INTRO: The Bucs are 4-6 coming off the bye week and likely need to finish at least 6-1 to put themselves in position to make the playoffs at 10-7. Tampa Bay has lost four games in a row and it may be time for head coach Todd Bowles to shake things up with his lineups. Here are five players that the team need to play to see if any of these Buccaneers can help down the stretch – and beyond.

But given Bowles’ precarious job security, will he do what is right for the team moving forward and play some of these young, developmental players with the hope of uncovering a gem, or will he cling to what’s familiar and be afraid of the unknown out of self-preservation? We’ll find out soon enough – enjoy!

FAB 1. It’s Time For The Bucs To Start Chris Braswell At OLB

The writing is on the wall. The Bucs aren’t going to re-sign outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. The former first-round pick in 2021 did not have his fifth-year option picked up by the team this offseason.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and Bucs OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka – Photo by: USA Today

And with just two sacks with seven games remaining, Tryon-Shoyinka has not developed into the pass rusher the team hoped he could become – and he’s had four years to do it. So it’s time to move on.

Not just in the offseason where Tampa Bay will let JTS go in free agency. But now by benching him and starting rookie outside linebacker Chris Braswell, the team’s second-round pick, in Tryon-Shoyinka’s place.

The Bucs drafted outside linebacker Yaya Diaby last year to eventually replace the aging Shaq Barrett, who was released this offseason. Then Tampa Bay drafted Braswell this year to replace Tryon-Shoyinka for 2025 and beyond.

It’s time to speed up that process and accelerate Braswell’s learning curve.

Pro Football Focus isn’t perfect, so take these grades with a grain of salt. But a four-year veteran like Tryon-Shoyinka has a PFF pass rush grade of 55.8 whereas a rookie like Braswell has a slightly higher grade of 58.7.

In 218 pass rush snaps, Tryon-Shoyinka has 20 pressures, including two sacks and one quarterback hit. Braswell has played 126 pass rush snaps and has 11 pressures, including half a sack and five quarterback hits. It’s time to flip the script down the stretch and give Braswell more snaps as a starter and use Tryon-Shoyinka as a reserve.

And I don’t want to hear about about Tryon-Shoyinka being so great in coverage. He was drafted to be a pass rusher – not for his coverage skills coming out of Washington, which were non-existent.

Perhaps the Bucs’ outside linebackers would have more sacks if they were rushing the passer rather than dropping into coverage, which simply isn’t effective at all. Just a thought.

Bucs OLB Chris Braswell – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Do you know which Bucs defender is the absolute worst in pass coverage according to PFF? Inside linebacker K.J. Britt, of course. He has a 37.6 coverage grade.

Do you know who’s next?

Diaby with a 49.9 grade on 43 coverage snaps. And it should come as no surprise that Braswell has a 51.6 grade on 22 coverage snaps while Tryon-Shoyinka has a 56.1 grade on 54 coverage snaps.

So it’s not like JTS is a coverage maven by any means. In fact, he’s just as bad in coverage as he is rushing the passer.

None of the Bucs’ outside linebackers have a pass breakup on the year in coverage – let alone an interception. So if Braswell “doesn’t have the coverage drops down quite yet” who cares? Maybe do let Braswell do what he did so well at Alabama to get drafted in the second round – rush the passer.

The only way Braswell is going to develop as a pass rusher is more reps. There is no substitute for experience. Bowles and outside linebackers coach George Edwards, who is not a very good coach, need to end their allegiance to JTS and the mediocre results he produces and put more time into actually developing Braswell, who has more of an upside in Tampa Bay.

FAB 2. RB Sean Tucker Is Simply Too Explosive To Keep On The Bench

While Todd Bowles will probably be too stubborn to play Chris Braswell more because of his affinity for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, whom he calls a “chess piece,” Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen is open to getting Sean Tucker more touches on offense. And given the fact that Tucker had zero snaps on offense versus San Francisco – just four weeks after winning NFC Offensive Player of the Week in New Orleans – that is welcomed news.

Bucs RB Sean Tucker – Photo by: USA Today

“I think it’s one of those things – it’s just hard to get three guys 8-10 touches each,” Coen said on Thursday when asked about what he came away from self-scouting during the bye week. “I think we did walk away saying, ‘Ok, how do we make sure we leave each week saying that ‘44’ (Tucker) has touched the ball a few times.’

“That’s something that we need to make sure that we do and get him involved in the game earlier on, so that we can – hey, if he is running well and getting some juice, he can keep going. But maybe tagging some things for him to just make sure that we can get him in and touching the ball.”

It’s been over a month since Tucker ran for 136 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 56 and another score versus the Saints in Week 6. Tucker, who is the team’s third-string running back, is the only Buccaneer to produce a 100-yard rushing game this season.

It’s been criminal that he hasn’t received at least five touches per game. Since his career day at New Orleans, Tucker has had 10 carries for 43 yards and caught three passes for 27 yards. On the year, the second-year back has 26 carries for 186 yards (7.2 avg.) and a touchdown, while catching seven passes for 97 yards (13.9 avg.) and a TD.

Bucs RB Sean Tucker – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

No one is arguing that Tucker should be starting in Tampa Bay. Rookie Bucky Irving has rushed for 492 yards and four touchdowns and is averaging a healthy 5.1 yards per carry. But Rachaad White has rushed 80 times for 306 yards and one touchdown while averaging 3.8 yards per carry, which is only slightly better than his 3.7-yard average from a year ago.

It’s fine making Irving the lead back on this team, which he is due to his team-leading 96 carries. But Tucker needs to at least equal the amount of touches of White, who might be better suited as a third-down back, if not get more carries.

It sounds like Tucker might get involved earlier in the game, and if he rips off an explosive run, which he’s done frequently in his limited carries, the Bucs’ fastest back might force Coen to give him more action within the game. I’m all in favor of that.

FAB 3. S Mike Edwards Should Play – Not Just Provide Depth For Bucs Defense

The Bucs were wise to swap out Kaevon Merriweather for Mike Edwards this past week at the safety position. Merriweather didn’t have the necessary speed to cover, and that’s been the biggest problem in Tampa Bay’s secondary – the lack of coverage ability.

Bucs S Mike Edwards – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Todd Bowles’ defense ranks 27th in scoring defense (26.6 points allowed per game), 30th in total defense (389.3 yards allowed per game), 30th in passing defense (264.1 yards allowed per game) and 16th in rushing defense (125.2 yards allowed per game). Edwards shouldn’t have been acquired just for depth behind starting safeties Jordan Whitehead and Antoine Winfield Jr.

He should play.

The Bucs signed Winfield to a massive contract extension worth $84.1 million over four years, and Whitehead was re-signed on a two-year deal worth $9 million. But neither one has played well, especially in coverage.

According to Pro Football Focus, Winfield has a coverage grade of just 50.6 and Whitehead is only slightly better at 59.4. Bowles should not be afraid to use Edwards right away, especially since he spent his first four NFL seasons playing Bowles’ scheme. There have been some tweaks and adjustments over the past two years, but it’s largely the same defensive scheme.

Tampa Bay has just five interceptions on the season and none in the past four games. That’s something that Edwards is known for – being a ballhawk.

Edwards, who was a Bucs third-round pick in 2019, returns after winning a Super Bowl in Kansas City in 2023 and bouncing from Buffalo to Tennessee to Tampa Bay this season. He had seven interceptions, including three pick-sixes, in his four years with the Bucs, in addition to a pair of picks in the playoffs. In his lone season with the Chiefs, Edwards had two interceptions, including one in the postseason, in addition to a scoop-and-score fumble recovery for a touchdown.

Edwards should platoon with Whitehead at strong safety. Winfield’s first four years in Tampa Bay and all of the plays he’s made should give him the benefit of the doubt to stay on the field for every defensive snap.

At the very least, Edwards should be on the field in a dime defensive package as a third safety to get inside linebacker K.J. Britt off the field on third-and-long and obvious passing downs. If Edwards is just a seldom-used backup, it will be a travesty.

FAB 4. It’s Time To Play ILB Vi Jones In Coverage And Let Him Develop

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles has begrudgingly platooned J.J. Russell for K.J. Britt at inside linebacker on passing downs over the past two games. Britt, who is slow and lacks the necessary range and athleticism to play in coverage, has been awful in pass defense. His Pro Football Focus pass coverage grade is 37.6, which is the lowest on the team.

Bucs ILB Vi Jones – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

While Britt possesses 4.76 speed, Russell is only a tick faster at 4.70.

There is only one linebacker with sub-4.6 speed in Tampa Bay and that is practice squad linebacker Vi Jones. When asked a month ago about platooning another linebacker with Britt after SirVocea Dennis was lost for the season with a shoulder injury, Bowles said that the only linebacker who could make a difference in coverage was Jones, who is on the practice squad, and that he needed more time to develop.

This is Jones’ second season on the practice squad, and he’s spent the entire offseason, training camp and preseason in Tampa Bay. What’s taking so long? Could he be any worse than Britt in pass coverage on third-and-long and on obvious passing downs?

Jones finally got elevated from the practice squad for the past two games, but only saw three snaps on defense at Kansas City and none versus San Francisco. The North Carolina State product was in on three coverage plays and allowed just one catch for four yards.

Although it’s an incredibly small sample size, Jones’ 63.5 PFF coverage grade is the second-best among Bucs linebackers behind Dennis (74.3) and ahead of Russell (56.5) and Lavonte David (55.8). Let’s see what Jones can do with more snaps in coverage.

“He’s done an awesome job,” said Bucs tight end Cade Otton, who practices against Jones daily. “I think he has a great attitude and brings a lot of passion to the game, but he’s also very athletic. He’s done a great job in coverage all the way since training camp and I think he can really help our team.

“He’s rangy and long, and the way he’s able to run – he can really get past you pretty easily. I definitely think he can be a great coverage linebacker.”

Bucs ILB Vi Jones – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The problem for Bowles is that he’s on the hot seat and needs to win and make the playoffs this year to keep his job. What I’ve seen plenty of coaches that are in a similar situation do is play veterans they’re comfortable with over less experienced players. Coaches like Bowles typically “go with what they know,” and that doesn’t bode well for Jones moving forward.

Jones is only allowed to be elevated one more time this year to the game day roster. Then the Bucs will have to make a decision on whether to sign him to the active roster to keep using him in games or just keep him on the practice squad.

Given the fact that Britt is in a contract year and likely won’t be re-signed, the Bucs would love to see if Jones has the potential to truly a player investing more time in moving forward. Especially given the fact that David turns 35 in January and may retire after the 2024 season.

But will Bowles play Jones and give him the necessary snaps he needs to gain experience and truly develop? I’m not sure if Jones is a hidden gem on this roster, or just a practice squad player but I’d like to see more of him so we can find out.

FAB 5. TE Devin Culp’s Speed Could Help Baker Mayfield, Bucs Offense

The final member of this Fab 5 who needs to see the field is rookie tight end Devin Culp. The team’s seventh-round pick has only been active for two games this year and has only played two snaps on offense.

Bucs TE Devin Culp – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs drafted Culp because of his 4.47 speed, which made him the fastest tight end at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he has yet to see much action because he’s been slow to pick up Liam Coen’s offense.

“I think Devin is continuing to grow,” Coen said this week. “I think there’s some natural challenges you have to get through as a rookie in this league. There’s a lot more volume, as he’s mentioned, coming from a spread no huddle system where he’s just looking to the sideline for signals and now you have to get in the huddle and hear multiple plays called and still be able to go execute.

“And, oh by the way, go run the right route and catch the ball and make a play with it. I think some of those things that he’s continuing to grow with and learn, he needs to continue to get better on special teams to be impactful that way, but I do believe he’ll continue to get better and hopefully we’ll be able to use him at some point.”

I have not been impressed with backup tight end Payne Durham, who is a mediocre blocker in the run game and not much of a weapon in the passing game due to his lack of speed. But the player who keeps getting active on Sundays but contributes very little is third-string tight end Ko Kieft. Durham has supplanted Kieft as the blocking tight end on offense, so Kieft has been relegated to special teams.

That’s fine. Kieft has played just 23 snaps on offense this year and has a 52.7 Pro Football Focus grade, which is just behind Durham, who has a 55.6 PFF grade. Is Kieft that valuable on special teams to warrant being active on game days over Culp?

I’d like to see Culp get the game day nod over Kieft, who doesn’t have much of a future in Tampa Bay, so he can get some game experience and level up. If Culp is still digesting the playbook then give him a few plays designed specifically for him to be featured and see how he does.

The Bucs can use a more explosive weapon on offense to pair with Mike Evans and fellow tight end Cade Otton, who is a good receiver, but has pedestrian speed. It’s time to start playing Culp down the stretch and see what he can do. I’m not sure Durham and Kieft have much upside.