INTRO: The Bucs end their 2024 preseason on Friday night at home against the Miami Dolphins. As I do every August, I begin and end the preseason with a 53-man roster prediction. There aren’t too many changes from my initial 53-man roster prediction from two weeks ago. Enjoy!

FAB 1. Bucs Skill Position Player Predictions

The Bucs have a pair of Pro Bowl skill players in quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Mike Evans, who is a future Hall of Famer. Evans and wide receiver Chris Godwin are the only NFL receivers to both have 1,000-yard seasons in each of the last three years. Tampa Bay returns all of its primary skill position players with all-purpose back Rachaad White, starting tight end Cade Otton and wide receiver Trey Palmer, and have added three talented rookies in wide receiver Jalen McMillan, running back Bucky Irving and tight end Devin Culp for even more firepower.

QUARTERBACKS – 2

QB Baker Mayfield
QB Kyle Trask
ANALYSIS: Kyle Trask is the clear-cut backup to Baker Mayfield. He’s outperformed John Wolford in both training camp and the preseason. The fact that Wolford got hurt at the end of the preseason game in Jacksonville and won’t play against the Dolphins doesn’t help his cause. The Bucs will likely sign Wolford to the practice squad again.

RUNNING BACKS – 3

Bucs RB Sean Tucker – Photo by: USA Today

RB Rachaad White
RB Bucky Irving
RB Sean Tucker

ANALYSIS: It doesn’t make sense to keep four running backs on the 53-man roster. Not when either D.J. Williams or Ramon Jefferson – or both – could be stashed on the practice squad very easily. Neither has done enough to warrant a roster spot. There’s a chance that Chase Edmonds, who has been injured since the first day of training camp and missed all of camp and the preseason, could be added to the practice squad for his veteran presence.

WIDE RECEIVERS – 6

WR Mike Evans
WR Chris Godwin
WR Jalen McMillan
WR Trey Palmer
WR Cody Thompson
WR Kameron Johnson
ANALYSIS: I previously had the Bucs keeping seven receivers, which was excessive, in my previous 53-man roster prediction. The seventh one was veteran Sterling Shepard, but he’s missed the preseason games with a rib injury, and at age 30, probably will wind up on the practice squad unless he opts to retire. The oft-injured Shepard hasn’t shown enough to make the 53-man roster. Rakim Jarrett got injured at the wrong time and will miss the final two preseason games, which has him destined to make the practice squad. Behind the top four receivers on the depth chart, Cody Thompson has been consistent in camp and showed he can make plays in Jacksonville. At 6-foot-2, he brings a bigger body to the room and also plays on special teams. Kameron Johnson is expected to make his preseason debut against Miami and has been sensational in practice. He’ll earn the final WR roster spot.

TIGHT ENDS – 4

Bucs TEs Payne Durham and Cade Otton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

TE Cade Otton
TE Payne Durham
TE Devin Culp
TE Ko Kieft
ANALYSIS: Cade Otton will be the starter and has had a great training camp. Payne Durham has made great strides and shown vast improvement as an athlete, a receiver, a red zone weapon and a blocker. He’ll be TE2. Rookie Devin Culp has surprised the team with how good he is as a blocker, and he’s been good in the red zone as a receiver. Culp’s speed makes him standout among this group, but he needs to work on his releases from the line of scrimmage. Ko Kieft will make the team due to special teams, particularly his coverage ability. He’s a limited receiver, but his blocking seems to be improving.

FAB 2. Bucs Offensive And Defensive Line Predictions

Tampa Bay should be strong and stout in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Bucs general manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles have invested first-round picks in defensive tackles Vita Vea (2018) and Calijah Kancey (2023), left tackle Tristan Wirfs (2020) and center Graham Barton (2024), in addition to second-round picks in defensive tackle Logan Hall (2022), right tackle Luke Goedeke (2022) and right guard Cody Mauch (2023). All of those players are starters with the exception of Hall, who is a starter in the team’s base 3-4 package.

OFFENSIVE LINE – 9

Bucs C Graham Barton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

LT Tristan Wirfs
LG Ben Bredeson
C Graham Barton
RG Cody Mauch
RT Luke Goedeke
C Robert Hainsey
OT Justin Skule
OL Brandon Walton
G Elijah Klein
ANALYSIS: The starting five linemen are set with Graham Barton surprising no one as the starting center. The team didn’t draft him in the first round to not start him. Robert Hainsey will be the backup center and he’ll cross-train at guard, too. Justin Skule is back as a swing tackle, but his leg injury may force the team to keep a 10th lineman for now depending on how quickly he can return. Rookie Elijah Klein is a great developmental guard prospect, who showed some versatility to play right tackle in a pinch at Jacksonville. Brandon Walton is a good run blocker, but has struggled in pass protection. But he can play both tackle and both guard spots.

DEFENSIVE LINE – 6

DT Vita Vea
DT Calijah Kancey
DT Logan Hall
DT Greg Gaines
DT Will Gholston
DT C.J. Brewer
ANALYSIS: I didn’t have Will Gholston in the 53-man roster prediction last time because I thought the Bucs would have a young defensive tackle emerge. That still may be the case this time around if either Lwal Uguak or Earnest Brown stands out. Gholston is running out of gas at age 33, but he’s a great leader and locker room presence and knows Todd Bowles’ defense inside and out. C.J. Brewer is a good run stuffer and had a good game at Jacksonville. One more good performance could take him from the practice squad to the 53-man roster with either Uguak or Brown – or both – winding up on the practice squad.

FAB 3. Bucs Inside And Outside Linebacker Predictions

The Bucs parted ways with a couple of Super Bowl champions and former starters in inside linebacker Devin White and outside linebacker Shaq Barrett. The Bucs are very young and somewhat inexperienced at outside linebacker, but there is talent at the position. Tampa Bay is looking for players to step up next to Lavonte David and replace White at middle linebacker. K.J. Britt is the front-runner, and he’s entering a contract year.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS – 6

Bucs OLB Markees Watts – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

OLB Yaya Diaby
OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
OLB Anthony Nelson
OLB Chris Braswell
OLB Jose Ramirez
OLB Markees Watts
ANALYSIS: I had the Bucs keeping six outside linebackers with the new kick return rule and I’m sticking with it. Good young pass rushers are just too hard to find. Yaya Diaby and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka appear to be the starters with veteran Anthony Nelson being the first guy off the bench. Chris Braswell, the team’s second-round pick, has made some progress and could eventually wind up as a starter at some point during his rookie season, perhaps later in the year like Diaby did a year ago. Jose Ramirez and Markees Watts had good games in Jacksonville and are worth keeping now and in the future, especially with JTS and Nelson in a contract year. Watts is a better special teamer than Ramirez and sticks as OLB6.

INSIDE LINEBACKERS – 4

ILB Lavonte David
ILB K.J. Britt
ILB SirVocea Dennis
ILB J.J. Russell
ANALYSIS: Lavonte David and K.J. Britt are the obvious starters, and SirVocea Dennis will be featured in certain packages, but must stay healthy. He missed the last two preseason games with a hamstring injury last year and the entire preseason with a shoulder injury this year. I had undrafted free agent Kalen DeLoach winning a roster spot over practice squader J.J. Russell in my first prediction, but I think that flips now. Russell just finds the ball on defense and has a better grasp of the scheme. He’s earned a spot on the 53-man roster, while DeLoach can develop on the practice squad during his rookie campaign.

FAB 4. Bucs Secondary Predictions

Tampa Bay’s secondary has undergone a big transformation this offseason. Carlton Davis III was traded to Detroit and replaced by Zyon McCollum. Jordan Whitehead was re-signed and replaced Ryan Neal at strong safety. Rookie Tykee Smith, the team’s third-round pick, looks to be the front-runner for the team’s nickelback job. That’s three new starters in Todd Bowles’ secondary in 2024.

CORNERBACKS – 5

Bucs CB Bryce Hall – Photo by: USA Today

CB Jamel Dean
CB Zyon McCollum
CB Bryce Hall
CB Josh Hayes
CB-NCB Tyrek Funderburk
ANALYSIS: Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum are the sure-fire starters, and both have had solid camps. Newcomer Bryce Hall has experience, but limited athleticism. Yet he’ll be the first one off the bench outside. Josh Hayes is one of the top gunners on special teams around the league and his toughness earns him the nod over Keenan Isaac. Undrafted free agent Tyrek Funderburk has been very impressive and can play outside or in the slot. He’s in line to win the fifth cornerback spot ahead of Isaac despite missing the last two preseason games with a foot injury.

SAFETIES – 5

FS Antoine Winfield Jr.
SS Jordan Whitehead
SS-NCB Tykee Smith
SS-FS Kaevon Merriweather
SS-FS-NCB Tavierre Thomas
ANALYSIS: Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead form the best starting safety duo in the NFL. Rookie Tykee Smith has been as good as advertised in coverage and blitzing from the slot. He’s all but won the starting nickelback job due to his heady play. Kaevon Merriweather has had a great camp, but is dealing with a minor knee injury he suffered in the Jacksonville game. Veteran newcomer Tavierre Thomas is still learning the defense, but has cross-trained at strong safety, free safety and nickelback, and he’s a core special teams performer. I’ll maintain my previous position that Thomas unseats Christian Izien for a roster spot. Izien struggled in coverage in camp and missed practice time this week and might miss the preseason finale with body soreness.

FAB 5. Bucs Special Teams Predictions

The Bucs re-signed Chase McLaughlin after a tremendous debut in Tampa Bay last year. He earned the nickname “Money” McLaughlin – and every penny of his new, three-year deal. Yet he’s just 1-of-3 on his field goal attempts in the preseason and must rebound quickly. McLaughlin teams with punter Jake Camarda, who has Pro Bowl potential, to give the Bucs one of the better special teams units in the league. Running backs Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker have been handling kick return duties, while wide receiver Trey Palmer seems to have settled in as the primary punt returner.

SPECIALISTS – 3

Bucs P Jake Camarda – Photo by: USA Today

K Chase McLaughlin
P Jake Camarda
LS Evan Deckers
ANALYSIS: New special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey inherits a solid kicker-punter tandem in Chase “Money” McLaughlin and Jake Camarda. Both have had their struggles in the preseason, but have the talent to rebound. In a bit of an upset, Evan Deckers wins the long snapper duties over Zach Triner as Deckers is younger and cheaper.

The Bucs – and all other NFL teams – will have to make their final roster cuts on Tuesday, August 27 by 4:00 p.m. ET and we’ll recap all of the action on the Pewter Report Podcast that afternoon live at 4:00 p.m. ET on PewterReportTV. Tampa Bay and the other teams can start assembling their 16-player practice squad the next day.

But wait – there’s more!

I posted a new Pewter Pulse video on PewterReportTV titled “Bucs Got A WAKE-UP CALL – And Why That’s A Good Thing” on Thursday and I’ve got another Pewter Pulse video that will debut for our PewterReportTV channel members (Pewter Pro and higher) at 10:00 a.m. on 3 low-key sleepers in Bucs training camp. That Pewter Pulse video will be made available to all viewers at noon ET. Stay tuned!

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