FAB 4. 5 Bucs Camp Questions

As we conclude this 2017 Bucs Training Camp Preview edition of SR’s Fab 5, here are five key questions – and answers.

Which Buccaneer Returning From IR Will Make The Biggest Impact?
The easy answer is right guard J.R. Sweezy because he will be an every down starter at right guard, but don’t rule out the impact that defensive end Jacquies Smith could have. Smith, Tampa Bay’s second-leading sacker from 2014-15, had seven sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble return for a touchdown in ’15 before tearing his ACL in the first quarter of the season opener last year.

Bucs RT Demar Dotson and DE Jacquies Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs envisioned the speedy Smith at left end on obvious passing downs, rushing opposite Noah Spence, last year’s second-round pick, with Gerald McCoy and Robert Ayers, Jr. inside in Mike Smith’s nickel rush package. Now that lineup can see the field if Smith indeed returns to full strength in training camp.

Remember that Smith led the Bucs in preseason sacks last year with three in four games before being lost for the year due to his knee injury. Smith is in a contract year as a restricted free agent, which could mean that he will go all out and not think twice about playing it safe with his knee because he really can’t afford to. When healthy, Smith has the ability to become a 10-sack guy in the NFL.

Which Undrafted Free Agent Stands The Best Chance Of Making The Team This Year?
Because of the amount of talent that general manager Jason Licht has acquired over the last four years it is becoming harder and harder for undrafted free agents to make Tampa Bay’s 53-man roster. Last year the number was six as running back Peyton Barber, fullback-tight end Alan Cross, offensive tackle Leonard Wester, cornerback Javien Elliott and defensive linemen DaVonte Lambert and Channing Ward made the Bucs after an impressive training camp and preseason. In past years, players like wide receiver Adam Humphries and right tackle Demar Dotson won roster spots out of training camp as undrafted free agents.

Bucs TE Antony Auclair – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

This year’s number may be only three or four rather than six due to another solid draft class by Licht and some talented free agent additions, and that’s a good thing. Cornerback Jonathan Moxey, defensive end Evan Panfil and linebackers Richie Brown and Riley Bullough will be interesting to watch on defense, while the offensive tackle position has a guy or two that may follow in Wester’s footsteps in Korren Kirven and Cole Gardner. But the best bet is Canadian tight end Antony Auclair from Laval.

Veterans Cameron Brate and Luke Stocker are locks to make the team. O.J. Howard is also a lock given his talent and first-round draft status. Dirk Koetter loves the tight end position and kept five last year with Stocker and Cross doubling as fullbacks. The Bucs will keep at least four tight ends this year. The 6-foot-5, 256-pound Auclair is a mix between Stocker and Brate as he can block and catch. With Stocker entering his seventh season, finding his eventual replacement is important as he plays a vital role in the success of the run game as an edge blocker. As long as he can play special teams Auclair seems poised to win the fourth tight end spot on the depth chart heading into camp – perhaps at Cross’ expense.

Will Tampa Bay Keep Three Quarterbacks?
With Mike Glennon departing to Chicago via free agency, the Bucs were concerned that Jameis Winston’s new backup, Ryan Griffin, has never thrown a pass in an NFL regular season game. That prompted Licht to sign veteran and former starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to serve as Winston’s backup. With two years worth of development in Griffin, that begs the question, will the Bucs keep three QBs?

Bucs QB Ryan Fitzpatrick – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I believe the answer is yes – unless Fitzpatrick has a great training camp and preseason and has a firm grasp on Koetter’s playbook, while Griffin struggles in the preseason games. If that’s the case, the Bucs might very well just keep Fitzpatrick and cut Griffin in September, or move him to the practice squad and get rid of his $1.797 million 2017 salary as a restricted free agent. Then the Bucs would have just two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.

The way the Bucs keep three is if Griffin shines in camp and in the preseason and earns the backup job – or at least finishes neck and neck with Fitzpatrick in September. Yet because of Griffin’s inexperience, Tampa Bay would likely be inclined to keep the 34-year old Fitzpatrick around because it gave him a $1.25 million signing bonus and would prefer to have an experienced quarterback fill in for Winston if he was lost due to injury for an extended period of time. So basically, the Bucs’ decision to keep three quarterbacks will largely fall on the shoulders of Griffin and if he earns a spot with stellar play rather than how Fitzpatrick performs.

Who Will Be The Star Of Bucs Training Camp On Offense?
Despite not being able to play in the first three games of the 2016 season due to a PED suspension, Doug Martin is in the best shape of his career and is playing like his job is on the line. In some ways it is because Martin’s suspension voided the guaranteed money in his contract. After a tremendous offseason Martin enters training camp as the clear-cut feature back on the Bucs roster – and it’s not even close right now.

Bucs RB Doug Martin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The last time Martin looked this good and ran this fast was prior to the 2015 season, which was his contract year – a year in which he rushed for 1,402 yards and made his second Pro Bowl. Perhaps it was because he secured a long-term extension, but for whatever reason, Martin didn’t look as in shape and as quick and determined last summer as he did in 2015 and he looks right now. That’s a great thing for the Buccaneers.

The only downer is that he won’t be available for the first three games of the season. Yet Martin seems determined to make sure he has the starting job locked up in Week 4 when he returns by having a dynamite training camp. If he can stay healthy and pick up from where he left off in June, Martin stands to have a standout month of August at One Buccaneer Place.

Who Will Be The Star Of Bucs Training Camp On Defense?
Coming off a season in which he was the NFL’s fourth-leading tackler (145) and leading solo tackler (108), middle linebacker Kwon Alexander seems to be just scratching the surface. In his first full season after missing the final four games of his rookie campaign due to a PED suspension, Alexander put up some amazing numbers in the first year in Mike Smith’s defensive scheme. With a year’s worth of experience in Smith’s system and two years worth of playing in the NFL, Alexander will become a more instinctive middle linebacker in 2017 and truly be able to maximize his athletic gifts.

Bucs MLB Kwon Alexander – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

This year we can expect even more monster games like he had against Atlanta (17 tackles, one sack) and Dallas (21 tackles, one forced fumble) last year because Alexander will be doing less thinking and more reacting. That will mean more havoc caused for opposing offenses and that could lead him close to 200 tackles in 2017. Aside from more tackles, Alexander will be making more plays on the ball. After recording nine pass breakups and two interceptions as a rookie, the LSU product had just seven pass breakups and one INT last year, but that lone pick was returned for his first NFL touchdown.

Alexander has spent the most time working on his pass drops and his hands this offseason and has caught thousands of balls from the JUGGS machine. Alexander made great strides in this area during the OTAs and in the mini-camp, so expect him to make plenty of plays in the passing game in training camp. Alexander has also stepped up and become even more of a vocal leader, and fans will also notice that in camp. Expect Alexander to break through and become a truly complete linebacker this year.