FAB 2. 5 Bucs Camp Battles To Watch

Making it out to Bucs training camp this year, or just following the action on PewterReport.com? Either way, here is a look at five of the most important and compelling training camp battles to watch in Tampa Bay.

1. Kicker
Robert Aguayo and Nick Folk will duel it out in the headlining training camp battle this summer at One Buccaneer Place. After trading up into the second round to draft Aguayo, one of the most accurate kickers coming out of college football, the gamble by general manager Jason Licht failed as the Florida State prospect connected on just 71 percent of his field goals (22-of-31) and also missed two extra points.

Bucs K Roberto Aguayo – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Aguayo was essentially handed the job and didn’t have any competition last year as Connor Barth was released shortly after the draft. That didn’t serve the rookie well. This year, Aguayo has been put on notice. He has to out-perform Folk, an 11-year veteran, to keep his job. Folk began his career in Dallas, but moved on to the New York Jets in 2010 after three years with the Cowboys. Folk was released after seven years in New York despite connecting on 87.3 percent of his field goal attempts, which was the third-highest field goal percentage of his career.

Folk was 27-of-31 last year, but missed two extra points. He’s got an 81.3 percent career field goal percentage and is good from long range due to his above average leg strength. Aguayo connected on just 4-of-10 field goals from 40-49 yards and missed his lone attempt from beyond 50 yards. His longest successful field goal attempt is from 43 yards, and his range is a concern

When we last left Folk and Aguayo, the second-year kicker was perfect on the second-to-the-last-day of mini-camp, while Folk suffered a missed kick. But primarily it was neck-and-neck throughout the offseason. For Aguayo to keep the job he has to clearly beat out Folk, who has plenty of NFL experience, including kicking in the playoffs. If it’s close, I think the Bucs pick Folk. With the winner of this training camp clash winding up as this season’s leading scorer in Tampa Bay, this is easily the most important battle to keep an eye on in training camp.

2. Nickel Cornerback
The Bucs got “okay” play from nickel cornerbacks Jude Adjei-Barimah and Javien Elliott last year but want the team’s eventual starting nickel corner to take it up a notch and become a playmaker. Adjei-Barimah had a great offseason and training camp last year and was named the starter at the beginning of the 2016 campaign. Yet in two years he doesn’t have an interception – just two sacks, two passes defensed and a forced fumble from the 2017 season.

Bucs WR Adam Humphries and CB Javien Elliott – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

When Adjei-Barimah was suspended four games for PED usage, Elliott, a rookie undrafted free agent took over and played well in the final six games of the season. Like Adjei-Barimah, Elliott also failed to record an interception, and broke up only one pass in his playing time. The Bucs want tighter coverage and more takeaways from the nickel spot.

That’s why the Bucs signed veteran Robert McClain this offseason. He has played in Mike Smith’s scheme before in Atlanta (2012-14), and within the division for Carolina. Entering his seventh season, McClain brings a veteran presence to the nickel cornerback position that should only increase the competition.

It’s fair to say that this spot is entirely up for grabs heading into training camp. Adjei-Barimah might have the best blend of size and speed at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds. That will help him match up against teams that use bigger slot receivers, which is en vogue right now in the league. But McClain’s experience and Elliott’s savvy can’t be ruled out, either. And don’t forget about undrafted rookie Jonathan Moxey, who could be a dark horse if he gets a look inside. With Tampa Bay playing nickel defense about 65 percent of the time, this is a very important camp battle.

3. Safety
The Bucs were happy enough with their safety play to start Keith Tandy and the recently re-signed Chris Conte during the entire offseason. Yet Tampa Bay can’t feel too confident in that duo as it signed former Dallas safety J.J. Wilcox to a two-year deal worth $6.25 million ($3.125 million is guaranteed) and spent a second-round draft pick on Justin Evans.

Bucs S Justin Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Wilcox missed most of the offseason with an injury and Evans also missed time after being hurt halfway through the OTAs. While that set both newcomers back, there is plenty of time for them to make up ground in training camp. What’s tough to overcome is the experience Tandy and Conte have in Mike Smith’s defensive scheme, and that gives both holdovers the edge heading into camp.

Both Conte and Tandy came on in the second half of the season and combined for six interceptions and seven pass breakups over the last eight games of 2017 in which the Bucs went 6-2. Tandy had game-clinching interceptions in wins against New Orleans and at San Diego, and had two crucial picks in Tampa Bay’s 17-16 win over Carolina in the season finale. Conte had a pick-six to get the ball rolling in a 36-10 romp over Chicago, his former team, and had a critical end zone interception that set up the Bucs’ go-ahead score in a win at Kansas City.

It will be interesting to see how this battle plays out and if Wilcox, who is a heavy hitter in run support, or Evans, who is a fast, athletic, rangy pass defender, can beat out one of the Bucs veterans. Tandy is in a contract year and has shown more consistent playmaking ability, so he might be the toughest one to knock off. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tandy and Conte keep their jobs heading into the season, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Wilcox and Evans rose up and won them, either.

4. Strongside (Sam) Linebacker
Daryl Smith’s retirement created a vacancy for the starting strongside (Sam) linebacker position in Tampa Bay. What the 35-year old Smith lacked in speed and athleticism during his 13th season in the league and his only year with the Bucs he made up for in experience and intelligence. Smith’s replacement – either Devante Bond, last year’s sixth-round pick, or Kendell Beckwith, this year’s third-round selection – have the smarts to play the position, but certainly lack the experience as neither has played a down in the NFL.

Bucs LB Kendell Beckwith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bond has the advantage in that he knows Mike Smith’s scheme on paper from all of the film study and the classroom work he did last year while on injured reserve for a hamstring injury, but he only played in one preseason game as a rookie. Bond was the starter at the Sam spot during the OTAs and mini-camp while Beckwith sat out as he recovers from ACL surgery he had last November. That gives the 6-foot-1, 236-pound Bond the initial edge.

But Beckwith is expected to be cleared for training camp and will enter the competition right away. At 6-foot-3, 247 pounds, Beckwith is the biggest linebacker on Tampa Bay’s roster, and size does matter at the Sam position, which has to set the edge in a 4-3 under position when the strongside linebacker is at the line of scrimmage over the tight end. While Beckwith is bigger and has a higher draft value, Bond is faster, so it will be interesting to see how it shakes out.

Because the Bucs play so much nickel defense, especially in the pass-happy NFC South division that has quarterbacks likes Atlanta’s Matt Ryan, Carolina’s Cam Newton and New Orleans’ Drew Brees, the Sam linebacker is only on the field about 35-40 percent of the time. That’s key because whoever winds up as the starter will be an awfully green player with zero NFL experience.

5. Backup Running Back
Why is the backup running back position important? Because that player will be the starter for Tampa Bay for the first three games of the year while Doug Martin serves his suspension for PED use. Barring an injury or a real training camp surprise, that player will be Jacquizz Rodgers, who started five games last year and was the Bucs’ leading rusher with a career-high 560 yards and two touchdowns on 129 carries (4.3 avg.).

Bucs RB Peyton Barber – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR

But what Koetter needs to find in training camp is who will be Rodgers’ backup as the Bucs will likely use a one-two punch in the ground game while Martin misses the first three games of the season. The early leader is Peyton Barber, an undrafted free agent who rushed for 223 yards and scored a 44-yard touchdown on 55 carries (4.1 avg.) as a rookie last year. What the 5-foot-11, 225-pound Barber lacks in speed he makes up for in size and power, especially in short yardage and goal line situations.

Veteran Charles Sims is entering his contract year, but failed to make an impression as a runner when Martin sustained a hamstring injury in Week 2. He rushed for only 149 yards and one score in 51 carries (2.9 avg.) and might only be relegated to catching passes out of the backfield on third downs.

Barber’s main challenger for the spot behind Rodgers may be Jeremy McNichols, this year’s fifth-round pick out of Boise State. McNichols is 5-foot-9, 212 pounds and built like Martin with 4.49 speed in the 40-yard dash. He’s an excellent receiver out of the backfield and very good in pass protection, so he could challenge Sims for carries on third down early during his rookie career. McNichols is also a nifty runner, who topped 1,700 yards last year.

The only thing that could slow McNichols down is the fact that he’s coming off offseason shoulder surgery and he missed all of the on-field work during the mini-camps and OTAs. If McNichols is healthy and cleared for training camp, he could be the darkhorse in the race for a very important position in Tampa Bay – at least for the first three weeks.