"Let's separate fact from fiction when it comes to Bucs training camp hype"

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Fact or Fiction on Latest Training Camp Reports By Luke Easterling Aug 11, 2015 Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports With the first week of training camp in the books, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are starting to gain a clearer picture of the talent they have heading into the 2015 season.But it's also the time of year when the hype machine can spin out of control, with early performances leading to overreactions from fans and analysts alike.Bucs camp is buzzing with plenty of storylines—both good and bad—based on this first week of practices. Some rookies are already exceeding expectations, while others are slowly working to improve based on weaker performances earlier in the week.Let's separate fact from fiction when it comes to Bucs training camp hype.Fact: Hall Will Force Tough Roster DecisionChris O'Meara/Associated Press The Bucs are already much deeper at receiver than they were a year ago, thanks to the drafting of Kenny Bell and Kaelin Clay earlier this year.But another rookie pass-catcher has made his presence known during training camp: UCF's Rannell Hall.Head coach Lovie Smith has acknowledged Hall's impressive performance so far, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune."We call him ‘Speedy,'" Smith said. "And whenever you get a nickname as a free agent coming in, that’s a pretty good thing. So, yes, we have noticed him. And not just today, every day it seems like he’s doing something."A standout during this year's Senior Bowl practices, Hall slipped through the cracks during the draft, but the Bucs snagged a potential steal who could make the final roster decisions very difficult at wide receiver later in the preseason.Fiction: Winston's Early Struggles Spell DisasterChris O'Meara/Associated Press After struggling in full-team drills during his first couple of full-pad practices, some Bucs fans were already groaning that Jameis Winston was going to be a turnover machine and wasn't ready to be the team's starting quarterback.But 'tis the season for overreactions, and Winston has already shown improvement in practice, throwing 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions over a two-day period, as Scott Reynolds of PewterReport.com points out:“ Winston found the end zone a total of nine times while working in the red zone, and he only had one interception – although two were dropped by (Lavonte) David and (Larry) Dean. The good news for the rookie signal caller is that he’s thrown a total of 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions over the past two days, while dealing with a bunch of dropped passes, which is impressive.”Fans should be patient when it comes to the results of these first few practices, especially when it comes to the rookies. Winston has shown he's mortal, but he's also showing the ability to improve on a daily basis, which is all anyone can ask for from a rookie starting quarterback.Fact: Bell Will Win 3rd Receiver RoleDon Juan Moore/Getty Images It's not often fifth-round picks are able to carve out a significant role right out of the gate, but based on his performance so far in training camp, wide receiver Kenny Bell will do just that in his rookie season.Bell has wasted no time making a strong impression, and head coach Lovie Smith is already taking notice, per Rick Brown of the Lakeland Ledger."His speed, you are able to see some of it on some of the passes that he caught," Smith said. "Kenny can also do some things in the kicking game, whether it is returning punts or a gunner on our special teams. … We always talk to our players about doing something to be noticed, and we noticed Kenny (Sunday)."The team expected the Nebraska product to battle with veteran Louis Murphy, but with Murphy still on the sideline dealing with an injury, Bell has a wide-open road to claim the third receiver role in his first NFL season.With opposing defenses having their hands full already with the likes of Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Bell could find himself with plenty of room to work this season.Fiction: Marpet Won't Be Ready to Start ImmediatelyDon Juan Moore/Getty Images Despite being drafted in the second round, many expected Bucs rookie guard Ali Marpet to take plenty of time to develop before working his way into the starting lineup at the NFL level.But the Senior Bowl standout from Hobart College is already working with the first team in training camp, and he is proving he has what it takes to hang with the league's best.According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, head coach Lovie Smith said Marpet should benefit from getting first-team reps and going up against one of the league's best interior defensive linemen."For Ali, there is no better place for him," Smith said. "I mean, Gerald McCoy is on the other side. So he's having to get up to pace pretty quick. He did some good things out there today. I'm very pleased where he is. ... Definitely not too big for him."McCoy had his own praise for the rookie, saying Marpet has "all the makings to be a really good guard in this league," which is evident on this rep involving the two of them, courtesy of JoeBucsFan.com.Natural talent and work ethic were never the issue with Marpet, but it made sense to expect a sizable learning curve for a player coming from such a small college program. It's still early, but it looks like the rookie should be able to fill a starting role the Bucs desperately need to improve sooner rather than later.link