The Bucs will wrap up the current phase of their offseason this week when they host their three-day mandatory mini-camp at the AdventHealth Training Center. As the name indicates, these are mandatory dates for all players, as practices will be held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Of course, Pewter Report will be on hand for these mini-camp practices, and as always, we’ll have you covered on all of the action both here on PewterReport.com and on the Pewter Report Podcast, which you can find on our YouTube channel as well as anywhere you get your podcasts. And speaking of the Pewter Report Podcast, join us Monday at 4:00 p.m. as we welcome Bucs general manager Jason Licht back to the podcast.

But for now, let’s take a look at five storylines to keep an eye on throughout Bucs mini-camp this week:

It’s Time To Get A Look At The Bucs’ Newest Veteran Pass Rusher

While the Bucs held OTAs over the last couple of weeks at One Buc Place, those practices were voluntary. Top veterans like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Tristan Wirfs weren’t in attendance on the days that media had access to, and while Vita Vea and Lavonte David were present for the second of those two days, they didn’t practice with the team.

The absence that drew the most discussion over the last couple of weeks, though, was that of veteran pass rusher Haason Reddick. Reddick signed a one-year, $14 million deal with Tampa Bay this offseason and the hope is that he’ll be a key part of unlocking the team’s four-man pass rush in addition to giving some support to an emerging pass rushing threat in Yaya Diaby on the other side.

Bucs OLB Haason Reddick – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Understandably, there was a lot of talk about one of the team’s big new additions not being present for OTAs, but head coach Todd Bowles maintained that the team knows Reddick has been training on his own and outside linebackers coach Larry Foote has been in contact with him. The fact that the Bucs were burnt by a no-show from a different veteran outside linebacker in Randy Gregory last year combined with Reddick’s own hold-out with the Jets at this time last year led to some trepidation within the fan base, but there hasn’t been any worry on the team’s side of things.

With all of that said, mandatory mini-camp will be the first look we get at Reddick as a Buccaneer. He’ll bookend Tampa Bay’s defensive front on the other side of Diaby, and the Bucs are expecting the 30-year-old to be extremely motivated this season. The 2024 season was a lost campaign for Reddick, who was traded from the Eagles to the Jets last offseason. Contract negotiations with New York didn’t go well and after a hold-out and trade request, the veteran missed camp, the preseason and the start of the regular season. By the time he returned in October, the Jets’ season was effectively over and he went on to record just one sack over 10 games (two starts).

With a fresh start in Tampa Bay, the two-time Pro Bowler will be looking to regain his 2020-2023 form, which saw him reach double-digit sacks in four straight seasons (one with Arizona, one with Carolina and two with Philadelphia). If the Bucs can get that Reddick, it’ll be a huge boost to Bowles’ defense. This week will be the first chance we get to see Reddick in action, albeit without pads.

How Has The Bucs Offense Progressed Under New OC Josh Grizzard?

The Bucs return every starter from an offense that was top five in just about every category a year ago. They also added two talented rookie receivers to the mix, bolstering their depth. But there was still a big change with the offense this offseason, as offensive coordinator Liam Coen left to take the Jaguars’ head coaching job. That led to yet another coordinator search in Tampa Bay, and this one resulted in a promotion from within as Josh Grizzard got the job.

Grizzard served as the team’s pass game coordinator under Coen last year, so there is some sense of continuity with his promotion to the offensive coordinator role. He’ll be tasked with keeping the offense clicking, and he’ll be taking on that task as a first-time play-caller.

Bucs OC Josh Grizzard and QB Baker Mayfield -Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

We’ve seen some more vertical elements in the offense under Grizzard’s direction during OTAs, plus Todd Bowles said there were some call-it periods this past week that allowed the new coordinator to get on the same page with quarterback Baker Mayfield. But mandatory mini-camp will be another chance to see the offense under Grizzard, and there will be the added intrigue of having 11-time 1,000-yard receiver Mike Evans in the mix.

Speaking of Evans, it’ll be interesting to see how Grizzard deploys him this year. Will he move him around a lot to give defenses different looks and create more opportunities for the veteran receiver? Coen did that late last season, and it paid off for Evans as he finished the season on an absolute tear on his way to an NFL-record tying 11th straight 1,000-yard season. As he goes for a 12th – and as Grizzard looks to get the most out of him – mini-camp will give us our first chance to see what his role looks like in this slightly new-look offense.

While Chris Godwin is continuing to work his way back from injury, this will be the fullest-looking Buccaneers offense we’ve seen yet this offseason. That should make any call-it periods – especially move-the-ball periods – even more interesting as Bowles and his defensive staff put Grizzard to the test in preparation for his first play-calling gig.

Can The Bucs Defense Ramp Up The Interceptions During Mini-Camp?

Todd Bowles has spoken all offseason about wanting more ballhawks and needing more interceptions from his defense in 2025. So far, interceptions have been few and far between during rookie mini-camp and OTAs. Jacob Parrish, the team’s 2025 third-round pick, made a splash during rookie camp with two pick-sixes over two days, but outside of picks by linebackers SirVocea Dennis and Deion Jones, takeaways were hard to come by for the Tampa Bay defense during OTAs.

Will that change during mandatory mini-camp? Bowles will certainly hope so.

Bucs CB Jacob Parrish – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Of course, it’s worth giving credit where it’s due, as Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask haven’t exactly been careless with the football during these practices. But there have been plenty of instances of the same old, same old for the Tampa Bay defense, and that means pass breakups but not interceptions. Zyon McCollum and Jamel Dean have both been guilty of failing to come through on plays that should’ve been interceptions, and that needs to change.

Perhaps as the offense opens up more and continues to be tested by different looks from Bowles and the defense, there will be more opportunities to create takeaways. Tampa Bay will surely be itching to see the likes of McCollum, Dean, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith come through with some interceptions this week. But it would be just as welcome of a sight to see Parrish or fellow rookie cornerback Benjamin Morrison pick off some passes, too.

Whoever they might come from, more interceptions would be an encouraging development for the Bucs’ defensive backfield this week.

What Will The Bucs’ Linebacker Situation Look Like?

Coming into OTAs, the inside linebacker position felt like the one spot on the Tampa Bay defense that maybe didn’t get as much of an upgrade as it needed this offseason. The Bucs bolstered their depth in the secondary and rebuilt their pass rush, but outside of signing Anthony Walker Jr. to replace K.J. Britt, the inside linebacker room looks like it did in 2024.

It was a surprise, then, when Todd Bowles was asked which position groups he believes are the deepest on both sides of the ball for his team and the first group he mentioned on defense was the inside ‘backers. This, of course, came after practices that didn’t even feature veteran linebacker Lavonte David.

Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

So, as David is added to the fold this week during mini-camp, how will that inside linebacker situation play out? Will it be cut and dried with David and SirVocea Dennis as the starters? Or will Bowles and the Bucs give any thought to platooning Dennis, who is exceptional in pass coverage? The team believes the injury issues are a thing of the past for Dennis, but would platooning him keep him fresher and lighten the injury risk? It’s possible.

Chances are, the duo could and should probably be set with David and Dennis as the starters. But the team is happy with Walker, plus Deion Jones is a veteran who looks likely to carve out a spot for himself on the roster. So, how much will those two figure into plans this season? It’s a good situation to have, especially when you consider the struggles the group had last year after Dennis went down with a season-ending shoulder injury.

There are other linebackers to consider, too. Nebraska product John Bullock and Iowa product Nick Jackson are two undrafted free agents the team is high on, plus Antonio Grier Jr. is still in the mix as well. This week could go a long way for any of these three to pick up some momentum heading into training camp.

Which Rookies Will Steal The Show Heading Into Training Camp?

As they typically tend to be, the first few months have been a whirlwind for the Bucs’ 2025 rookie class. They went from getting drafted on the last weekend in April to rookie mini-camp in early May to OTAs in late May/early June. Now, they’ll have their first mandatory mini-camp before getting a well-earned break ahead of training camp late next month. So, with one final chance to make an early impression this week, which newcomers will stand out?

So far, the Bucs have seen some good things from each of their 2025 draft picks. First-round receiver Emeka Egbuka already looks like a pro, while second-round corner Benjamin Morrison looks to be coming along nicely in his return from hip surgery and third-round corner Jacob Parrish has made some splash plays already. Fourth-round edge rusher David Walker has flashed in a big way, even without the pads on. Later-round picks like defensive lineman Elijah Roberts and wide receiver Tez Johnson have looked the part, too.

Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It’ll be interesting to watch the rookies this week as the full team comes together for a few practices. With Mike Evans present, it’ll be a great opportunity for Egbuka and Johnson to learn from one of the all-time greats at the position. Walker missed last Tuesday’s OTA practice and watched off to the side, so it’ll be worth keeping an eye on his practice status during mini-camp. The rookie corners, specifically Morrison as he’s back to full team periods, should get a chance to shine as well.

This is another big chance for some of the undrafted rookies to build up some momentum going into training camp. Linebacker John Bullock, safeties J.J. Roberts and Shilo Sanders, cornerback Roman Parodie, running back Josh Williams and defensive lineman Desmond Watson will all be worth watching, as will some of the team’s intriguing rookies along the offensive line.

Remember, Pewter Report will have you covered each day this week with insider reports from One Buc Place as well as daily podcasts recapping all the action from practice.

And don’t forget that we’ll have Jason Licht as Monday’s guest on the Pewter Report Podcast at 4pm ET, followed by three days of Bucs mini-camp coverage on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday on our PewterReportTV YouTube channel.