How many times over the last month and a half have the Bucs referred to a “next man up” mentality? Far too many to count, and far more than they would’ve liked to.

But that’s what helped Tampa Bay to a 4-1 start heading into Sunday’s game against San Francisco at Raymond James Stadium. And while this game between the Bucs and 49ers was bound to be a “next man up” vs. “next man up” battle given the injury situations both teams found themselves in, it was the Bucs who saw their “next man up” mentality reach yet another level – one they might not have even known was possible. Tampa Bay won 30-19, and it did so with some key contributions from its depth players.

Bucs Defense Gets Momentum-Shifting Plays From CB5, DT4

It started early, just three plays into the San Francisco offense’s first drive. While Jamel Dean returned to the lineup on Sunday, the secondary was without Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison. That forced Kindle Vildor into a more prominent role for the second straight week, as he had to step up in Week 5 with Dean and Morrison out.

Once again, when Tampa Bay went to nickel defense, it moved rookie Jacob Parrish into the slot, which brought Vildor in as the outside cornerback opposite Dean. And on the first third down of the game for the Bucs defense, Vildor made a play.

Bucs CB Kindle Vildor – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With Haason Reddick flying in off the edge, Mac Jones unleashed a throw toward the 49ers sideline only for Vildor to pick it off. It may have been a pick-six if not for a couple of stumbles, but it was a crucial play early in the game nonetheless, as it gave the offense a short field and set up the game-opening touchdown.

“He has got to keep his feet,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said after the game. “He made a heck of a read and made a heck of a play, all hats off to him. He is a very smart player, that is why we put him out there. He understands the game very well ad the moment is not too big for him, so that started us off great.”

The Bucs defense came into the season starving for more takeaways after only picking off seven passes last season. The unit had two in the first five games, then it added two more in Sunday’s win. It started with Vildor, who would probably be considered CB5 on the depth chart after McCollum, Dean, Morrison and Parrish. But after a great training camp, the sixth-year cornerback waited it out and was ready to make a big play when the time came.

The same can be said for reserve defensive tackle C.J. Brewer. Initially cut following the preseason and signed to the practice squad, Brewer was promoted to the active 53-man roster in late September. With Calijah Kancey’s season-ending injury, Tampa Bay is thin at defensive tackle. But when the time came for Brewer to make a play, he did so.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and DT C.J. Brewer – Photo by: USA Today

Just after Chase McLaughlin missed a field goal that would’ve made it a two-score game just about halfway through the fourth quarter, the Tampa Bay defense needed to come through with another stop. And on the first play of the San Francisco drive, Brewer teamed up with Reddick to split a sack, bringing Jones down for a loss of seven to put the 49ers behind the sticks.

San Francisco wound up converting for a first down shortly after, but it was no harm, no foul as Jamel Dean put a stop to the drive with an interception. The outcome of the drive and the fact that the 49ers overcame the first-down sack aside, Brewer rose to the occasion when he was needed and came through with a half-sack.

It wasn’t the first time the 27-year-old reserve made an impact for the defensive line, as he had a two-sack day against the Falcons last season. But considering he missed out on the final 53-man roster out of training camp this year, it took some faith, loyalty and patience on Brewer’s part. He has his chance now, and on Sunday, he took it.

Explosive Plays For Bucs Offense Come From WR6, WR8 (???)

As impactful as some of the next men up were for the Bucs defense, the story was the same for the Tampa Bay offense in Sunday’s 30-19 win. The Bucs offense has obviously been without Jalen McMillan for the whole season thus far, and that’s one thing. The fact that Chris Godwin Jr. didn’t make his season debut until Week 4 was another thing. And the fact that Mike Evans had already gone down with a hamstring injury by the time Godwin returned was yet another.

Then came Sunday, where Godwin was sidelined with a new injury after two games back in the lineup. So, entering the game, Baker Mayfield had rookie sensation Emeka Egbuka as his No. 1 target, with WR5 Sterling Shepard, WR6 Tez Johnson, WR7 Ryan Miller and WR8 Kameron Johnson behind him. That is, until Egbuka, perhaps the early frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, went down with a hamstring injury.

So, it was on a host of others to keep the Tampa Bay offense going. Even before Egbuka left the game, Kameron Johnson – who has largely been a return specialist only – made a big play. In fact, he made his first career catch, and it was a big one as he found himself wide open for a 34-yard touchdown just before halftime.

Bucs WR Kameron Johnson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

For Johnson, it was a moment that was a year and a half in the making. The Bucs loved him as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and were excited about getting him in the mix in Liam Coen’s offense last season, but he just couldn’t stay healthy. And even this offseason, he continued to deal with injuries. And in reality, he probably misses out on the final 53-man roster himself it not for the neck injury McMillan suffered in the preseason.

Johnson found a nice role as the team’s punt returner early on in the season, but he made an explosive play on offense that proved to be crucial in Sunday’s win. As for being that open for his first career touchdown?

“I’m this wide open? I was just in shock,” Johnson said. “I saw the safety press down on Cade [Otton], I thought he was going to bump off then. Low and behold, he never bumped off and I was just running and I was like, ‘Oh Lord, let me see if Baker just makes eye contact with me.’ It was just wide open. It was a walk-in, easy touchdown.”

The next explosive for Tampa Bay’s offense came in the third quarter. After Mayfield ignited the Raymond James Stadium crowd with a 15-yard run on 3rd & 14, he unloaded a deep ball over the middle of the field. It looked like it might be just out of the reach of rookie receiver Tez Johnson, but the seventh-round pick managed to somehow bring it in and hold on for a 45-yard touchdown.

Of course, the former Oregon star followed the touchdown with a backflip, much like the one he wowed the crowd with after his touchdown in the preseason.

Bucs WR Tez Johnson Photo by: USA Today

“It’s exactly how we drew it up,” Johnson said. “We knew what coverage they [were] going to be in, and when I looked back and I [saw] Baker kind of slide up a little bit, I was like, ‘All right, here we go… But no matter what, I’m [going to] catch this ball because [there’s] no telling when the next one’s coming.’ So, when I caught it, it just stuck to my hand to be honest with you. I watched it all the way in, and the rest is history.”

For an offense without three of its top four receivers for the whole game and the other one of those receivers for the second half to put up 30 points against a tough 49ers defense? That’s a sign of elite depth, isn’t it? All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs noted after the game that these depth receivers have some big shoes to fill given the caliber of players Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr. are, but both of the Johnsons came through on Sunday.

“Emeka being a rookie has stepped up big time, [then] he went down,” Wirfs said. “Tez Johnson, Kam Johnson… It’s awesome to watch. Those guys have some big shoes to fill with Mike and Chris out right now, but they are coming in and making plays and that is all we can ask of them, to do their job to the best of their ability. You know, it is fun to watch. We are going to keep needing that down the stretch.”

Todd Bowles was certainly happy with his two young receivers on Sunday, too.

“Tez and Kam really stepped up tonight,” he said. “Came into their own. The talent was always there, just understanding the offense more, those guys can play. We feel like we are very deep in that room. [We] cannot afford to lose any more, but we feel like we are very deep in that room. And I thought those two guys did a hell of a job tonight.”

Bucs WR Tez Johnson – Photo by: USA Today

While Baker Mayfield certainly doesn’t want to be in a position where he’s missing his top receivers, he had high praise for wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon after the game for the way he prepares his players.

“When it comes to our guys, just the communication, our receivers coach getting those guys right throughout the week,” Mayfield said. “You never know what can happen. And those guys stepping up in a huge way… Just hats off to them for being prepared and not shying away, not flinching when they’re in there.”

That seems to be a common theme with a whole lot of the depth players on Tampa Bay’s roster these days. They don’t flinch when their numbers are called. That’s a testament to the team building general manager Jason Licht and his staff have done, and it’s a credit to each player for their preparation and ability to step in and step up when the time comes.

“It says a lot about the depth and the next man up,” Bowles said after the game. “The coaches do a heck of a job getting these guys prepared to play and they don’t flinch when they get in there. We have confidence in them, they have confidence in themselves. To keep losing guys week after week and those guys still stepping up to make plays, says a lot about the resiliency of the guys in the locker room.”