Bucs DT Elijah Roberts – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Pewter Report’s Camp Diary series, a popular training camp exclusive feature on PewterReport.com, returns in 2025. We are excited to have two very intriguing players to profile in veteran tight end Payne Durham and rookie defensive lineman Elijah Roberts due to the unfortunate season-injury to outside linebacker David Walker, the Bucs’ fourth-round pick. Walker was originally going to be Pewter Report’s defensive rookie subject.

Durham is the Bucs’ backup tight end behind Cade Otton and serves primarily as a blocker in 12 personnel (two-tight end sets). He scored his first two NFL touchdowns at the end of the 2024 season and enters his third year in Tampa Bay trying to fend off Devin Culp for the TE2 duties. Payne has quite a personality, and Pewter Report readers will love getting to know one of the hidden gems in the Bucs locker room.

Roberts comes to Tampa Bay after a stellar two-year career at SMU where he was one of the nation’s top pass rushers in college football. Now Roberts is transitioning from an edge rusher for the Mustangs to a defensive tackle for the Buccaneers. Get to know Roberts, who will get plenty of playing time in his first preseason – and could pile up the sacks as a result.

Other Roberts Camp Diary installment:

Elijah Roberts Camp Diary: We Can Use This Heat To Our Advantage

Elijah Roberts Camp Diary

Elijah Roberts had 131 pressures over the last two seasons at SMU, which ranked No. 1 in the FBS. His range was inconsistent when working off contact against the run, but he certainly holds his own at the point of attack. And while power is the focal point of his game, he has good short-area quickness, which helps him against the run, too. He was a Second Team All-AAC selection in 2023, a season that saw him post 10 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed. Then, after SMU made the move to the ACC in 2024, he finished his career in Dallas with 7.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a pass defensed.

It Was Crazy To Get My First Bucs Sack

By Elijah Roberts as told to Scott Reynolds

It was great knowing that I made the team, but it’s far from over. It’s far from my end goal. This is just the beginning. I soaked it in for like two seconds and now it’s, “Let’s work!”

Nobody let me know I made the team. I found out by not getting a call. It was a good no-call! I showed up for work and they didn’t send me home. When your key card still works it’s a good sign!

It was crazy to get my first Bucs sack in the Buffalo game. It was good! C.J. Brewer helped out a lot on that play. He let me know that I had the one-on-one and I then I had to do what I had to do. All of the vets have been helping me out a lot – C.J., Greg [Gaines], Calijah [Kancey], Vita [Vea] and Logan [Hall]. All of those guys have been helping me out with my sets, learning what to expect from offenses. That’s kind of what took over in that play and allowed me to get that sack.

Bucs DT Elijah Roberts – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Coming from defensive end where I was playing outside on the edge, the game is slowing down for me inside for sure. It was a lot faster when I first got here and started playing D-tackle. I played on the edge so much that playing inside it’s so much about pad level, footwork, your hands. I’m a taller dude, a longer dude. So when I take my first step, I can’t be too tall. I have to play shorter than I was on the edge. I have to put it all together so I can be a dominant inside player. It’s definitely slowed down for me for sure.

I can’t get enough reps inside right now. I need them so I’ll take as many as they will give me. It’s never enough reps for me moving into the interior part of the line. I needed to play in all three of these preseason games. Coach is throwing me out there to give me as many reps as possible. It’s never enough to really see all the looks that I need to see against all the different blocks – the guard pulls, the double-teams, outside pullers, the pass block sets. Playing inside, it’s all about the small things: footwork, trying to stay low and not trying to play like I’m 6-4 –instead trying to play like I’m 6-2 or 6-1. That’s what I’m working.

Elijah Roberts On The Move From SMU DE To Bucs DT

I’m a good pass rusher, but I really need to work on stopping the run inside. That’s what I’ve really been working on. The vets have really been helping me with the run game. At times I overthink it and try to do 100 things, but they tell me not to overthink it and to slow down. Eyes, feet, hands – it’s really simple.

Sometimes my eyes are in the backfield too early and I’m getting pushed back. Sometimes my feet are coming at the same time with my hands. Sometimes my hands aren’t coming as fast as they need to be.

Bucs DT Elijah Roberts and Steelers QB Skylar Thompson – Photo by: USA Today

When you’re on the edge, you have the freeway to do that differently – you have more space between you and the tackle. Inside, you’ve got to be on point every play. It happens so much faster inside. You don’t know if the guard is coming at you, or the center, or if you’re going to be doubled, or if the tackle is coming down on you. Your hands and feet can’t miss.

I feel great, my confidence is high. I’m my biggest critic, so when I watch my tape I critique myself a lot. I’m super hard on myself, but I do feel great right now. However I can help the team, whether it’s on special teams or on defense – I’ll do it.

Bucs Rookie Class Is Special

What did Tez Johnson have like 20 catches in the game? Tez comes with a lot of juice and a lot of energy – on and off the field. He’s a juice guy and I’m happy for him. He battled a tiny little hamstring injury in camp and he’s back and that’s good to see. It’s good to see how he can be used as a returner and catching those in the flat out of the backfield, those little slants and stop routes. You just have to give him the ball and he can make plays.

I saw his backflip on the Jumbotron. That was crazy to do in full gear. To do a backflip in full pads and get as high as he did? That was crazy! He’s such a small guy but he plays like he’s 200 pounds. He’s a tough son of a gun.

Bucs WR Tez Johnson – Photo by: USA Today

Emeka [Egbuka] is different. He looks like he’s a 10-year vet right now, but this whole rookie class has been great. I think this rookie class is special. [Jacob] Parrish has played great, too.

Us rookies are locked in. The guys who were the rookies last year are the main guys helping us. You’ve got the Bucky Irvings and the Graham Bartons – they’ve been great in helping our rookie class get up to speed so quickly. The vets, too – guys like Calijah are helping me. Before the [Bills] game, Calijah came to me because he saw I was in my head a little too much. He told me to let the game come to me and do what I do, which is make plays.

Todd Bowles Plays Rookies With Veteran Starters In Practice

Coach [Todd] Bowles does a great job of mixing up our lineups in practice. He’ll play the starting outside linebackers with the rookie defensive tackles and stuff like that. That way when a new guy like me has to play with the starters we’re ready for that moment. I think it’s good because every linebacker is different, every outside linebacker is different and every D-lineman is different.

Bucs DT Elijah Roberts – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It’s great playing with different guys because you’re getting different communication. It’s all good. It’s great for a guy like me to be in there with Voss (SirVocea Dennis) and Lavonte [David] and then also with a rookie like [John] Bullock. I feel like it helps the defense out to be in there with guys like Haason [Reddick], so if I have to go into a game with the starters I’ve been in there and done that before in practice. It won’t be a shock playing with those guys.

Week 1 in Atlanta is going to be crazy. The games count for real now and I’ll be ready if my number is called. Hopefully the moment won’t be too big for me. I’ve played football my whole life and there’s never been a moment that is too big for me yet. I’ve never been in a first NFL game before, on the road what a big crowd. It will be nice. It will be a blessing. I have a lot of gratitude right now and I’m happy to be where I am. When my number is called it’s just “Go!”

Follow Elijah Roberts On X: @E1ijahRoberts

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