Football. Is. Back.

The Bucs opened the preseason with a 24-16 win over the Jets, but the scoreboard was hardly the most important part of Friday night’s action. Tampa Bay got its first real look at several young players fighting for roster spots, with some making considerably stronger cases than others when identifying the biggest winners and losers.

The first preseason game came after two intense joint practices earlier this week, which made it impossible not to appreciate right tackle Luke Goedeke. Goedeke is a certified brawler who remains one of the most underrated players on the team – and in the NFL.

After being a Saturday column since its inception, this week’s Slivon’s Slant was pushed back a day following Friday night’s preseason opener. Instead, I released a new Top 10 Takeaways video Saturday morning, breaking down my biggest thoughts on Tampa Bay’s 24-16 win.

Let’s cover all the bases in a special Sunday read!

Stock Up, Stock Down: Preseason Week 1 Bucs Winners And Losers

Winners:

QB Jalon Daniels – There was plenty of anticipation surrounding Jalon Daniels taking the field in the second half on Friday night. Daniels, the undrafted signal-caller out of Kansas, did not disappoint. He was poised in the pocket while flashing his scrambling ability and putting serious zip on his throws. Daniels completed 10-of-15 passes for 111 yards while adding a 1-yard rushing touchdown on a designed quarterback sneak.

Bucs QB Jalon Daniels – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

As of now, he deserves to be the third quarterback on the depth chart because he is two years younger than Connor Bazelak and appears to have a higher ceiling. The status of Jake Browning will play a factor in how much action he gets the rest of the preseason, but the Bucs should make it a priority to continue giving him looks to determine whether he has the upside to become the backup quarterback of the future.

CB Ayden Garnes – Including Ayden Garnes here was an easy decision. His 47-yard pick-six made it easy, as he carried over his ball-hawking skills from training camp in a big way to make it a 10-10 game. Based on his training camp and memorable debut, write Garnes in pen as a 53-man roster lock, especially as Josh Hayes did not play and the Bucs cut the two veteran cornerbacks they signed in free agency.

Friday night’s game was all about seeing Garnes and Damarion “Pepe” Williams in action, and both were impressive. Garnes really looks like a difference-maker, as he has held his own against Tampa Bay’s deep wide receiver room in practice. He proved that his coverage skills are for real, and while he has strides to continue making as a tackler, it is his playmaking ability that the team will be more than pleased with.

WR Ted Hurst – Do not let Ted Hurst’s final stat line fool you. Hurst’s two catches for 19 yards on six targets are deceiving when considering the misfires that prevented him from having a bigger game. Connor Bazelak struggled hitting the 6-foot-4 wide receiver in stride, as he had no problem putting himself in situations to haul in catchable passes.

The third-round pick did his best to make it work, but Bazelak missed him on a deep pass down the right sideline, underthrew him on a play head coach Todd Bowles challenged and lost, and threw it behind him in the end zone on a slant route for what would have been a touchdown. Even with this in mind, I would still say Hurst did everything he could to show his ability to separate and provide a tantalizing target downfield.

The production was not there, but the separation and contested-catch potential were. Hurst gave the Bucs enough flashes to make you wonder what his stat line could have looked like with better quarterback play.

DT Elijah Roberts – Elijah Roberts is someone I am really excited to see entering his second season. As a fifth-round pick out of SMU last year, Roberts played well after being thrust into playing more than expected given Calijah Kancey’s season-ending injury. It was clear that he was more of a pass rusher than a run stuffer, but he has added to his frame and now weighs over 300 pounds. The result? He looked like a well-rounded defensive tackle who will contribute as a rotational player. Roberts sacked Bailey Zappe for a 9-yard loss, and then he had a 4-yard tackle for loss on the next drive as he came through to stuff running back Kene Nwangwu.

Bucs DT Elijah Roberts – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

What caught my attention is what the second-year player had to say about his performance after the game.

“That was honestly the biggest thing for me this whole offseason and all of camp,” Roberts said about improving in run defense. “Just trying to get better in the run game. I knew I could be a good pass rusher once I stopped thinking so much about the pass game. The main thing for me this offseason was run game, run game, run game.”

Under new defensive line coach Marcus West, it will not surprise me if Roberts rotates in early and often along the defensive front in 2026.

OLB Jack Pyburn – It was hard for Jack Pyburn to gain much attention throughout training camp. Given the buzz around Rueben Bain Jr., David Walker’s dominance, and Al-Quadin Muhammad being an intriguing veteran signing, eyeballs were fixated elsewhere. Not anymore. Pyburn was impressive in the second half as he led the team with two sacks. After signing as an undrafted free agent with Tampa Bay, his calling card coming out of LSU was his run defense.

Showing he can be more than that makes him an intriguing option to round out the 53-man roster. That would mean keeping six outside linebackers, but Pyburn was the best reserve in a group that featured 2024 second-round pick Chris Braswell. It is worth keeping an eye on him the rest of the preseason, as he could force the team’s hand in a good way.

Losers:

QB Connor Bazelak – Yes, I know there are some who have defended Connor Bazelak’s performance saying that he went against the Jets’ starters. To that I would say, New York had the second-worst defense in the NFL last year and no longer features Quinnen Williams, Sauce Gardner, or Jermaine Johnson II. There were plenty of chances Bazelak had full control over; he just failed to put it all together. He completed 12-of-20 passes for only 72 yards.

Bucs CB Connor Bazelak – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Any pass traveling more than 10 yards he failed to pinpoint accurately, as many of his completions were short passes close to the line of scrimmage. As an almost 26-year-old quarterback, his time to prove that he can hang against quality players is now. Seeing Bazelak struggling to hit his targets in stride and lacking the zip to make tight-window throws is concerning, especially compared to what Jalon Daniels was able to do. To have any chance of sticking, he needs a major turnaround.

Bucs Run Game – Save for a 12-yard Josh Williams touchdown run, it was a tough day at the office for the Bucs’ run game. They mustered just 25 carries for 69 yards, averaging only 2.8 yards per carry. Granted, the fourth- and fifth-string running backs led the way with eight carries a piece, so I am not overly concerned yet.

At the same time, Zac Robinson’s offense will be heavily reliant on the run game to open up the passing game this season. Progress needs to be made, with better blocking and more burst through the holes being two things to watch for. With several players publicly sharing their excitement for Robinson’s wide zone scheme, you would like to see a successful example of it before Week 1.

OLB Chris Braswell – The Chris Braswell experiment may finally be over, as the Bucs’ 2024 second-round pick was outplayed by just about every other outside linebacker who made it into Friday night’s game. Braswell was invisible, while other players such as Jack Pyburn, Mohamed Kamara, and Yasir Holmes all proved to be more impactful.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

For him to not even record a tackle while playing over 40% of the defensive snaps should be a telltale sign that he is no longer worthy of a roster spot. This is not simply about one bad preseason game. After two seasons of waiting for the former second-round pick to establish himself, the team has every reason to start looking elsewhere with younger and less-heralded players making strong cases.

Bucs Special Teams – For all the hype surrounding a new-look Bucs special teams unit under Danny Smith, there were a couple of blunders they would have liked to have back after the first preseason game. Kadarius Calloway had a rough night, muffing a kick return right at the end zone which led to just a 10-yard return.

Riley Dixon had an inconsistent night, with one of his punts traveling 43 yards that was returned 18 yards. Tampa Bay will be trying to win the hidden yardage battle all season, and they have several things to clean up. Expect Smith to be even more vocal to fix what he saw over the last two exhibition games before the season.

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke Is A Badass Brawler Who Deserves More Recognition

Luke Goedeke did not play in the Bucs’ first preseason game, but he made his presence felt against the Jets because of how he raised the level of intensity during the two joint practices.

It all started this past Tuesday, when second overall pick David Bailey challenged him – and lost.

Then came an instance when Goedeke took a Jets helmet and threw it roughly 10-20 yards down the field. It was clear that the Bucs’ right tackle was not playing any games. For much of the conversation this offseason surrounding the Bucs adding attitude on defense, they already have plenty of it on offense.

Goedeke’s antics aren’t manufactured to prove a point. Far from it. He has settled into being someone who isn’t afraid to show his edge and naturally brings it every time he steps between the lines. The Bucs don’t need him to be the guy starting fights, but they certainly don’t mind having an offensive lineman who isn’t going to back down from anybody.

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With that in mind, it is worth appreciating just how far Goedeke has come along. It seems like forever since much of the fanbase labeled him a bust.

Now?

He is one of the team’s 10 best players and is locked into a four-year, $90 million contract. Tristan Wirfs deservedly gets much of the fanfare when discussing the team’s offensive line, but Goedeke should also be recognized for what he brings.

He has settled into his role as an enforcer and an above-average player at his position. More importantly, the Bucs have an offensive lineman who can bring serious tenacity every down without sacrificing the consistency and reliability that earned him a big second contract.

Quite the evolution for a player who once upon a time was being written off.

Closing Slant

The Bucs were glad to come away with a win over the Jets – even if it was just the preseason opener. Even with it being a game where rookies and backups played, the team got a long look at its depth and who made the strongest cases to stick around. There will soon be plenty of hard decisions to make in carving out the final 53-man roster and practice squad, but a few players secured their spot and have firmer ground to stand on.

That starts in the cornerback room, as the team’s top five corners entering the year are Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish, Benjamin Morrison, Ayden Garnes, and Damarion “Pepe” Williams. Add in Josh Hayes as a potential special teamer and rotating in versatile fourth-round pick Keionte Scott, and suddenly the cupboard does not appear as bare as it did before.

The outside linebacker position is also much deeper compared to last year, with Jack Pyburn making the biggest push to make the team. Even the practice squad appears promising, with Mohamed Kamara and Yasir Holmes providing some pass-rushing promise.

The biggest question mark after the first preseason game is whether Jalon Daniels has done enough to “pass” Connor Bazelak on the depth chart – and if that means he makes the team as the third quarterback. Tampa Bay would be hard-pressed waiving Daniels and bumping him to the practice squad, especially if he continues to play well the rest of the preseason.

The Bucs came into the preseason needing answers. After one game, they have a few more – with a few more problems to boot. Many of them are the good kind of problems to have as the roster comes into focus.