Checking in on Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Biggest Project Players

Checking in on Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Biggest Project Players By Luke Easterling Jun 3, 2015 Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports When an NFL team goes 2-14—as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did in 2014—it might be easy to think their players were as likely to be developed as a roll of actual film.But despite their league-worst record and plethora of forgettable moments throughout last season, the Bucs saw some promising early returns from a few of their rawer players.Tampa Bay has one of the youngest rosters in the entire NFL, with just four players 30 years or older currently on the team. As such, it's not surprising they have a few diamond-in-the-rough types who could end up making significant contributions this season, should they continue to smooth out the rough edges of their skill sets.Who are those "project" players for the Bucs, and are they poised to go to the next level in their development or slide back into obscurity?OT Kevin PamphileKim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Tampa Bay went into the 2014 draft needing plenty of help along the offensive line, but they surprised many by waiting until the fifth round to address any position on that unit.But after drafting Tennessee State guard Kadeem Edwards with the 143rd overall pick, the Bucs traded back up into the top of the round to secure Kevin Pamphile, who was Purdue's starting left tackle in 2013.A raw prospect and former basketball player who didn't play football until his senior year of high school, Pamphile was recruited by the Boilermakers as a defensive lineman, making the switch to offense prior to his sophomore season.Despite being a developmental prospect, the Bucs seem to already like what they've seen in Pamphile, who played sparingly in his rookie season. In fact, offensive line coach George Warhop thinks he should have played twice as much, per Mark Cook of PewterReport.com:“ I wish we could have played him more. I thought, when he went in there, there were some ups and downs, but he played enough that you look at and go ‘Okay, you might have something there.’ If I could do it all over again, I would have doubled his snaps. We would have a much better picture of what he is.I think he has grown a lot in terms of being a pro, understanding what it takes, the time you need to put in, the work ethic you need to be successful. That was a work in progress a year ago. I think he is plugged in to that now. We’ll see what happens. I am excited for him, whether he is the starter, backup or whatever. I think he has the traits we want in our tackles. He’s long and athletic. He’s smart and can be physical.”The Bucs spent this year's 34th overall pick on tackle Donovan Smith, but Warhop also pointed out he'll have to beat out Pamphile for the starting job rather than having it handed to him based on his draft position. At worst, it looks like Pamphile will be able to provide Tampa Bay some much needed depth for a unit that struggled mightily last season.DE T.J. FatinikunBob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Tampa Bay's pass-rushing woes have been well documented in recent years, but the new regime hopes they have a solid rotational player in T.J. Fatinikun, who could potentially develop into something more.Born in Nigeria, Fatinikun—spell that five times fast—was an undrafted free agent in 2013 who spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs before heading to the Arena Football League. He signed with the Bucs during the preseason in 2014 and appeared in 10 games during the regular season, notching nine tackles and half a sack.Per Gil Arcia of BucsBlitz.com, Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht said they're open to adding another pass-rusher, but he likes what he has currently on the roster. He admitted Fatinikun outplayed big-money free-agent flop Michael Johnson last year:“ We're never going to turn down a pass rusher. We're always going to be looking for a pass rusher and an edge rusher. I don't think you can have too many. Jacquies Smith came out of nowhere last year and ended up with 6.5 sacks in seven games and we picked him up off the waiver wire. T.J. Fatinikun is a very fast guy that played very well at the end of last year, played better than Michael Johnson -- who we let go.”The Toledo product is undersized at 6'2", 250 pounds, but he makes up for it with solid speed off the edge. If he can take the next step in his development, the Bucs will likely give him every opportunity to earn an increased role in their rotation this season, especially on passing downs.G Kadeem EdwardsKim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Most Bucs fans—and many NFL analysts—were shocked when the team failed to address its glaring need for help at guard until the fifth round of the 2014 draft.At the top of that round, they selected Tennessee State's Kadeem Edwards, a raw prospect with a great combination of size and athleticism. Full of natural talent that just needed to be harnessed, Edwards seemed to be in a perfect spot to get some on-the-job training for a Tampa Bay team that had next to nothing at the position.But Edwards was inactive for every game last season until being placed on injured reserve following a foot injury sustained in a November practice.Still, the team isn't likely to give up on Edwards anytime soon. When organized team activities began last week, the second-year pro was lined up as the starting right guard, per Joe Kania of Buccaneers.com.With a clean bill of health, Edwards is primed to give 2015 second-round pick Ali Marpet a run for his money at right guard. At worst, he should help bolster Tampa Bay's depth at the position this year and beyond.CB Brandon DixonPatrick McDermott/Getty Images Aside from Johnthan Banks—who emerged as the team's top cover man in his second NFL season—Tampa Bay's corps of corners left much to be desired in 2014.Veteran Mike Jenkins was lost for the season before the first regular-season game was over, free-agent pickup Alterraun Verner didn't live up to high expectations in his first season with the Bucs and the team struggled to find a reliable nickelback.Depth at corner was an issue all year long, but fans should keep an eye on Brandon Dixon, a Florida native who appeared in 14 games in 2014, tallying nine tackles, two defensed passes and an interception.Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com points out Dixon showed toughness that likely got the team's attention last season:If the Buccaneers want to run five or six deep at the position, as is often necessary, they'll need to get continued development from some of the younger players on the roster. One of those is second-year man Brandon Dixon, who was plucked off the New York Jets' practice squad just a few days into the 2014 league year. Dixon ended up playing about 170 snaps when the Buccaneers were dealing with various injuries, and while he obviously wasn't an experienced hand in the secondary he did enough to pique the team's interest.Injuries are inevitable in the NFL, making solid depth a necessity at any and every position. Dixon should at least be able to contribute on special teams in 2015 while continuing to develop his cover skills. If injuries plague this unit again this season, don't be surprised to see Dixon rise to the occasion and give the Bucs plenty of quality snaps.WR Robert HerronChris Graythen/Getty Images Despite being one of the surprising stars of Senior Bowl week in 2014, Wyoming's Robert Herron fell to the sixth round of the draft, where Tampa Bay happily snatched him up.With an attractive combination of speed, quickness, route-running ability and technique, it was easy for Bucs fans to get excited about Herron's potential to fill the team's need for a slot receiver, as well as possibly contributing in the return game.But Herron failed to make a splash in either department as a rookie, appearing in just eight games and catching just six passes for 58 yards and a touchdown.There's obviously still time for Herron to develop and make an impact, but it's impossible to ignore what the Bucs' actions in this year's draft say about their expectations for Herron this season. Tampa Bay spent a fifth-round pick on Nebraska's Kenny Bell—who is already impressing in offseason workouts—then turned around and took Utah return specialist Kaelin Clay in the sixth round.If Herron wants to make any kind of impact for the Bucs in 2015, he'll have to develop quickly and make a strong enough impression during training camp to hold onto a roster spot.link