A new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts every Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Each week, the Pewter Reporters tackle another tough Bucs question. This week’s prompt: Who has been the unsung hero of the Bucs’ 4-1 start to the 2025 season?

Scott Reynolds: Graham Barton’s Athleticism Has Been Key To 4-1 Start

The Bucs surprised us all in Week 1 at Atlanta when swing tackle Charlie Heck was not filling in for injured left tackle Tristan Wirfs as expected. Instead, Tampa Bay reshuffled its offensive line, moving the team’s most athletic offensive lineman (not named Wirfs) – center Graham Barton – to left tackle. In hindsight, this should not have come as a surprise as Barton, Tampa Bay’s first-round pick in 2024, was an All-American left tackle at Duke. The Bucs drafted him to play center, which he did for the Blue Devils as a freshman, but Barton’s supreme athleticism was needed elsewhere.

Bucs LT Graham Barton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The move worked as the Bucs went 3-0 with Barton protecting Baker Mayfield’s blindside. Barton was key in helping block the likes of Jalen Walker and James Pearce Jr. in Week 1 in Atlanta, and blocking Houston’s Pro Bowl edge rusher Danielle Hunter in Week 2. Week 3 brought a new challenge in Will McDonald IV, yet Barton only allowed one sack in that stretch. That’s incredible for a guy who only practiced playing left tackle for literally a few days prior the season opener.

Barton then had to transition back to center after practicing and playing left tackle for about a month, which isn’t easy, either. His first test back at the pivot spot in the middle of the offensive line was against the Eagles’ dynamic defensive tackle duo of Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Not exactly a breeze, right? I’m of the opinion that Barton’s best position might be guard rather than center, and left guard Ben Bredeson played extremely well at center in place of Barton for the first three weeks of the season. But alas, the Bucs believe Barton’s best fit is at center. Wherever he plays, Barton’s athleticism has shined, though, and he’s been an unsung hero to start the season.

Matt Matera: Rachaad White Is The Ultimate Team Guy

It would be easy for Rachaad White to sulk and have a bad attitude with Bucky Irving taking his spot as the starting running back last year. But that’s not what White did last season and he hasn’t done it this season either. White has a calm, chill demeanor, and he has been willing to help the team in any capacity.

While his role is smaller now, he still helps out in big ways. His willingness to take on aggressive blitzers as a pass-blocking running back has been gigantic for the Bucs this season. It was White that jumped on a loose ball in Week 2 on a Baker Mayfield fumble to keep the possession for Tampa Bay, and they ultimately won it with White of all people scoring the game-winning touchdown.

Opportunity came for White in Week 5 with Irving out as he became RB1 in the Bucs’ win over the Seahawks. His numbers weren’t fantastic as he had 14 rushing attempts for 41 yards and four catches for 30 yards, but he found a way to impact the game, scoring two rushing touchdowns. His last run of the game was the most important, as White showed a high football IQ, getting the first down on a third-and-7, but then staying in bounds so the Bucs could run out the clock and kick the game-winning field goal. White has done everything the team has asked him to do, no matter what task it is.

Bailey Adams: “Unc Shepard” Is Giving Bucs Exactly What They Need

All offseason, the Bucs had to feel pretty good about having Mike Evans, Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan as their top four wide receivers. The big question was really about who WR5 and WR6 might be, with seventh-round pick Tez Johnson being a favorite for one of the spots and maybe, maybe veteran Sterling Shepard getting the other.

Well, with Godwin not starting the season on time, McMillan getting hurt in the preseason and Evans going down with an injury in Week 3, “Unc Shepard,” as Pewter Report alum Jon Ledyard has been calling the 32-year-old veteran, has needed to go from WR5 to a true WR3 and even a WR2 at times. And he has delivered time and again for Tampa Bay’s offense. The numbers don’t jump off the page, but he has been there for quarterback Baker Mayfield, his old college teammate, to make a big play when needed.

Bucs WR Sterling Shepard – Photo by: USA Today

Shepard had a 10-yard catch on third-and-9 on the Bucs’ go-ahead touchdown drive in Week 1 at Atlanta. He had a 16-yard catch on third-and-8, then a 24-yard catch on the next play to set up an early touchdown against the Jets in Week 3 before later hauling in a 20-yard pass from Mayfield to set up the game-winning field goal from Chase McLaughlin.

And then came Sunday’s win over Seattle in which he came up with a late touchdown catch to set up a game-tying extra point from McLaughlin with 1:08 to go. As he has done so often this year, he broke off from his defender as Mayfield extended the play with a scramble and got open enough to give his quarterback a target.

Shepard’s stat line of 17 catches for 191 yards (11.2 avg.) and a touchdown is solid. But the role he has played in the Bucs’ 4-1 start can’t fully be explained by the numbers. He has been a reliable go-to for Mayfield, especially in crucial moments. And that’s such a luxury for Mayfield and the Tampa Bay offense to have, especially with the added context that Shepard was far from a lock to make the 53-man roster out of training camp and – when everyone is healthy – is more WR5 than WR2.

Adam Slivon: Jacob Parrish Has Filled In At Nickel Nicely

It’s not easy for any Day 2 draft pick to come in and hit the ground running in the NFL, especially for a playoff contender. Well, that is exactly what Bucs cornerback Jacob Parrish has done through his first five career games. Asked to take over the nickelback position from Tykee Smirh, Parrish has showcased all the tools to be one of the best at that position. In fact, before Sunday’s game against the Seahawks, he was the highest-graded nickelback in all of football according to Pro Football Focus.

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

Parrish did not have his best game in Seattle, bouncing between nickelback and outside corner with Jamel Dean and Benjamin Morrison being out. Still, he played 96.7% of the defensive snaps, which was a new career-high. Parrish also set a new best with nine tackles. In the early going, he had been impactful as a defender who has elite speed and plus physicality. Adding to that, his versatility has made him an underrated piece of the secondary puzzle.

Tasked with filling a complex role in Todd Bowles’ defensive scheme, Parrish has more than held his own. In fact, he had a case to be named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month if safety Xavier Watts, another Day 2 pick, did not record two interceptions for the Falcons. Parrish did contribute to one of two picks for the Bucs’ defense this year, as he had the pressure on Tyrod Taylor that forced the ball into Jamel Dean’s hands for a 55-yard pick-six. Adding to that, Parrish already has a sack and does well when asked to blitz as well as in coverage. It’s easy to gloss past his contributions, but he has been a bright spot on defense.

Josh Queipo: Cade Otton Does The Dirty Work In Such A Clean Way

After having a mini-breakout year in 2024, tight end Cade Otton has been largely absent from the Bucs passing game in 2025. But it’s not because he has regressed. Far from it in fact. Otton has turned into a well-rounded tight end capable of executing every assignment he is asked to do. And while he had just 34 receiving yards through the first four weeks of the season, it wasn’t because Otton had regressed. He was just being asked to do different assignments.

With a patchwork offensive line needing extra help until reinforcements arrived, offensive coordinator asked Otton to chip and check on most passing downs. This buried him in the progressions for quarterback Baker Mayfield leading to a reduction in his receiving production. But Otton has been integral to slowing down the pass rush Mayfield has faced. His run blocking has also leveled up this year.

Otton was a key cog in the improved Bucs’ run game last year and he continues to play at just as high, if not a higher level, this year. It all came full circle in Week 5 against the Seahawks when Grizzard called his number several times in the passing game, leading to four catches and 81 yards. Otton has done so much dirty work in a selfless way that has kept the Bucs offense running. Tampa Bay is averaging 25.2 points per game and could not have gotten there without this unsung hero.