The Pewter Report staff answers your questions from the @PewterReport Twitter account each week in the Bucs Monday Mailbag  Submit your question to the Bucs Monday Mailbag each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag. Here are the questions we chose for this week’s edition of the Pewter Report Bucs Monday Mailbag.

QUESTION: What do the Bucs do if Joe Tryon is more productive than Jason Pierre-Paul or Shaquil Barrett in limited snaps by midseason?

ANSWER: Considering the fact that I expect both Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul to have really good seasons in 2021, that would be an awesome problem to have. Given that that Barrett and Pierre-Paul are veterans, it would take some monster numbers from Joe Tryon to unseat either one as a starter during his rookie year. By that I mean recording an average of a sack a game by midseason. Eight sacks in eight games would qualify as eye-opening.

Bucs OLB Joe Tryon – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Tryon, the team’s first-round pick, will be used as a designated pass rusher this season, likely seeing most of his playing time on third downs and obvious passing downs. The plan is to kick Pierre-Paul inside to rush as a defensive tackle at times, and for Tryon to replace JPP as an edge rusher. Given his great start in training camp and the fact that he’s adjusted well to the speed of the NFL, don’t be surprised to see Tryon record five or six sacks in limited playing time in 2021.

That would be considered a successful rookie season by most, and possibly pave the way for him replacing Pierre-Paul as a starter in 2022 depending on how the 31-year old pass rusher plays this season. Pierre-Paul is in a contract year and coming off offseason knee surgery. We’ll see how well Tryon fares in the preseason where he and Anthony Nelson will receive a lot of playing time.

QUESTION: What is the issue with the kicking in training camp with Ryan Succop? Does Jose Borregales win the job?

ANSWER: Bucs head coach Bruce Arians addressed Ryan Succop’s so-so training camp performance the other day, and while he noted the veteran had struggled, he wasn’t too concerned. Succop is entering his 13th year in the NFL and hasn’t forgotten how to kick. He’s in great shape and healthy, and coming off a season in Tampa Bay in which he connected on over 90 percent of his field goals and extra points. Succop also set a record for the most points in franchise history with 136 last year in helping the Bucs win Super Bowl LV.

Bucs K Ryan Succop – Photo by: USA Today

Arians alluded to his timing being off in practice, and Succop struggled mightily during Tuesday’s practice when he connected on 5-of-7 field goals, and on Friday’s practice when he went just 3-of-7. But Arians called for more aggressiveness from the field goal block unit and Succop sped up his timing. As a result he went 6-of-7 on Saturday with one field goal blocked by cornerback Jamel Dean.

It’s too early to sound the alarm just yet. Let’s wait for the preseason games to see how he does in game situations.

The Bucs signed 2020 Lou Groza Award winner Jose Borregales after the draft in case disaster strikes. He’ll likely wind up on the practice squad as an insurance policy. But expect Succop and Borregales to get an even number of reps in the preseason. Yet Succop should remain the starter. Tampa Bay signed him to a three-year, $12 million contract extension this offseason for a reason. The team believes in Succop.

QUESTION: What is the number of series you think Tom Brady will take in this preseason?

ANSWER: That’s a very good question. Tom Brady is the ultimate competitor and will want to get a good number of series in the preseason so he’ll feel ready and in sync when the season starts. Brady and the Bucs didn’t have any reps last August together in a game setting prior to the team’s shaky start in New Orleans because there was no preseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yet Bruce Arians will want to save Brady and the starters for the games that matter. Look for Brady to get one or two series in the preseason opener against Cincinnati on Saturday, perhaps playing the entire first quarter. Depending on how things go in the second preseason game against Tennessee, Brady could see one quarter’s worth of action or perhaps the entire first half versus the Titans.

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With just three preseason games, it’s doubtful the Bucs starters will see any playing time in the preseason finale at Houston. Tampa Bay spent a second-round pick on quarterback Kyle Trask, who figures to get the most playing time in the preseason, likely playing at least three quarters against the Texans and a little bit in the first two preseason games.

Arians will want to get backup Blaine Gabbert some series to make sure he’s prepared in case he needs to relieve Brady during the season. That could leave Ryan Griffin as the odd man out in August. Griffin could wind up playing the least amount of series in the 2021 preseason.

QUESTION: Who has been the most surprising player on offense and defense so far in training camp?

ANSWER: Good question – easy answers. The most surprising player on offense during the camp practices at the AdventHealth Training Center this summer has been rookie wide receiver Jaelon Darden. Second-year offensive lineman Nick Leverett might be a close second, as he’s shined as both a reserve tackle and guard.

Bucs WR-PR Jaelon Darden – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But Darden has been a big surprise in that he’s seemingly contending with Scotty Miller for WR4 duties already in camp. Darden has Antonio Brown-like short-area quickness and good hands, in addition to really good speed. Not quite as fast as Miller, but Darden can fly on deep routes. He’s going to be given the first crack at the punt return and kick return duties over Jaydon Mickens, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays as much on offense as Miller does when the regular season begins.

On defense, reserve defensive back Ross Cockrell has been an absolute surprise. Cockrell entered Bucs training camp as the team’s fourth cornerback, but emerged as a surprise star at safety where he filled in for Jordan Whitehead during the first week. Cockrell has played mostly free safety, and has come up with at least six interceptions in camp so far to lead the team. Not bad for the 30-year old journeyman. Good thing the Bucs signed him to a two-year contract in the offseason.

QUESTION: Why do the Bucs have so many talented young receivers when teams like the Patriots have none? Is it luck, scheme, or coaching?

ANSWER: It is kind of baffling that New England has struggled to stock its receiver corps, while Tampa Bay has an embarrassment of riches at the position. I think good coaching certainly helps, but credit general manager Jason Licht and the scouting staff for finding the right, talented receivers to begin with.

Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson and rookie Jaelon Darden are all Bucs draft picks. Miller, Johnson and Darden were Day 3 picks. Even the injured Justin Watson, who has carved out a niche on special teams, was a Day 3 draft pick by Tampa Bay. He’s out until November, and there’s no guarantee he returns due to the Bucs’ talent and depth at the position.

Bucs WR Scotty Miller – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

This receiving corps wasn’t built overnight. Evans is entering his eighth season and Godwin is beginning his fourth in Tampa Bay. Licht and the front office have just kept adding quality players year after year, the latest of which are Antonio Brown, who was signed at midseason a year ago, along with Darden.

Brown proved his worth down the stretch last year, scoring two touchdowns against Atlanta in the season finale, followed by a touchdown at Washington in the first round of the playoffs and another clutch TD in Super Bowl LV right before halftime. As good as Evans and Godwin are, Brown and Darden have had really strong training camps and will be ready to challenge for targets in 2021.

I can’t speak for the Patriots’ lack of success. It hasn’t been for lack of trying, as Bill Belichick has drafted some, signed some free agents and even traded for Mohamed Sanu last year. But the Bucs just have a great idea about the type of receivers that will thrive in Bruce Arians’ offense and they go out and get those players. Darden, Miller, Johnson would be WR3 on most NFL teams. In Tampa Bay, they’ll likely be WR4, WR5 and WR6 this season, which just speaks to the depth of the Bucs wide receiver room..