith as the first corner off the bench.

Who backs up Sean Murphy-Bunting in the slot is an entirely different matter, as the leaders in the clubhouse for that spot seem to be all safeties. Edwards or Winfield would likely step into the role if SMB were hurt, or had to step outside full-time because of an injury to Davis or Dean. Both players have experience there, but it is limited compared to their work at safety.

The flexibility of their safeties certainly gives the Bucs some relief if one of their starting cornerback goes down, but Tampa’s depth at the position is far from ideal in a league that places a premium on a deep battery in the secondary.