The Bucs’ active roster is fully set.

While there were some moves that may have come as a surprise, none of them truly altered what the starting lineup will look like for Tampa Bay. Depth is very important and the organization once again did a great job of building their roster with several homegrown talent that team either drafted or signed as an undrafted free agent.

We’re all aware of the great players on this team. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin get the headlines as they represent the wide receivers. Antoine Winfield Jr. is coming off a career year and this season reunites with Jordan Whitehead, which is a duo that won a Super Bowl together. There’s also the tandem at tackle with Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke that could move up catapult this team into this stratosphere if Wirfs continues his All-Pro caliber play and Goedeke takes his game to another level.

These players and positions we know. But what is a position that is getting overlooked? What is a position group that the Bucs have that should be considered the most underrated? On a recent Pewter Report Podcast, we spoke with assistant general manager John Spytek, who had some ideas.

John Spytek Names Bucs Most Underrated Position 

“I like where are running backs are at right now,” Spytek said. “I think Bucky’s (Irving) really added to that room. He’s got a pretty similar skillset in a lot of ways to Rachaad (White). I always love running backs that when you throw the ball to them there’s not a lot of worry because they’re going to catch it. There are a lot of yards that are basically free yards if you can throw the ball out to your running backs in the flat and catch it.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving and C Graham Barton – Photo by: USA Today

“It’s been great to see Sean (Tucker) really take off here with his opportunities the first two weeks. I think he’s one of three backs in the preseason right now with 100 yards or more. He’s averaging like 7.1 yards a carry, I think it’s a testament to him, it’s a testament to the new run game and the way the O-line is blocking it up. We don’t have maybe the bell cow, Rachaad certainly carried the load last year but we don’t have the sexy name, but I like that group.”

It’s a fairly young group in the backfield with White in year three, Irving a rookie, and Tucker heading into year two. White showcased that he could be a starting running back in this league last season, while Irving has turned heads this year in the preseason and Tucker busted out multiple 20+ yard plays as he took hold of a third-string position. All three backs should factor into the Bucs’ offense this year.

Spytek wasn’t down talking about this team, though. He then followed up with another choice, talking about the cornerbacks.

John Spytek Also Believes In Bucs’ Corners

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum and SS Jordan Whitehead – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I like our corner group, too,” Spytek said.  “When you put Tykee (Smith) and Tavierre (Thomas) there in the nickel, I thought Zyon (McCollum) out of anybody on our team today had a great day against the Dolphins. It seems that he’s not on film very much right now even when he’s covering Mike (Evans) and Chris (Godwin), which is a good thing for a corner and when he is, he’s usually making a play. We all know what (Jamel) Dean’s capable of and Tykee is coming along and Tavierre’s been a good addition to that nickel and Josh Hayes has done some good stuff and Bryce Hall has made some plays.”

The Bucs decided to keep 11 defensive backs on the active roster. This is a huge year for McCollum in particular since he is becoming the every-game starter. The additions of Smith and Thomas allow for flexibility on the defense. Let’s also not forget about undrafted free agent Tyrek Funderburk. Although he is out, the Bucs saw so much potential in him that they decided to keep Funderburk despite his current injury.

“If you have a skillset and you’ve shown something,” Bowles began when speaking on Tuesday. “For example, [Tyrek] Funderburk. We saw him in the spring, summer and early on when he came in – he’s a good football player. You knew right away that he had a damn good chance of making this team, so you weigh those type of things.

Every position and every player is important to having a successful team. These two positions in particular can move the Bucs from good to great if they perform to their expectations.

Watch Bucs Assistant GM John Spytek On The Pewter Report Podcast

Watch the full episode of the Pewter Report Podcast with John Spytek as a guest below.