It's time for Scott Reynolds' 2-Point Conversion post-game column, which features two statements, two questions and two predictions based on the latest Bucs game.

Tampa Bay finished the preseason 2-1 following a 23-19 loss to the visiting Buffalo Bills on Saturday night. None of the Bucs starters played in the preseason finale, and neither did reserve quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who was ill. Backup QB Kyle Trask and wide receiver Tez Johnson connected eight times in the first half and teamed up for a touchdown that saw the rookie do an amazing backflip afterwards. Now it's on to roster cuts this week for the Bucs brass.

2 BIG STATEMENTS

STATEMENT 1. Welcome To The Tez Johnson Show

No Mike Evans, no Chris Godwin Jr., no Emeka Egbuka, no Jalen McMillan?

No problem.

Not only did Bucs rookie wide receiver Tez Johnson steal the show in the first half of Tampa Bay's 23-19 loss to Buffalo on Saturday night with a game-high eight catches for 58 yards and a touchdown, the Oregon product put on a show with an amazing back flip in the end zone after his first NFL preseason touchdown.

"It was a 12 on a 10 scale," said backup quarterback Kyle Trask, who threw Johnson the TD and started the game as the Bucs sat all of the starters in the preseason finale. "A backflip after the touchdown? That was a pretty electric moment."

Bucs WR Tez Johnson – Photo by: USA Today

That 1-yard score – and flip – capped off a dominant performance in the first half that saw him pick up four first downs while catching all eight of his targets.

"Ever since I got drafted, I said I was going to hit the back flip or I'm jumping in the crowd – I'm doing one of those," Johnson said. "The backflip came right to my head as soon as I scored. I didn't think I would get that high, I just had a lot of momentum. It felt really good."

Despite missing the preseason opener against Tennessee with a hamstring injury, Johnson wound up leading the Bucs in receiving with 12 catches for 82 yards and a touchdown over two games, in addition to two punt returns for an 18.5-yard average. His explosive first half was nothing new. Johnson has had dominant practices on occasion in training camp where he will catch 10-12 passes in 11-on-11 sessions.

"None of us are surprised by what he did," Trask said. "It's just now the world can see what he can do. We were given a lot of opportunities. They were playing a lot of man coverage and he was getting open. He took advantage of his opportunities.

"The best trait a receiver can have is wanting to get the ball. He wants the ball in his hands, and when he gets the ball in his hands he is looking to get as many yards as possible. He can cut it back on some plays to gain more yardage, and he's just so smart. He knows where defenders are coming from and he gets the most he can out of a play."

Bucs WR Tez Johnson – Photo by: USA Today

Most of Johnson's production came on short passes that he turned into yardage with his elusive playing style. And Johnson cleaned up a few things from last week's game at Pittsburgh that saw him drop a pass and muff a punt.

"He really grew from last week to this week – understanding the little things," Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said. "He made some plays. He played fast and he played like he knew what he was doing."

Johnson didn't need a big night to make the 53-man roster. He was not on the bubble, especially with Tampa Bay being without Godwin and McMillan to start the season. Johnson will enter the regular season as WR4 on the depth chart behind Evans, Egbuka and Sterling Shepard. And with offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard having a great understanding of how to utilize Johnson after a very good preseason, he figures to get some targets versus the Falcons in the season opener.

"He obviously did a fantastic job," Trask said of Johnson. "Grizz was getting him a lot of opportunities to get open, and he got open on every opportunity he got. He gave the people a show when he scored the touchdown, and that was just an awesome thing to cap it off [with]."

STATEMENT 2: Kyle Trask Will Be The Bucs' Backup QB*

Please note the asterisk.

The Bucs will make Kyle Trask their backup quarterback behind Baker Mayfield once again – despite the arrival of veteran signal caller Teddy Bridgewater a few weeks ago. Tampa Bay is expected to keep Bridgewater on the practice squad – a move the team likely discussed with him when he was signed. But if an injury were to occur with Mayfield and he was going to miss multiple games, there is a chance that the Bucs could turn to the more experienced Bridgewater over Trask, who has yet to truly play in a regular season game in his five years in the league outside of a few plays here and there.

That's why there is an asterisk in the headline.

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photo by: USA Today

I can't remember the last time the Bucs kept three quarterbacks on the active roster. And with Tampa Bay essentially starting the season with only 51 healthy players on the 53-man roster with left tackle Tristan Wirfs and wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. not quite ready to play, having three QBs on the active roster is a luxury the team cannot afford right now.

I was looking forward to Saturday night's preseason finale because it would have been a more fair fight between Trask and Bridgewater for the backup job with nothing but reserve players playing against the Bills. Last week in Pittsburgh, Bridgewater enjoyed the advantage of playing with the team's starters – outside of wide receiver Mike Evans – in completing 6-of-11 passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns, while Trask struggled with the backups.

Against Buffalo, Trask was sharp and efficient, completing 13-of-17 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. As he did a few times against Tennessee in the preseason opener, Trask hung tough in the pocket and threw a few passes on target just before getting hit.

Trask completed 28-of-43 passes (65.1%) for 178 yards with one touchdown and no turnovers in August. It was his first turnover-free preseason in his five seasons in Tampa Bay.

I think the Bucs believe Trask can get them out of a game – hopefully preserving a win – in case something happens to Mayfield. But do they trust Trask to step in as a starter for three or four games in Mayfield's absence, especially while Tampa Bay's Super Bowl window is open in the 2025 season? I'm not sure – and I'm not even sure the Bucs are sure.

I still wonder what Trask could do – or would do – throwing to Evans, Godwin, Egbuka and McMillan in a regular season game, but I hope we never have to find out.

Having Bridgewater certainly gives the team a more experienced option to turn to – just in case Trask isn't up to the task. But entering the season, Trask will be QB2 on the depth chart.

For now.

2 PROBING QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1: Should The Bucs Be Concerned About Their Depth At OLB?

They should be. Chris Braswell did little in the preseason to inspire confidence that he is a starting-caliber edge rusher should he have to step in for Haason Reddick or Yaya Diaby in case of an injury. Braswell played in the first half against Buffalo and failed to record a hit on the quarterback or even a tackle – let alone a sack on Saturday night.

The second-year outside linebacker had a sack in Pittsburgh, where he played much better than he did in the preseason opener versus Tennessee. But Braswell seemed to regress a bit against Buffalo. Despite being a second-round pick, he has failed to consistently win against multiple backup offensive tackles in the preseason.

Bills QB Shane Buechele and Bucs OLB Chris Braswell – Photo by: USA Today

This has to be concerning, as Tampa Bay's second-string outside linebacker unit of Braswell and veteran reserve Anthony Nelson doesn't do much to strike fear into offensive coordinators, offensive tackles or quarterbacks from a pass rush standpoint. Throw in the fact that bottom-of-the-depth chart guys like Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez demonstrated very little as pass rushers in camp or the preseason and the team may be forced to look at the waiver wire or at available free agents for some better options.

David Walker, the team's fourth-round pick, was expected to provide some real heat off the edge before a torn ACL early in camp ended his rookie season prematurely. Walker's absence was felt all August, and will continue to be felt until Braswell starts showing some signs of life as a pass rusher – if he ever does – or the team acquires someone who can get after the quarterback.

If I'm Bucs general manager Jason Licht and assistant general managers Rob McCartney and Mike Greenberg, I'm getting Jadeveon Clowney on the phone. The 32-year old Clowney may still have enough left in the tank to be a situational pass rusher. He had 5.5 sacks last year in Carolina after posting 9.5 sacks the season before in Baltimore.

QUESTION 2: Will The Bucs Actually Have A Return Game This Year?

It looks like it. Tampa Bay's special teams actually look special now in the return game. On Saturday night against Buffalo, Tampa Bay's kick return game exploded with some big returns by rookie running back Josh Williams (42 yards) and wide receiver Kam Johnson (57 yards), while Johnson also had a 22-yard punt return.

We've seen Tez Johnson rip off a 37-yard punt return versus the Steelers last week and Garrett Greene dash for 31 yards on a punt return against the Titans in the preseason opener. Tez Johnson is the only one who is assured of making the 53-man roster and will likely win the punt return duties, while Sean Tucker will be the primary kick returner. But what's encouraging is the blocking up front on both punt and kick returns that have helped spring some big gains.

Bucs RB Josh Williams – Photo by: USA Today

"Our return game has shown up for the first time in quite a long time and that was good to see," Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said.

Throw in a strong kicking game that saw kicker Chase McLaughlin connect on all of his field goals and extra points in the preseason and new punter Riley Dixon average just under 50 yards per punt with five downed inside the 20 and just two touchbacks and Bowles was a happy camper about special teams in August.

"The best feeling I have is that we have a punter," Bowles said. "He did a very good job and he was outstanding this summer camp and everything else. And he was really a game-changer that really wasn't talked about. I'm happy as hell about him."

2 BOLD PREDICTIONS

PREDICTION 1: Tristan Wirfs Returns For Week 2

Don't get mad at me if this doesn't happen, but I just have a gut feeling that Bucs All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs will return to action against the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football in Week 2 – if he returns to practice by the first week of September. If Wirfs is cleared to take the field this week or the following week, there could be an outside chance that he could suit up and play in Houston after missing the season opener.

Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I asked Bowles for an update about Wirfs, who is no longer on crutches, on Sunday following the preseason finale, and if his star left tackle could possibly be in play for Week 1.

"It's a medical thing – the fact that we're not putting him on I.R. you know, he's in play," Bowles said. "I wouldn't say Week 1, but he's definitely doing better."

Tampa Bay will face a dangerous duo in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter in Houston, as both of those edge rushers had double-digit sacks last year and are game-changers. If Wirfs can't make it back for Week 2, I feel even better about him making his 2025 season debut at home against the Jets in Week 3 in Tampa Bay's home opener.

PREDICTION 2: The Bucs Beat The Falcons To Start The Season 1-0

Speaking of the season opener, how about an early regular season prediction? Tampa Bay starts the season 1-0 with a win in Atlanta. The Bucs get revenge over the Falcons, who swept them last year. Todd Bowles is 3-0 in season openers since taking over as head coach for Bruce Arians in 2022. Two of those opening day wins have come on the road at Dallas (2022) and Minnesota (2023).

Bowles and his coaching staff do a great job of preparing the team for the first two games of the season. Tampa Bay has been 3-0 in Week 1 and 3-0 in Week 2 under Bowles' leadership.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

The fact that the Falcons elected not to play second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the preseason when he's only started three games was a curious move by head coach Raheem Morris. Penix was 1-2 as a starter late last year, throwing for three touchdowns and three interceptions in a win over the Giants and a pair of overtime losses to the Commanders and the Panthers.

That seems like just enough film for Bowles to study and get a bead on Penix for Week 1. Throw in the fact that the Falcons have injury issues at offensive tackle and Haason Reddick and the Bucs defense could be the factor in a Week 1 win.