The PewterReport.com Roundtable features the opinions of the PR staff as it tackles a Tampa Bay Buccaneers-related topic each week on Wednesday mornings.

This week’s topic: Which Bucs veteran has to step it up in camp?

Scott Reynolds: RB Charles Sims
The Buccaneers re-signed Sims to a one-year deal for the league minimum on the eve of the 2018 NFL Draft, which shows how little sense of urgency there was to bring him back into the fold. Sims has had opportunities to start at running back over the past two years only to disappoint and not live up to the season he had in 2015 with a career-high 529 yards on 107 carries (4.9 avg.), along with 51 catches for 561 yards (11 avg.) and four touchdowns. Sims rushed for 149 yards and one TD on 51 carries (2.9 avg.) in 2016 before having a career-low 95 yards on 21 carries (4.5 avg.) last year, while Jacquizz Rodgers and Peyton Barber each surpassed him on the depth chart and led the Bucs in rushing in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Bucs RB Charles Sims – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Sims’ receiving production has even dipped over the last two years with just 24 receptions for 190 yards (7.9 avg.) in 2016 and 35 catches for 249 yards (7.1 avg.) last season. Sims has essentially proven to be a one-trick pony in Tampa Bay over the last couple of seasons as strictly a third-down back. As a reserve running back that leaves him vulnerable as the more versatile a player is the more valuable he becomes. The fact that Rodgers is a better runner and also contributes on special teams as a kick returner and a personal protector on punts could give him the edge over Sims when it comes to making the team. Sims will have to find a role on special teams and shine, in addition to showing improvement as a runner in the preseason.

The Bucs drafted running back Ronald Jones II in the second round, and he and Barber will be the lead backs on first and second downs. The fact that Barber has improved as a receiver also threatens Sims’ roster spot and importance to the team because that means he could also play on third downs. Tampa Bay also added undrafted free agent rookie Shaun Wilson in April and he impressed as a pass-catching back in the OTAs and mini-camp. Wilson is also in the mix to return punts, and possibly kicks. That’s just one more versatile performer Sims will have to beat out in training camp, and he needs to pick it up and start standing out in practice sooner rather than later.

Mark Cook: LT Donovan Smith
I am not here to beat Smith up. The fans do a pretty good job of that already. And so far in camp he has looked just fine. Can Smith play better? You bet. And besides helping the team win and keeping his quarterbacks healthy, he has 14 million reasons to step up in this camp – and they are all in dollar bills.

Bucs LT Donovan Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Smith wants to be paid as the top tackle in the league, but he has yet to play like it. And there is a reason he is the left tackle. The team believes in his talent and skill level to play that position. But with it comes immense pressure, especially to protect a team’s franchise quarterback. Left tackles can play great for 75 plays then give up one costly, game-changing sack. The quarterback goes down, out for the season, the team tanks, coaches get fired, front offices are cleaned out and franchises are set back for years when that happens.

The Bucs franchise is hanging on a cliff by its fingernails. Tampa Bay is hoping Winston plays well, stays out of the headlines for all the wrong reasons, has its defense comes together and the daunting-on-paper schedule doesn’t turn out to be as tough as it looks now on August 1. The pressure in on Smith to take his play to another level. More than one member of the Bucs organization has proclaimed that Smith has the talent to be a Top 5 tackle in the league. But the only thing still holding Smith back is Smith himself.

Trevor Sikkema: DE Will Gholston
Perhaps my choice for which veteran needs to improve the most isn’t as vital as other selections might have been, mainly due to the fact that the team has, in theory, built a solid cast of defensive linemen around him. But Gholston was signed for a pretty penny two seasons ago and since the ink has dried on his 5-year, $37 million contract with $13.5 million in guarantees, Gholston has registered exactly zero sacks. Right now Gholston is taking up $6.5 million of the Bucs’ total salary cap. They can’t do anything with him this year, as moving on from him would result in dead money as opposed to actually freeing up any cap space, so instead the only option here is for Gholston to prove his worth.

Bucs DE Will Gholston – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Gholston has reportedly lost about 15-20 pounds from last season when he was playing near 300 pounds. He’s a leaner, faster 280 pounds this season, but it’s to be determined how much that will help him. Though he isn’t running with the starters right now, the Bucs are still planning on him being a key piece of that two-wave defensive front they’ve tried to form, and for the money they’re paying him he better be able to be at least a rotational piece.

New defensive line coach Brentson Bucker has been seen pushing everyone on the D-Line to be as good as they can be, from rookie defensive tackle Vita Vea all the way up to All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. If anyone can get the most out of Gholston, it’s Buckner. But how much that is is still up in the air – and something Gholston must prove this season.