The PR Bucs Monday Mailbag is where PewterReport.com’s Mark Cook answers your questions from our Twitter account. You can submit your question each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag.

Below are the questions we chose for this week’s edition of the PR Bucs Monday Mailbag.

Question: Any thought with the Bucs keeping the QBs separate during camp. Separate rooms and virtual meetings? Just in case of “outbreak” not all QBs in the same room.

Answer: I think the Bucs have a lot of protocols in place to keep the team healthy enough to start the season, including the quarterbacks. But once the season starts, and the players are free to get out and about without the watchful eyes on them as much as they have during camp, then all bets are off.

Bucs QB Ryan Griffin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

This year is unique in that players aren’t sequestered in a team hotel. They have the choice of staying at home, or in a hotel for camp, but it isn’t mandatory like in year’s past. That leaves the door open for players to be out more than they would be in a normal year at this point of the NFL calendar, and that also means the risk might be greater of someone coming in contract with someone carrying the virus. Of course perhaps having all players cooped up in a hotel would create an opportunity for one person to spread the virus to an entire floor and affecting larger group. I am not sure what the thinking is by the NFL and the player’s association. Both seem risky.

I do agree with keeping the quarterbacks separated as much as possible in the event of a positive test by a teammate. While not ideal, other positions could, if they had to, deal with signing a guy off the street to fill in for a game or two. But quarterback? All three test positive and then you have to sign a player who has little, if any, experience to come in and play in a complicated NFL offense? Yikes.

Question: What are the pros and cons of having a running game by committee? Do the Bucs go that route or do they wait for a stud to emerge?

Answer: I think the pros depends on the skill set of each individual player and what they bring to the table. Running backs need a breather from time to time. Even a player like James Wilder who used to touch the ball more than 400 times in a season had to take a break occasionally. And having a number of backs who can come in and perform at a high level also saves wear and tear on the player for future seasons. Again, use Wilder as an example. By the late 80’s he was worn down and not nearly the back he was earlier in his career. Another advantage is having fresher legs. While the defense is huffing and puffing trying to catch their wind, in could come a fresh back to take advantage of that.

The cons are, by subbing backs in and out, it is more difficult to get any of them in a rhythm. Running backs will tell you they tend to get stronger as the game goes on. They get a better feel for what the defense is doing and coaches see which running plays are most effective, and then the play calls and running backs can take advantage of that.

Of course NFL playbooks are more complex in 2002 than they were in say, 1982. So certain backs will flourish is certain formations and schemes and you try and match your personnel to that.

Bucs head coach Bruce Arians and OC Byron Leftwich – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But sometimes it comes down to having a lot of backs who are pretty much similar. Last season there wasn’t a ton of difference in Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber, at least early in the season. At that point coaches wanted to see if one had a hot hand that day so they would give both equal carries early and see if one had a distinct advantage in that particular game. If so, they tended to get more carries.

It appears this season that Jones will have an advantage over rookie Ke’Shawn Vaughn, mainly due to his experience. And we expect him to be the featured back with Vaughn and newcomer LeSean McCoy coming in on certain plays and situations as opposed to rotating series like we have seen in the past from Bucs offenses.

Question: Other than Tom Brady, which player’s season ending injury would hurt the Bucs the most?

Answer: Offensively, other than Brady, losing left tackle Donovan Smith would worry me the most. Having a solid, blindside protector is crucial when a team are trying to keep a now 43-year-old quarterback healthy for 16 games. Obviously the Bucs don’t want to lose any starter, but we saw last season they could live with Mike Evans banged up and even Chris Godwin if need be. They could manage if they lost a tight end as well and could probably figure out a way to get by with losing an interior lineman. But losing Smith means now you are likely starting someone very inexperienced at left tackle and hoping your rookie right tackle Tristan Wirfs can hold his own.

Bucs LT Donovan Smith – Photo by: Mary Holt/PR

Defensively, losing one of your top two pass rushers, Jason Pierre-Paul or Shaq Barrett, would be a nightmare scenario for Todd Bowles and his staff. There just isn’t any proven depth behind those guys. Coaches can say they are confident in some of the developmental players, but they aren’t starters for a reason. If the staff was really that confident in those players then they might have let either Barrett or Pierre-Paul walk in free agency this offseason. Clearly they made it a priority to bring those two back for a reason.

Question: Does it surprise you that despite being “confident” with our young RBs we brought in another veteran player in LeSean McCoy? Do you think this move is for depth, leadership from a veteran presence, or both? And how do you feel about having such a deep RB corps depth wise, despite our WR room being almost identical to last year?

Answer: I never felt the front office or staff were satisfied completely with their running back room, but weren’t going to come out and say that. I believe they knew all along that they would add a veteran to the mix once they were closer to camp and the salary demands fell more into line with what they could afford to play. Then when Vaughn was placed on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list, it was a priority to get a veteran back in camp.

Bucs RB LeSean McCoy – Photo by: Getty Images

McCoy signed for the veteran minimum and is a good value. He should provide a spark off the bench from time to time and immediately becomes a valuable voice in that room with his 11 years of NFL experience.

Would the team have liked a more experienced No. 3 receiver? Of course, but they went off the free agent board quick and for more than the Bucs wanted to pay. The top names out there are guys like Josh Gordon(suspended), Paul Richardson, Taylor Gabriel and Chris Hogan. Not very exciting names and none you could say would be better than Scotty Miller or Justin Watson.