Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
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INTRO: The Bucs kick off their 2026 training camp at the AdventHealth Training Center on Wednesday, July 29 with plenty of questions for a team looking to bounce back from a dreadful 8-9 record. As I do on annual basis, I’ve come up with 20 critical camp questions that Tampa Bay must answer in order to win more games, recapture the NFC South and make it back to the playoffs.
If you tuned out of our Bucs coverage during the summer but are now tuning back in with the arrival of training camp, I suggest you also read my last two SR’s FAB 5 columns focusing on where the Bucs need to improve on offense and special teams and on defense. Enjoy!
FAB 1. The Biggest Questions Entering The Bucs’ 2026 Training Camp
Let’s kick off this pre-training camp SR’s FAB 5 with four big general questions for Tampa Bay as the 2026 camp begins.
1. How Far Can Todd Bowles Take This Bucs Team?
It’s a big season for the Bucs head coach as he not only tries to get his team to bounce back after a very disappointing 8-9 season last year where Tampa Bay surrendered the division title to Carolina, but also to go further than the first round of the playoffs. Bowles has a 35-33 record with the Bucs, in addition to a 1-3 mark in the postseason. He’s had 9-8 and 10-7 records in 2023 and 2024 sandwiched in between a pair of 8-9 records in 2022 and last season.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Bowles is 2-7 in his last nine games as the Bucs faded down the stretch, losing to four teams with losing records. The good news is that Bowles’ teams have started 2-0 in each of his four seasons as Tampa Bay’s head coach. Bowles enters 2026 on the hot seat, as the Glazers have fired every coach who has had two losing seasons in a row.
The Bucs will need to get off to another really good start to calm the waters around Bowles at the start of the season. With an improved roster and better depth this year, especially on defense where the talent appears to be significantly upgraded, there won’t be any excuses for Bowles not to turn the Bucs’ ship around this year. Getting back to the playoffs is a must, but Bowles needs to prove he can take Tampa Bay deeper into the postseason.
2. Will Every Buccaneer Be Ready To Go When Camp Starts?
New safety Miles Killebrew, returning safety JJ Roberts and cornerback Benjamin Morrison were the Bucs missing in action during the mandatory mini-camp (aside from new inside linebacker Christian Rozeboom who had his absences excused). Killebrew and Roberts missed the entire offseason recovering from knee injuries suffered in 2025 and were hoping to be ready to go by the start of camp. We’ll see if that happens.
Morrison, tight ends Cade Otton and Devin Culp were missing the mandatory mini-camp due to hamstring injuries, and new defensive tackle Haggai Ndubuisi broke his hand during the OTAs and also missed the end of the offseason program, while running back Bucky Irving returned to action from offseason shoulder surgery during the mini-camp. We’ll see if any other injuries popped up during the summer (see Tristan Wirfs’ knee injury and Anthony Walker Jr.’s lower body injury last summer) or if the Bucs will be at full strength on Wednesday, July 29.
3. Which Bucs Will Get Contract Extensions Before The Season?
There are several prominent Bucs who enter contract years in 2026, including quarterback Baker Mayfield, defensive tackle Vita Vea, outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, right guard Cody Mauch and kicker Chase McLaughlin. Mayfield has said he wants a new contract by the start of training camp or he’s going to end negotiations until the offseason. Vea was a “hold-in” during the mandatory mini-camp and he’s wanting a contract. Will those two deals get resolved prior to camp?

Bucs DT Vita Vea – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
The guess here is that Mayfield’s deal won’t get done until the offseason – unless he capitulates and accepts a contract that is closer what the team might be envisioning just under or around $50 million per year. I think there is a greater chance that Vea gets a pay raise of a few million before or at the start of camp, but at age 31 it’s doubtful he gets an extension and will have to play out his contract year.
McLaughlin could be the easiest to extend because he’s a kicker and that could get done before the start of the season. Diaby could also be a candidate to be extended in August, while the team will likely make Mauch play out his contract year to gauge how healthy he is after last year’s knee surgery.
4. Who Will Take Part In The Bucs’ Biggest Training Camp Battles?
Quite a few starting jobs are already set in Tampa Bay, which leaves just a few training camp battles set to take place in 2026. Here are the three most prominent ones.
CB2: Jacob Parrish vs. Benjamin Morrison
QB3: Jalon Daniels vs. Connor Bazelak
OLB3: Al-Quadin Muhammad vs. David Walker
In my estimation, Parrish has a big, early lead over Morrison because he started all 17 games during his rookie season, while Morrison missed seven, in addition to a month’s worth of camp practices last year and the entire 2025 preseason. Parrish didn’t miss a practice this offseason while the oft-injured Morrison missed the last three practices. Morrison needs to stay healthy to have any chance of making this a fair fight.
I actually think Daniels versus Bazelak for the QB3 job will be the most entertaining battle simply because it’s the quarterback position and both will likely play a lot in the preseason. Bazelak is a true pocket passer who relies on accuracy, while Daniels has a live arm and scrambling ability. He’s a big play waiting to happen, but must avoid turnovers in August.
Given the way Todd Bowles rotates his defensive linemen, there’s a good chance Muhammad and Walker will both be on the field at the same time as second-team outside linebackers behind Yaya Diaby and Rueben Bain Jr. But which pass rusher will be first off the bench if either Bain or Diaby needs a breather? Both bring different strengths to the table and the OLB3 position is up for grabs.
FAB 2. Questions About Zac Robinson’s New Bucs Offense
The Bucs have a new offensive coordinator in Zac Robinson, who has two years worth of play-calling experience in Atlanta and knows the NFC South intimately. His arrival means that Todd Bowles doesn’t have to break in a rookie offensive coordinator for the first time. Here are four big questions about Robinson’s unit.
5. Will Baker Mayfield Be Razor Sharp In Camp?
If we’re being honest, Baker Mayfield didn’t have standout practices in the OTAs and the mini-camp. While he didn’t seem to have any bad practices, he didn’t necessarily shine, either. None of my Bucs sources singled out Mayfield for having a wire-to-wire great practice in the offseason. That’s understandable as he’s learning a new offense under Zac Robinson – even though there is some carry-over from Liam Coen’s scheme from 2024.

Bucs OC Zac Robinson, pass game coordinator TJ Yates and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Mayfield has had some dominant training camp practices where he catches fire and lights it up in each of his last three seasons in Tampa Bay. How quickly that can happen and how often it happens will be of great interest to the team as the Bucs and Mayfield are both angling for a contract extension before the start of the 2027 offseason next March.
6. How Much Will Zac Robinson’s Scheme Resemble Liam Coen’s?
In 2024, Coen’s offense produced a top 5 running game and a top 5 scoring attack, as the Bucs averaged 29.5 points per game that season. That’s what the Bucs are hoping they can recapture with the hiring of Robinson, who called plays in Atlanta the last two seasons. Just as important was the fact that Baker Mayfield set a franchise record with a 71.4% completion percentage under Coen in 2024 while throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, the second most in a season by any Tampa Bay quarterback. Robinson comes from the same Los Angeles roots as Coen, as both worked together on Sean McVay’s staff, so there are some similarities in their schemes.
Robinson and Coen also just happen to be best friends, and the two played golf together and discussed the Bucs offense and personnel when Robinson visited Coen in Jacksonville this offseason. While Robinson has his own ideas about offense, namely incorporating a wide zone running scheme that was very successful in Atlanta, he is expected to adopt a short, rhythmic passing game that Coen used to make Mayfield so productive. Josh Grizzard tried to implement more of a downfield passing attack last year that resembled his roots with the Miami Dolphins, but it was not nearly as successful, which led to his firing after one season.
We’ve seen that take hold in the offseason practices, plus a healthy amount of pre-snap motion and even double motion, and a nice mix of Mayfield under center and in shotgun (no pistol). Coen ran a good amount of 11 personnel (three receivers) in 2024 with some 12 personnel (two tight ends) sprinkled in, as well as the introduction of 21 (two backs) personnel known as the Pony package. Expect Robinson to follow suit, as the Bucs receiving corps and running back room are very deep in talent.
7. Will A WR1 Emerge In Tampa Bay In August?
Hey, Emeka Egbuka. I’m looking at you. Right now, the narrative around the Bucs wide receiver corps without Mike Evans is that the team has three No. 2 receivers, but no true No. 1. Egbuka, last year’s first-round pick, led Tampa Bay in catches (63), yards (958) and touchdowns (six), but a lot of that production came when he was the No. 2 or No. 3 on the field, benefiting from opposing defenses primarily focusing on Evans or Chris Godwin Jr.

Bucs WRs Chris Godwin Jr. and Emeka Egbuka – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Now with Evans gone, Baker Mayfield needs someone to step up and be a primary weapon in the passing game. Can Egbuka learn to be man coverage – because he absolutely torched zone coverage – enough to make that happen? Egbuka’s body type and playing style resembles Godwin so much that he’s been called a Godwin clone.
But with a first-round pedigree he might have the physical tools to break out of a complementary receiver mode and eventually turn into an alpha the way his former Ohio State teammate, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, did over Seattle over the past two seasons. That’s what the Bucs are hoping for this fall. Even if it doesn’t, the fact that Tampa Bay has such a deep and talented receiving corps means the production might just be more even distributed around the WR room.
8. How Much Of A Role Will Kenneth Gainwell Carve Out In Camp?
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles has already declared Bucky Irving the starter this year, as the third-year back is finally healthy from offseason shoulder surgery and ready to recapture the success he had as a rookie with over 1,100 yards rushing. Having a healthy offensive line to block in front of him should allow Irving to bounce back after a subpar, injury-filled second season. But while Irving was rehabbing his shoulder this offseason, Gainwell stepped in as the starter and the newcomer dazzled everyone in Tampa Bay as both a receiver and a runner.
There is a reason why Bowles called Irving and Gainwell 1A and 1B instead of the first-string and second-string running backs. Gainwell is awfully talented, but he was also signed to a two-year, $14 million deal. The Bucs aren’t going to pay $7 million for a backup running back. Gainwell will see plenty of snaps and touches this fall as the goal is to reduce Irving’s workload so he can be more effective with fewer plays. That was the case when Irving and Rachaad White shared the workload in 2024.
And while Irving won’t see much playing time in the preseason – if any at all – that will create the opportunity for Gainwell to continue to impress new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. The more plays Gainwell makes in practice and in the preseason games, the harder it’s going to be for Robinson to keep him on the sidelines. The good news is that the Pony package is in Robinson’s playbook, so there could be some instances where both Gainwell and Irving are in the game together.
FAB 3. Questions About Todd Bowles’ Revamped Defense
Todd Bowles defense hasn’t been good in years and he’s come under fire as both the team’s head coach and the defensive play-caller as a result. The Bucs put a lot of effort into revamping the defense through free agency and the draft, but can all of the new pieces come together quickly for Bowles? Here are four questions that need answers.
9. Can Alex Anzalone Improve The Linebacker Play In Tampa Bay?
No one likes to say it out of respect for the great Lavonte David, but David’s play slipped noticeably over the past two seasons. That, coupled with subpar play from K.J. Britt and just adequate play from SirVocea Dennis last season, led to an underwhelming performance from Todd Bowles’ inside linebacker unit. Can Anzalone, a nine-year veteran, arrive in Tampa Bay to save the day?

Bucs ILB Alex Anzalone – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Bucs linebackers have been victimized in pass coverage across the middle by receivers and tight ends and in the flat by running backs. Anzalone is one of the better coverage linebackers in the league, and at 6-foot-3, 234 pounds, he’s the biggest ‘backer the Bucs have had in quite some time. At age 31, how much does Anzalone have left in the tank? Can he be more effective than a 35-year old David, and if so, by how much?
Anzalone’s experience can help ease Josiah Trotter into the starting middle linebacker role this season, and he should be able to make the necessary calls and checks until the rookie can take over that assignment. The Bucs are banking on a very good season from Anzalone this year, but he’s not really a long-term solution at the position.
10. Will A’Shawn Robinson Be As Good As Advertised As A Run Defender?
Tampa Bay raised some eyebrows around the league when they paid Robinson $10 million on a one-year deal. That may seem like a lot for a 31-year defensive tackle that was never truly elite, especially when the Panthers moved on from Robinson this offseason instead of paying him $8.5 million this year. But Tampa Bay not only needs his big, 6-foot-4, 315-pound frame to help stop the run, but also the nasty edge that he can bring to a Bucs defense that has been too soft for too long.
The added benefit that Robinson has brought to Tampa Bay that has been worth a few million alone is his leadership. Although he’s the new kid on the block, Robinson stepped into a vocal leadership role almost immediately, and his presence was welcomed and well received by the Bucs defenders. Robinson doesn’t put up with crap and demands excellence from himself and others.
So whether he’s on the field as an upgrade over Logan Hall as a starting 4i/5-technique in Bowles’ 3-4 front or an upgrade over Greg Gaines as a backup nose tackle behind Vita Vea, Robinson should make his presence felt in the run game with his physical style of play. And even when he’s on the sidelines, he can offer plenty of vocal support and bring some energy to the defense in that way, too.
11. Will Zyon McCollum Live Up To His Vast Potential?
The Bucs paid McCollum $16 million per year to become a premium shutdown cornerback last year when the team gave him an early contract extension instead of making him play out his contract year. Given how McCollum’s play slipped and he gave up a career-high five touchdowns and had just one interception, that seems to have been a big mistake. But time is still on McCollum’s side. He has time to course correct and get back on track as one of the league’s most athletic cornerbacks. He just needs to rebound this year and really take off.

Bucs CBs coach Rashad Johnson and CB Zyon McCollum – Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New cornerbacks coach Rashad Johnson, who was Kevin Ross’ assistant the last couple of years, takes over the room. He’s more than 20 years younger and is more relatable to McCollum and Tampa Bay’s other cornerbacks. Johnson has challenged McCollum to stay more focused, watch more film and pay attention to the little details in the offseason. Now it’s time for McCollum to show off his improved playing style in August during training camp.
McCollum’s confidence was shaken last year and he needs to regain that this season. He needs to use training camp to be a more aggressive defensive back and make more plays on the ball. He needs to take more chances that are based on smart calculations and correct angles rather than just guessing. If McCollum can truly become a true CB1 the Bucs defense will certainly be better because of it.
12. Can Benjamin Morrison Stay Healthy?
Morrison was talented enough to get drafted in the second round last year, but his rookie season was interrupted multiple times due to hamstring injuries. The Notre Dame product missed the final day of mandatory mini-camp in 2025 with a hamstring injury, which flared up again in training camp, causing him to miss four weeks and all three preseason games. After finally getting healthy, Morrison saw his hamstring get injured again, causing him to miss seven games during the 2025 campaign.
It was all systems go for Morrison this offseason and he seemed ready to challenge Jacob Parrish for the vacant starting cornerback job that was created by Jamel Dean’s departure in free agency. Then he injured his hamstring yet again and missed the last three practices this offseason, including the two-day mandatory mini-camp. Sigh. Is this a sign of things to come for Morrison? Are these perpetual hamstring injuries related to his hip surgeries?
Morrison is far behind Parrish right now for the CB2 battle and the only way he can catch up is to be on the field – healthy. Everyone is frustrated with Morrison’s injury, but no one is as frustrated as the second-year cornerback himself. Expect the Bucs to wait a week or two into camp before signing a veteran cornerback for reliable depth in case Morrison’s hamstring issues flare up again.
FAB 4. How Quickly Can The Bucs’ Rookies Rise?
Tampa Bay has high hopes for its 2026 rookie class. All seven rookies are expected to make the team and as many as four could wind up starting this year, as Jason Licht and his scouts continue to nail draft picks. But how quickly will the Bucs’ rookies rise to the occasion?
13. Is Rueben Bain Jr. In For A Good Rookie Season – Or A Great One?
The fact that the Bucs were able to land Bain, who was regarded by some as the best defensive player in college football last year, with the 15th overall pick was a coup that sent shockwaves through the Tampa Bay organization and the fan base. It was the offseason jolt that was needed coming off a disappointing 8-9 season, and the hope is that Bain’s playmaking prowess and his nasty edge can make Todd Bowles’ defense dangerous again – because the unit has been anything but dangerous over the last two years.

Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Bucs had Bain graded as the fourth-best player in the draft and it’s easy to see why. He had 9.5 sacks last year at Miami and can collapse the pocket, and he’s equally effective wrecking running games. No one questions whether Bain will become a star in the NFL. The big question is when? Will he have a modest rookie season like some other notable Bucs defenders like Warren Sapp, Gerald McCoy and Vita Vea, who all finished their first season in Tampa Bay with under four sacks? Or will Bain have a breakout season instead and get to the quarterback at a greater clip?
The key to how improved this year’s Bucs defense can be could be on Bain’s shoulders. If he has a good rookie year with five or six sacks there is a good chance that Bowles’ unit could rise into the top half of the league. But if Bain makes an instant impact and becomes a double-digit sacker, which the NFL hasn’t seen since Micah Parsons’ rookie season in 2021, and a strong candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors then there’s a chance that Tampa Bay’s defense could become a top 10 unit.
14. How Quickly Can Josiah Trotter Emerge As A Starter?
It’s only a matter of time before Trotter locks down the starting middle linebacker position in Todd Bowles’ defense. Bowles isn’t afraid to start a rookie Mike ‘backer, as he did that with Devin White, the team’s first-round pick in 2019. The Bucs wanted a bigger, more physical presence in the middle of their defense, which is why the team spent its second-round pick on the Missouri product.
But Trotter just turned 21 and only played college football for two years. He had a head start learning the game of football from his father, Jeremiah Trotter, a long-time star linebacker for the Eagles. How quickly he can grasp Bowles’ complex scheme and get comfortable with the speed of the game at the NFL level will determine how fast he ascends to the starting role. Right now, last year’s starter, SirVocea Dennis, has that job due to his four years in Bowles’ scheme and the experience he gained from starting all 17 games in 2025.
Bowles would be wise to let veteran newcomer Alex Anzalone wear the green dot and call the defense, which would allow Trotter just to concentrate on his assignment and play faster and freer during his rookie season. Will Bowles platoon Dennis and Trotter when the season starts to help get the rookie’s feet wet? Or will he feel comfortable enough to let Trotter sink or swim as a rookie starter? We’ll find out this August.
15. Is Ted Hurst Destined For Stardom?
Jason Licht deserves all the credit in the world for drafting not just the best receiver in franchise history in Mike Evans, a future Hall of Famer, but also the second-best receiver in Tampa Bay in Chris Godwin Jr. While Evans was a first-round pick, Godwin was a third-round steal. And Licht seemed to find another third-round steal in Jalen McMillan three years ago. Did he do it yet again this past season with Georgia State’s Ted Hurst?

Bucs WR Ted Hurst – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
That could be the case as Hurst was one of the real sleeper receiver prospects in this year’s draft, and a favorite of both Greg Cosell of NFL Films and former Bucs head coach Bruce Arians, both of whom raved about the 6-foot-4 receiver on the Pewter Report Podcast this offseason. All Hurst has done since arriving in Tampa Bay at the rookie mini-camp is catch everything in sight. His hands have been better than expected, and the same goes for his route-running, which is more advanced than the team originally thought.
I’ve gone on record saying that he could emerge as Tampa Bay’s leading receiver in the preseason, as the team will likely play Godwin, McMillan and Egbuka sparingly – if at all. If he dazzles under the lights in August, especially as a red zone threat given his size and leaping ability, Hurst will force his way onto the field as a rookie, and his trajectory could be one that seems him land a starting role sooner rather than later.
16. Can Keionte Scott Be The Next Star Nickelback In Tampa Bay?
Jason Licht and the Bucs scouting department have found some absolute gems to play the nickelback role over the past three years, starting with undrafted rookie Christian Izien in 2023, who went wire-to-wire as a starter. Then the Bucs spent a third-round pick on Tykee Smith, who proved to be a turnover machine in 2024 before moving to a full-time role as a safety last season. Then Tampa Bay went back to the third round to select Jacob Parrish, who played all 17 games and had two sacks and two interceptions as a rookie.
While the team was happy with Parrish in the slot, the Bucs simply couldn’t pass up Scott, who slid to the fourth round in the 2026 draft. Scott was one of the best slot corners in college football last season at Miami and has the perfect blend of size at 6-foot, 190 pounds, toughness, physicality and speed, running a 4.33 at the NFL Scouting Combine. He used that speed to record a pair of pick-sixes, including one against Ohio State in the College Football Playoffs.
With Parrish likely to win the starting outside cornerback role to replace Jamel Dean, that creates room for Scott to see the field as the nickelback. If he can grasp the defense, improve in man coverage (he excels in zone) and make some splash plays, Scott could not only start as a rookie, but thrive has his predecessors have in the slot over the past three seasons.
17. What Will Bauer Sharp’s Role Be As A Rookie?
One of the big offseason surprises was how rookie tight end Bauer Sharp, a sixth-round pick, emerged as a stealthy red zone weapon in the rookie mini-camp, in the OTAs and in the mandatory mini-camp. It seemed like Sharp caught a touchdown in just about every practice (he didn’t, but there were several where he did). The LSU product wasn’t even a starter last year (he was at Oklahoma in 2024), but wowed the Bucs with his college tape and his stellar workout at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Bucs TE Bauer Sharp – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Sharp was the last tight end with a draftable grade, so the team traded up in the sixth round to select him. What caught the Bucs’ eye on tape at LSU was his tenacious blocking, and his 4.65 speed showed up on tape as a receiver. But he has more nuanced route running than the team expected him to have, and his knack for getting open in the red zone – combined with a physical blocking presence once the pads come on – could not only solidify a role on the team as TE3 ahead of Devin Culp, who struggles as a blocker, but Sharp could also threaten Payne Durham for the TE2 role as well with a great camp and preseason.
FAB 5. Questions About Danny Smith’s Special Teams
Tampa Bay’s special teams were anything but over the last few years with Keith Armstrong and Thomas McGaughey at the helm. Todd Bowles brought in special teams guru Danny Smith to fix the issues in the coverage and the return games. Here are the final three critical camp questions, which pertain to special teams.
18. Will The Bucs Special Teams Units Actually Be Special?
Danny Smith was brought in to make Tampa Bay’s special teams special again. The Bucs’ overall special teams haven’t been that way since Rich Bisaccia oversaw the unit in the Jon Gruden era. Smith has brought intensity and enthusiasm to practice with his endless energy and the players fed off of that all during the offseason. He’s incorporated some new teaching methods and techniques designed to increase the effectiveness of his units, and Todd Bowles appears to be increasing the amount of practice time for special teams, too.
Smith has been working on some gadget plays and some fakes that will spice up special teams, which has been stale for years. And he’s also focused on blocking kicks and punts quite a bit during practice, which have been too far and few between over the years.

Bucs ST coordinator Danny Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
19. Who Will Be The Core Special Teamers In Tampa Bay?
The last three or four spots on the 53-man roster will come down to special teams play. That’s always the case across the league. It’s not necessarily who is the fourth-best inside linebacker, the fourth-best tight end or the fourth-best safety or the sixth-best receiver on offense or defense. It comes down to who can block, cover and tackle better on special teams the best that makes the team versus the practice squad.
Ko Kieft was re-signed more for his special teams prowess than his ability as a tight end. Josh Hayes is a backup cornerback, but an elite gunner on punt team. Danny Smith brought Steelers special teams ace Miles Killebrew over from Pittsburgh in free agency to fill that role in Tampa Bay. But who else will emerge as a core special teamer and earn a roster spot?
Last year it was a pair of undrafted free agents in linebacker John Bullock and running back Josh Williams. Can those two rise up again as core special teamers and keep their roster spot in Tampa Bay? Or will some new rookies rise to the occasion instead? The training camp practices and the preseason games will reveal the answers in about a month.
20. Who Will Win The Bucs’ Return Duties?
Kam Johnson was Tampa Bay’s primary kick and punt returner last year, with Sean Tucker and Josh Williams also contributing on kick returns. But with a new special teams coach in Danny Smith, last year was last year and Johnson will need to prove himself all over again in training camp. Johnson will have plenty of competition for both the kick and punt return duties this year.
And that’s a good thing. Johnson, Williams, Tucker, Tez Johnson, Garrett Greene and rookies Eric Rivers and Kadarius Calloway were the primary return candidates this offseason and they’ll each get a look in training camp. And there’s a chance that Kenneth Gainwell could be in the mix for kick return duties as he was in Pittsburgh with Smith last year and returned some kicks early in the season.
The Bucs receiver room is loaded and Johnson may also have to impress on offense in the preseason to hold his roster spot if there is a tie that needs to be broken in the return game this August. Keep an eye on Greene, who stood out on the practice squad last year.

Bucs WR Kam Johnson – Photo by: USA Today
An Epic Week For The Pewter Report Podcast
We had some fantastic Bucs interviews on the Pewter Report Podcast this week on our PewterReportTV YouTube Channel. Scott Reynolds and Bailey Adams had the pleasure of interviewing Bucs Ring of Honor member and legendary fullback and Super Bowl champion Mike Alstott on Monday’s show. Then on Tuesday, Reynolds and Matt Matera interviewed Hall of Famer and the architect of the Bucs’ turnaround in the 1990s, former head coach Tony Dungy. Bucs outside linebacker Yaya Diaby joined Reynolds and Matera on Thursday’s show.
If you missed any of these great podcasts, catch up on them this weekend by clicking the links below. And when you’re on PewterReportTV, make sure you click the “subscribe” button (it’s free) and help us get to 24,000 subscribers during training camp.
Scott Reynolds is in his 30th year of covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the vice president, publisher and senior Bucs beat writer for PewterReport.com. Author of the popular SR's Fab 5 column on Fridays, Reynolds oversees web development and forges marketing partnerships for PewterReport.com in addition to his editorial duties. A graduate of Kansas State University in 1995, Reynolds spent six years giving back to the community as the defensive coordinator/defensive line coach for his sons' Pop Warner team, the South Pasco Predators. Reynolds can be reached at: [email protected]




