Following his team’s mini-camp in June, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles singled out undrafted free agent Deven Thompkins as one player he was most looking forward to watching once the team got back together for training camp.

“I would love to see what Thompkins does in training camp,” Bowles said in June. “He’s quick, he’s fast, he’s explosive off of the ball and he’s made some good catches. So, we want to see how he continues to learn and how he does in training camp and preseason. I’ll be looking at him.”

Thompkins has certainly responded by putting together a solid start to camp. He is competing with some experienced receivers for the WR5 and WR6 (and potentially WR7) spots on Tampa Bay’s roster. Breshad Perriman, Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson, Jaelon Darden and Cyril Grayson, Jr. are all in the mix. And while the 5-foot-8, 155-pound rookie out of Utah State has a long road ahead of him in training camp and the preseason, he has put himself in a good position so far.

Bucs WR Deven Thompkins – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs largely have Thompkins working on the outside so far in camp, but that hasn’t stopped him from wanting to build out a versatile skill set.

“I’m definitely still learning. I think I’ve got my position, the ‘X,’ down pat for sure,” Thompkins said after Sunday’s practice. “But I want to learn the ‘F’ more, which is the slot. Because I played a lot of slot in my senior year. Mainly I’ve been out here playing the outside, so I just want to learn the playbook in its depth so I can actually get in more and do different things.”

While he is a smaller receiver, Thompkins is used to playing on the outside. He did that at Utah State, though he also has experience playing in the slot.

“My first couple years in college, I actually played outside and then I really moved to the slot full time my senior year,” he said. “So, I’m used to playing outside receiver.”

Whoever wins the remaining receiver spots on the depth chart will need to add value in a variety of ways. Thompkins is trying to develop his skill set even more on offense. But his value can also come elsewhere.

Adding Value On Special Teams

Bucs WR Deven Thompkins – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Even when he signed as an undrafted free agent, Thompkins instantly had a decent chance at eventually making the team’s 53-man roster in September. Because as much as he can do as a receiver, he also contributes on special teams. Darden is the Bucs’ incumbent punt returner, but Thompkins will get the chance to unseat him. The rookie has 4.35 speed, and he is learning from some experience returners in training camp.

“It’s been pretty cool. Back there, I’ve got ‘KB’ (Kenjon Barner) and Jaelon Darden back there with me too,” Thompkins said. “KB’s been giving me a lot of insight – he’s been returning for a long time in the NFL, so he’s definitely been telling me [to] clean up little things like catching the ball, understanding how to track it, just little things like that that will help me be a better returner later on down the road.”

When Tampa Bay opens its preseason on Saturday against Miami, look for Thompkins to get in the mix special teams. It’s crucial for those occupying the Bucs’ WR5 and WR6 spots to play on special teams, as the top four receivers – Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage and Julio Jones – will stick to offense. So, as Thompkins works to become more multi-faceted in his game, he may just find himself sticking around beyond August.