Ledyard’s “Way Too Early” Bucs’ 53-Man Roster Projection

Quarterbacks – 3
QB Jameis Winston
QB Ryan Griffin
QB Drew Stanton
Analysis: Winston is back, but it’s a better, more confident and more experienced team and coaching staff around him this season. The Bucs won’t ask him to do as much to win in 2020, but he will still need to cut down on the mistakes if this team is going to meet expectations.

Bucs RB Ronald Jones II – Photo by: Getty Images

Running Backs – 4
RB Ronald Jones II
RB Zack Moss
RB Dare Ogunbowale
RB T.J. Logan
Analysis: I’d expect Moss to get the lion’s share of the workload unless Jones shows up to camp ready to be the player everyone thought he could be as a rookie. That means his pass game prowess needs to be up to par as well, because whichever back can prove impactful in the passing game, that’ll be the one who plays the majority of snaps on Sundays.

Wide Receivers – 6
WR Mike Evans
WR Chris Godwin
WR Laviska Shenault
WR Demarcus Robinson
WR Justin Watson
WR Scotty Miller
Analysis: The Bucs really needed to get deeper at wide receiver heading into the offseason, and boy did they ever. Now I feel terrific about a top four of Evans, Godwin, Shenault and Robinson, while Watson and Miller continue to develop as capable options at the fifth and sixth spots. Probably the best receiving corps in the NFL.

Tight Ends – 3
TE Cameron Brate
TE Marcedes Lewis
TE Josiah Deguara
Analysis: Arians isn’t gonna use his tight ends a ton in the passing game, but Brate gives them that option against certain match-ups despite not being much of a blocker. Those responsibilities will fall to Lewis and Deguara, who will vastly improve the blocking of this group compared to where it was in 2019.

Bucs LT Donovan Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Offensive Line – 9
LT Donovan Smith
LG Ali Marpet
C Ryan Jensen
RG Logan Stenberg
RT Jedrick Wills
OT Demar Dotson
OG Alex Cappa
C/G Earl Watford
OL Jon Runyan
Analysis: Don’t look now, but it’s a much deeper and more talented offensive line room in Tampa Bay following the 2020 offseason. I believe loading up that unit is the team’s top priority (outside of quarterback) over the next few months, and adding Wills, Stenberg and Runyan through the draft while bringing back Dotson and Watford will help them be a much more dominant group this season.

Defensive Linemen – 6
DE McTelvin Agim
NT Vita Vea
DT Ndamukong Suh
NT Nick Williams
DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches
DE Jeremiah Ledbetter
Analysis: The addition of Williams should take some passing downs reps away from Suh, keeping him fresh. How quickly can Agim and Nunez-Roches contribute in that regard as well? It’s a passing league, and this group reflects that, but in a weak interior defensive line draft, the Bucs need their young depth to step up.

Outside Linebackers – 5
OLB Shaquil Barrett
OLB Jason Pierre-Paul
OLB Anthony Nelson
OLB Kenny Willekes
OLB Patrick O’Connor
Analysis: Lot of pressure on Nelson to develop and contribute after just 152 snaps as a rookie. Should be a good battle between he and Willekes for the no. 3 spot behind Barrett and JPP.

Inside Linebackers – 5
LB Devin White
LB Lavonte David
LB Kevin Minter
LB Jack Cichy
LB Noah Dawkins
Analysis: No surprises here, except maybe that Dawkins makes the squad. His 4.4 speed at linebacker doesn’t come along often, and Dawkins could have a future on special teams with a little development there.

Bucs CB Sean Murphy-Bunting – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Cornerbacks – 5
CB Carlton Davis
CB Jamel Dean
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
CB Aqib Talib
CB Jonathan Franklin
Analysis: The Bucs top three are set in Davis, Dean and Murphy-Bunting. After the play of Winston, how those three perform could be the biggest X-factor in the team’s season.

Safeties – 4
FS Tre Boston
SS Mike Edwards
FS Jordan Whitehead
SS D’Cota Dixon
Analysis: Boston steps in alongside Whitehead in a starting role for Tampa, while Edwards continues to be the coveted No. 3 safety/jack-of-all-trades defensive back that Todd Bowles loves. Don’t forget about Dixon either, as the Bucs were excited about him before an injury ended his rookie season before it began.

Special Teams – 3
K Matt Gay
P Bradley Pinion
LS Zach Triner
Analysis: No changes for the Bucs on special teams, as they hope Matt Gay can improve on a pretty solid season and become the stable kicker they’ve longed for in Tampa Bay.

What Do You Think?

Bucs QB Jameis Winston – Photo by: Getty Images

Did you like my Bucs Battle Plan for the 2020 offseason? Did you like the trades I made? Does it adequately address Tampa Bay’s needs? Which additions did you like best? Let me know what you think in the article comments section below.

Don’t forget to check out Scott Reynolds’ and Mark Cook’s Bucs Battle Plan for the 2020 offseason as well, so you can let them know who came in second and third place behind mine! You can read Scott’s here and Mark’s here. Matt Matera’s Bucs Battle Plan drops on Thursday and Taylor Jenkins’ Bucs Battle Plan on Friday.