Each week after every Bucs game, we’ll take a closer look at the snap count distribution for Tampa Bay on offense and defense. We’ll assess what we can learn from who played the most and least from the game.

Here’s a closer look at which players received the highest and lowest number of snaps in the Bucs’ 16-13 home loss to the Falcons in Week 7 in a battle for first place in the division.

Bucs Offense

For the first time this season wide receiver Mike Evans out-snapped Chris Godwin with 78% to 70%. Evans had a hot start with over 70 receiving yards in the first half but cooled off significantly in the second half, ending the day with 82 yards on six receptions. Godwin had the same number of catches for 66 yards, but once Evans was limited by the Falcons defense, the Bucs didn’t have many other answers.

Getting a boost to his playing time was Rakim Jarrett with 29%. That was three percent more than Deven Thompkins, whom the Bucs attempt to manufacture touches to each week. Thompkins made three catches for 14 yards while Jarrett didn’t receive a target. Trey Palmer once again had the most snaps among wide receivers after Evans and Godwin with 64%, but made no impact on the game, making one 5-yard reception.

Bucs WRs Deven Thompkins and Trey Palmer – Photo by: USA Today

The tight end position has come under much scrutiny for their lack of production both in the passing game and as blockers. Cade Otton did have his second highest amount of catches in a game with this season with five and recorded his most receiving yards with 43.

In his second NFL game, rookie Payne Durham already out-snapped Ko Kieft 21% to 16%. We’ll see if that trend continues on Thursday in Tampa Bay’s next game, but the overall staggering lack of production and the struggles the tight ends have had blocking in the run game, it makes you wonder if the Bucs should consider using a backup offensive lineman as an extra run blocker on those plays. The Bucs implemented this often going all the way back to the Super Bowl winning 2020 season with much more success.

The running backs had their similar amount of time in each game. Rachaad White played the most at 75% with Ke’Shawn Vaughn pitching in for 25% as Sean Tucker wasn’t used at all. The run game issues have frustratingly continued, though White made an impact as a receiver, tying the team lead with six catches for 65 yards in the game.

Bucs Defense

With Anthony Nelson back after missing last week, the snap numbers dropped for the rest of the outside linebackers as he got back into the rotation. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka led all outside linebackers with 69%, followed by Shaq Barrett at 66%, Yaya Diaby with 31% and Nelson at 29%. Cam Gill got one snap as well.

Bucs OLB YaYa Diaby – Photo by: USA Today

The training wheels are completely off for rookie first-round pick defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. His snap count percentage was 62%, which was five percent more than last week when he played in his first full game outside of 11 snaps in Week 1. Kancey played more than Vita Vea (55%), who dealt with a sore foot, and was second most among defensive tackles after Logan Hall at 66%.

Greg Gaines was given a lot of playing time as well. His numbers rocketed up all the way up 48% while Will Gholston and Mike Greene were used sparingly.

We saw very low numbers from rookie slot corner Christian Izien as 35%. That is the fewest amount of defensive snaps he’s ever had in his young career, but that may have to do with the Falcons being a run heavy team, which calls for different personnel.

Because Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean are healthy and playing again, Zyon McCollum was seldom used for the second week in a row. He did slightly increase his snap numbers to 14%, but that’s still relatively low compared to how much he was playing.