Now that the preseason has come and gone the Bucs’ decision makers have some tough decisions to make. General manager Jason Licht, head coach Todd Bowles and their staffs will need to trim the team’s roster from its current level of 90 players to just 53 before 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Some players and positions are fairly locked in, but there are others that will be legitimately difficult to make a final decision on.

Looking at the team’s biggest needs and most promising players, here is my projection for the team’s final 53-man active roster plus their practice squad. For my analysis I will say very little about the starters because they were locked onto the roster already. Instead, I will focus on the depth players who were fighting to make the roster.

Bucs 53-Man Roster Prediction

Quarterbacks – 2

Baker Mayfield
Kyle Trask

Analysis: A new rule change this year will allow teams to use a practice squad quarterback on gameday as an emergency third-string option in case the first two signal-callers are lost to injury. This is in response to last year’s NFC Championship Game when the 49ers were seriously considering using running back Christian McCaffery at quarterback after a litany of injuries decimated their quarterback depth.

I see the Bucs taking advantage of this rule change and stashing John Wolford on the practice squad. This means the Bucs roll with the former Heisman Trophy winner in Mayfield and the former Heisman finalist in Trask.

Running Backs – 3

Bucs RB Sean Tucker – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

RB Rachaad White
RB Chase Edmonds
RB Sean Tucker

Analysis: No Ke’Shawn Vaugn is the immediate headline here. Vaughn hasn’t had a bad camp, but he also has not stood out enough either. With this being the final year of his rookie deal and Tucker looking like an undrafted steal for the Bucs, I don’t see Bowles, Licht and offensive coordinator Dave Canales reserving a roster spot for the veteran over the rookie.

Many teams would have used a draft pick on Tucker if he had not popped with a medical concern in the pre-draft process. Those same teams are most likely chomping at the bit hoping the Bucs put Tucker on waivers. The team won’t risk that. And with the gluttony of available talent throughout the year in free agency at the running back position it’s not worth keeping four on the roster.

Wide Receivers – 6

WR Mike Evans
WR Chris Godwin
WR Trey Palmer
WR Deven Thompkins
WR David Moore
WR Rakim Jarrett

Analysis: This position group is the most fun to discuss because each player past the top two was not a lock to make the team when camp started, and all have had such great training camps they have forced the Bucs to keep them.

It is still very early for many of these players, but the early returns are extremely encouraging for Thompkins, Palmer and Jarrett. All three have had highlight-reel plays on top of solid play overall. Thompkins will take the starting returner job, where he looks like a naturally explosive playmaker who may end the year with at least one return for a touchdown. Palmer was a top 100 player for many draft analysts (this one included) who slipped to the sixth round. Now he appears to be the leader in the clubhouse for the team’s WR3 role following the season-ending injury to Russell Gage.

Moore provides an additional veteran presence in case Godwin and Evans both have to deal with injuries during the season and appears to be very comfortable in this system.

Tight Ends – 4

Bucs TE David Wells – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

TE Cade Otton
TE Ko Kieft
TE David Wells
TE Payne Durham

Analysis: Offensive coordinator Dave Canales has shown he will want to be tight end heavy in the personnel packages he uses. That means the Bucs will most likely keep four tight ends. Otton and Kieft are locks. Wells has come out of nowhere to make a strong push to potentially be TE3 or even TE2 in some situations.

The Bucs invested a late-round draft pick on Durham and believe he will be a red zone weapon for them. The early signs on this are encouraging, as evidenced by his touchdown grab in the Bucs’ first preseason game against the Steelers.

Offensive Linemen – 9

LT Tristan Wirfs
LG Matt Feiler
C Robert Hainsey
RG Cody Mauch
RT Luke Goedeke
OT Justin Skule
OT Brandon Walton
G/C Nick Leverett
G/C John Molchon

Analysis: This is probably the biggest “leap” I am taking by having the team only carry nine offensive linemen. But with the positional versatility of Feiler, Goedeke, Leverett, Walton and Molchon I think the team can get away with one less lineman in order to add a body on the defense where the quality of depth is scary at multiple positions.

Defensive Linemen – 6

Bucs DL Will Gholston – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

NT Vita Vea
DT Kalijah Kancey
DT Logan Hall
NT Greg Gaines
DT Will Gholston
DT Pat O’Connor

Analysis: Gholston was a late addition, re-signing at the start of training camp, but he has been a revelation during the team’s three preseason games. I thought after last season that he was on a precipitous decline and the Bucs should part ways for good. It would appear I am wrong as he has played with extra juice thus far. When you combine that with Gholston’s positional versatility and his veteran presence as a mentor to Hall and Kancey, plus the fact that he would be more expensive to cut than to keep, he makes the team.

O’Connor makes it again because of his special teams’ contributions. Deadrin Senat has had a solid preseason and was a revelation last year after injuries befell the Bucs defensive line, but the Bucs will try to stash him on the practice squad.

Outside Linebackers – 5

OLB Shaq Barrett
OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
OLB Anthony Nelson
OLB Yaya Diaby
OLB Marquees Watts

Analysis: After being so thin at this group last year that Carl Nassib had to play a game wire-to-wire at one point, the Bucs invested heavily in this group. The results have been encouraging this preseason with multiple edge rushers showing out with pressures and sacks.

The first four names on this list are locks. I have Watts making the team over veteran Cam Gill due to his youth and lack of injury history. With someone as young (23 and a rookie) as him I think, the Bucs are more afraid another team would poach him than with Gill who is older (25) with some injury concerns. With the added youth and depth at this position look for the team to take advantage throughout the season with a heavier rotation than in year’s past.

Inside Linebackers – 5

Bucs ILB J.J. Russell – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

ILB Lavonte David
ILB Devin White
ILB K.J. Britt
ILB Sivocea Dennis
ILB JJ Russell

Analysis: Britt has had a quietly solid preseason. He will never be an uber athlete, but he has plugged the run and shown improvements in his coverage abilities over his rookie season.

Many are excited by the addition of Dennis, who is oozing athleticism and has a penchant for being a heat-seeking missile as a blitzer. This makes him a good fit for Bowles’ blitz-happy scheme. But he has a long way to go to be a viable starter.

Russell has played his way onto this roster. If injuries were to befell the Bucs inside linebacker room this room this year, I would be more comfortable with Russell stepping in than Dennis because Russell looks like he knows what he is supposed to do while the rookie is still learning the intricacies of the position. He’s been with the Bucs for two years now, while Dennis missed the final two preseason games, which has stunted his growth.

Cornerbacks – 5

CB Carlton Davis III
CB Jamel Dean
CB Zyon McCollum
CB Dee Delaney
CB Keenan Isaac

Analysis: First four names are no surprise here. But the fifth may have some scratching their heads. Do the Bucs like undrafted free agent Keenan Isaacs more than sixth-round draft pick Josh Hayes?

Maybe not more, but there is a good chance Hayes would have also been undrafted had the Bucs not picked him up. He was an over-draft by almost every draft tracker available to the public. And while Hayes has had a solid camp there is a very good chance the Bucs can stash him on their practice squad.

Meanwhile, Isaac is an interesting athlete who shows some promise in zone coverage. A few points that Daniel Jeremiah made about him on NFL.com just scream “Todd Bowles corner.”

“Strengths: Testing numbers showed very quick feet and explosive lower half. Possesses size/length to irritate receiver’s catch point. Experienced as a press-man and Cover 3 cornerback. Quick to plant and drive when reading quarterback’s operation. Able to gather and phase comebacks from his shuffle.”

“Weaknesses: Plays with lackadaisical pedal and technique at times. Can be tight-hipped, slowing coverage transitions. Way too many dropped interception opportunities. Doesn’t show much engagement as a run defender.”

A long corner who is good in a Cover 3 system and drops interceptions? I’m surprised Bowles didn’t run from Tampa to Kansas City himself to turn in Isaac’s name as the Bucs selection at pick 19 over Kancey. Kidding, of course.

Dee Delaney gives the team a lot of versatility with his ability to play both the nickel and outside, as well as safety in a pinch.

Safeties – 5

Bucs NCB Christian Izien – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

FS Antoine Winfield Jr.
SS Ryan Neal
S/NCB Christian Izien
FS Kaevon Merriweather
SS Nolan Turner

Analysis: The Bucs have traditionally kept 10 defensive backs on their roster. With five of those spots being occupied by cornerbacks the team keeps five safeties as well.

In another life I worked as a merchant marine on tugboats. They had a saying for young deckhands who were just learning to tie knots (a necessary skill in that line of work). “If you can’t tie a knot, tie a lot.” The idea being that if you didn’t know how to secure a proven knot that you were sure wouldn’t come loose, make as many knots as you could to come to the same conclusion.

The Bucs may be taking a similar approach in their secondary depth, although, I am not so sure the concept translates as well. Whether a team has one or seven bad reserve safeties, you still have bad reserve safeties.

Izien makes the team as the starting slot corner, which is something Todd Bowles confirmed on Sunday morning.

Merriweather has had a good camp. I had a draftable grade on him. I went so far as to have him graded higher than Florida State’s Jammie Robinson, whom the Panthers took in the fifth round. I can see him being a solid role player. He has done well in run defense this preseason, which was my biggest knock on him coming out of Iowa.

Nolan Turner is a very willing player but just gets lost in coverage and has trouble being a consistent tackler. He makes the team because of his two-year familiarity with the system and his work on special teams, but if he is forced into action it could be an adventure.

Specialists – 3

PK Chase McLaughlin
P Jake Camarda
LS Zach Triner

Analysis: Following the release of kicker Rodrigo Blankenship last week there are no battles in this group to lead to any surprises.

Practice Squad – 16

Bucs QB John Wolford – Photo by: USA Today

QB John Wolford
RB Ronnie Brown
WR Kaylon Geiger
WR Kade Warner
WR Cephus Johnson
TE Dominique Dafney
OT Raiqwon O’Neal
OL Michael Niese
DT Deadrin Senat
DL Mike Greene
OLB Cam Gill
OLB Jose Ramirez
ILB Ulysees Gilbert
CB Josh Hayes
CB Anthony Chesley
S Richard LeCounte III