Do You Agree These Will be the Winners of the Biggest Training-Camp Battles?

Predicting the Winner of the Buccaneers' Biggest Training-Camp Battles By Jason Kanno Jul 21, 2015 Don Juan Moore/Getty Images As Buccaneers training camp approaches, so too come the key roster battles that will shape Tampa Bay's starting lineup this season.After a disastrous 2014 season, the Bucs made several moves to vacate some positions while adding challengers to others.The most prominent roster battles should occur on the offensive line, where the Bucs are counting on several young, untried players to improve one of the NFL's worst units. While the Bucs spent 2015 second-round picks on offensive tackle Donovan Smith and guard Ali Marpet, returning players like Kevin Pamphile and Kadeem Edwards pose as significant challengers to starting roles.The Bucs have other battles at backup safety, fullback and punter. Each features a new addition to the roster threatening the place of a tenured player.While the key determining factor to each battle is the players' training-camp performances, each contest bears indications of who will win, whether it's a player's draft status, previous performance or even salary. Still, no outcome is set until a player is cut or lines up on the field in Week 1. Here are the likely winners of the Bucs' biggest upcoming training-camp battles.D.J. Swearinger vs. Keith TandyBrian Blanco/Associated Press The Bucs remade their safety group over the past year-and-a-half. This training camp includes a battle between the remaining old guard, Keith Tandy, and the most recent waiver-wire addition, D.J. Swearinger.Tandy is a rare remnant from the Greg Schiano regime. Though not terribly big (5'10", 205 lbs) or physical, the former West Virginia defensive back is an asset on special teams and more reliable in coverage than some other safeties who played ahead of him on the depth chart.Swearinger (5'10", 208 lbs) isn't much bigger than Tandy, but he has a greater reputation for laying a big hit. The former Texan also has more on-field experience with 22 starts in two years with Houston.The Bucs may already have a winner in mind. During OTAs, Swearinger played with the first-team defense. Lovie Smith is clearly a fan, telling ESPN.com's, "We feel like we picked up a draft pick, really, by getting a player like that."Come training camp, there may be some dissonance with the Bucs' intentions and reality. Tandy, who is already solid in coverage, has a year's experience in Lovie Smith's defense. In Houston, Swearinger struggled in coverage, which may be why the Texans let him go.The Bucs could tilt the field in Swearinger's favor by granting him more reps with the first- or second-team defense. Still, if he can't pick up the defense fast enough, the Bucs may have no choice but to stick with Tandy.Winner: Keith TandyJoey Iosefa vs. Jorvorskie LaneWilfredo Lee/Associated Press The battle for fullback is a classic showdown between a new draft pick and an incumbent starter. Newcomer Joey Iosefa will have to unseat Jorvorskie Lane, the Bucs lead blocker in 2014.Lane played in nine games for the Bucs last season, starting four. While typically used as lead blocker, he did get the odd carry, even breaking out for a monster 54-yard run in the season opener.The Bucs drafted Iosefa in the seventh round of this year's draft. The former Hawaiian ran for 2,218 yards and 21 touchdowns in college, but his lack of speed and quickness pegs him as a fullback in the NFL.As a new draft pick, Iosefa is likely to win the fullback spot. Lane is not helped by his two-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs and broken leg from last season. With Iosefa's experience running the ball, his status and versatility will be too much to match.Winner: Joey IosefaSpencer Lanning vs. Michael KoenenGeorge Gojkovich/Getty Images A punter battle in Tampa Bay is long overdue. After four years as the Bucs punter, Michael Koenen finally has a real challenger in Spencer Lanning to push him to be a better punter or off the roster.Neither Koenen nor Lanning is a great option. Last season, Koenen averaged a miserable 40.4 yards per punt with a 37.1 net average. Lanning wasn't significantly better, averaging 44.3 yards per punt with a 39.2 net average.There were a variety of reasons for Koenen's poor performance. He battled mono for a large portion of the season, and the Bucs apparently had him focusing on directional punts with greater hang time.The biggest reason to let Koenen go is his salary. He's scheduled to make $3.25 million this season, which is an outrageous sum for a mediocre punter. If Spencer proves reliable, the Bucs may move on from Koenen.Winner: Spencer LanningDonovan Smith vs. Kevin PamphileSTEVE NESIUS/Associated Press The failure of the Anthony Collins experiment left a void at the left tackle position. The Bucs are now set to start a player with no professional experience at the position.In 2014, the Bucs took former Purdue tackle Kevin Pamphile in the fifth round. The Bucs already had Collins and right tackle Demar Dotson, so they could be patient with Pamphile's development. Once the season went awry, Collins was benched, and Pamphile got his first NFL starts at right tackle against Carolina and Green Bay.Former Penn State tackle Donovan Smith was one of two second-round picks spent on the offensive line this year. At 6'6" and 338 pounds, he no doubt has the size to play left tackle.Starting either Pamphile or Smith is not ideal. Both players are still technically raw, which does not bode well for rookie quarterback Jameis Winston.Given his draft status, it's likely Smith will get the starting spot. The Bucs didn't spend a second-round pick on him to sit on the bench. However, that does not preclude a great training camp from Pamphile, who could sneak in if Smith bombs or is injured.Winner: Donovan SmithAli Marpet vs. Kadeem Edwards vs. Garrett GilkeyDon Juan Moore/Getty Images The right guard position has been a chronic problem in Tampa Bay for years. Still searching for a solution, the Bucs could have a free-for-all on their hands at training camp.All of the Bucs' options at right tackle are short on experience. Only Garrett Gilkey has starting experience, and he actually started at center in place of an injured Evan Smith for one game last season.After an impressive Senior Bowl week and combine performance, former Hobart lineman Ali Marpet emerged from the obscurity of D-III football as one of the most highly sought guards in this year's class. While he appeared more promising than many of his peers, he still has a long adjustment period ahead of him given his collegiate roots.Kadeem Edwards isn't much longer in the tooth than Marpet in terms of high-quality competition. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 draft, the former Tennessee State guard saw little action for the Bucs before going on injured reserve with a foot injury.Just three years into his pro career, Gilkey is already a journeyman. He followed Bucs offensive line coach George Warhop from Cleveland and was asked to fill in at center despite his complete lack of experience at the position.If the Bucs aren't concerned by the situation at right tackle, they should be. Marpet and Edwards are untested, while Gilkey was nothing short of a disaster in the short time he played last season.According to JoeBucsFan.com, the Bucs don't want Marpet to start until later in the season. That leaves Edwards and Gilkey to fight for the opening-day start. Edwards is more athletic and has yet to influence the coaching staff's opinion of him in a game-day situation.If the Bucs decide to remain patient with Marpet, Edwards should be the pick.Winner: Kadeem Edwardslink