After back-to-back wins over the Jets and Chiefs to start the preseason, the Bucs will now wrap up their three-game exhibition slate Friday night against the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. This game isn’t just serving as the end of the preseason for Tampa Bay – it’s also the end of a long week in Jacksonville as the two teams held joint practices Tuesday and Wednesday leading into this preseason-closing contest.

The Bucs enter this one looking to finish off just their third undefeated preseason in franchise history. Their first came in 1983, and the most recent came in 1999. Todd Bowles and Co. started the 2025 preseason 2-0, only to lose the finale to the Bills for a 2-1 finish.

Following Friday night’s game against the Jaguars, Bucs general manager Jason Licht, head coach Todd Bowles and the rest of the Bucs brass will get together in the ensuing 43ish hours to discuss roster cuts. The 90-man training camp/preseason roster must be cut down to 53 players by Sunday at 6:00 p.m., so it’ll be a busy weekend for Tampa Bay’s decision-makers.

But first things first, right? Let’s take a look at some of the top Bucs to keep an eye on throughout Friday night’s preseason finale, starting with the offensive side of the ball.

Bucs To Watch In Preseason Week 3: Offense

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

QB Jalon Daniels – No. 10

With his performances in Weeks 1 and 2 of the preseason, Jalon Daniels has already given the Bucs a tough choice to make when it comes to roster cutdowns. Do they keep three quarterbacks and lose a spot elsewhere? Or do they keep Daniels over Jake Browning as QB2, opting for a promising rookie over experience behind Baker Mayfield? Daniels got the bulk of the QB2 reps in practice this week, which was certainly something despite Todd Bowles’ insistence that there was “no reason” behind it. The Kansas product is 19-of-29 for 182 yards and a touchdown with another 28 yards and a touchdown on the ground. What can he do to round out his preseason résumé Friday night?

RB Sean Tucker – No. 44

Is this Sean Tucker’s last stand? After Josh Williams got into last week’s game ahead of Tucker and left the fourth-year back relegated to fourth-quarter duties, questions swirled about the Bucs’ RB3 role. Could Tampa Bay be hesitant to pay the $3.52 million tender Tucker is owed if he makes the roster – to be RB3, no less – and opt for the less-expensive, still-productive Williams? The former has been a valuable piece over the last two years, rushing 50 times for 308 yards (6.2 avg.) and two touchdowns in 2024 before running 86 times for 320 yards (3.7 avg.) and seven touchdowns last year. Friday night might be the last chance for the former Syracuse man to make his case.

RB Josh Williams – No. 18

Bucs RB Josh Williams – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

The other side of that RB3 equation, Josh Williams, will have his own chance Friday night to stake his claim to a 53-man roster spot. He’s a different type of back than Sean Tucker is. For as much success as Tucker had near the goal line in 2025, it’s his home run-hitting ability that separates him. Williams is a fight-for-every-yard type of back, and he’s come off well so far this preseason, with his 12-yard touchdown run against the Jets being his standout moment thus far. Any contributions he can make Friday night in the kick return game could go a long way toward establishing his case for RB3 duties or, at the very least, a roster spot.

WR Dean Patterson IV – No. 8

As set as the Bucs’ top five receiver spots are and as much as Kameron Johnson might lead the race for the WR6 role, might the team be tempted to carry seven receivers to start the season? Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan have been banged up during camp, and Tez Johnson had a groin injury earlier in camp, too. Any uncertainty about the health of that room could open the door for undrafted rookie Dean Patterson IV to crack the 53-man roster. That’s especially the case if he shows out again Friday night after catching 11 of his 14 targets for 80 yards over the first two weeks of the preseason.

TE Devin Culp – No. 82

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

This very well could be it for Devin Culp as a Buccaneer, couldn’t it? The writing has been on the wall for a while now, given the team’s hopes for sixth-round pick Bauer Sharp. Sharp seems locked into a spot in the tight end room, joining Cade Otton and Payne Durham (and probably Ko Kieft). Culp needed a big training camp and preseason to secure his spot with Tampa Bay and beat out either Sharp or Kieft, but that hasn’t come to pass. Instead, it’s felt like Culp has dropped more passes than he’s caught over the last month. There may not be much left that he can do to save his job, but he’ll get one more chance.

OT Ben Chukwuma – No. 70

It’s been an underwhelming month or so for Ben Chukwuma. After bursting onto the scene in 2025 and looking like a real option to play swing tackle for the Bucs as soon as 2026, the encore hasn’t gotten off the ground. With increased reps due to Tristan Wirfs’ hamstring injury, Chukwuma struggled mightily early in camp against Tampa Bay’s improved pass rush. He’s since missed time with an injury, though he was back to practice this week. Assuming he’s able to suit up Friday night, it would be nice to see him bounce back and finish strong heading into the regular season.

G Luke Haggard – No. 72

Bucs OL Luke Haggard – IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bucs like Luke Haggard, and it’s becoming clearer as to why. The 6-foot-7, 305-pounder spent 2023 and 2024 on Tampa Bay’s practice squad before serving as much-needed depth at guard a year ago. An injury of his own made that stint as a starter short-lived, but he feels like someone who will stick around as a key depth piece in 2026. That’s especially the case if he continues to show enough versatility to play tackle, where he’s spent some time during camp. Given the injuries to Ben Chukwuma and Justin Skule during camp, the Bucs have gotten creative with their tackle depth. Watch Haggard Friday night – and be on the lookout for where on the line he plays.

C Elijah Klein – No. 79

Elijah Klein is in an interesting spot, too. The 2024 sixth-round pick out of UTEP is having a decent preseason for himself, and he’s also showing the kind of versatility that can really serve Tampa Bay well off the bench. He played 41 snaps at left guard in the preseason opener, then split last week’s game with 14 snaps at right guard and 29 at right tackle. Klein – not Dan Feeney – is also currently listed as the team’s backup center, a position he spent 81 snaps playing in 2025. Where he plays and how well he plays Friday night will be intriguing to watch.