SR’s Fab 5 is a collection of reporting and analysis on the Bucs from yours truly, Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds. Here are four things that caught my attention this week, plus some random tidbits in my Buc Shots section at the end. Enjoy!

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FAB 1. 5 Ways Jones Can Help The Bucs

The addition of new wide receiver Julio Jones instantly gives the Bucs the best receiving corps in the NFL. Teaming with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and former Falcons teammate Russell Gage, Jones becomes the league’s best No. 4 receiver. Here are five ways Jones will be able to help Tampa Bay’s offense thrive in 2022.

Drawing Favorable Matchups

Jones’ resume suggests he’ll still draw plenty of attention from defenses – even at age 33. But there is a good chance that when he’s on the field with the likes of Evans, Godwin and Gage, he’ll be in a favorable matchup. Evans and Godwin are still in their prime and more dangerous weapons at this stage of Jones’ career. That’s perfectly fine for Jones and the Bucs.

Teams will have to play more dime defense to get more speed on the field to be able to cover Evans, Godwin, Gage and Jones. That means somebody will likely draw a third- or a fourth-string cornerback in coverage. If it’s Jones, he still has enough quickness and speed to create separation, and at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, he can still outleap lesser DBs. And if Jones draws a No. 2 cornerback, that’s only creating a more favorable matchup for the likes of Evans, Godwin or Gage against a backup.

Forcing Teams To Play Zone

Bucs WR Julio Jones – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Jones said it during his initial press conference in Tampa Bay: Teams will have to play zone against the Bucs. To play man coverage against the likes of Evans, Godwin, Gage and Jones would be foolish. All four have proven they can win one-on-one battles. And at least one of them will be open against man coverage every time a defense decides to run it.

While man coverage would be more ideal for the Bucs to face given the veteran weaponry the team has at wide receiver, knowing that teams will play more zone coverage is actually a benefit. It will allow Byron Leftwich and Tom Brady to know what’s coming on a weekly basis so they can game plan for it. When teams eventually decide to mix in the blitz and switch to man coverage, all the better for Tampa Bay’s offense.

Being Available In January

One of the reasons why the Bucs signed Jones was to beef up the depth at wide receiver now rather than later. While Antonio Brown was available at midseason in 2020, there are rarely saviors on the street in November. When Tampa Bay had all of its receivers healthy in 2020, it won Super Bowl LV. But in 2019 and in 2021, the team’s receiving corps was depleted with injuries in those seasons and the offense sputtered down the stretch.

Where Jones can help the Bucs the most is not in September and October. It’s being available late in the season in the playoffs. Tampa Bay should use Jones sparingly during the regular season so his hamstring issues don’t resurface. If an injury sidelines Evans, Godwin or Gage in January, having a player like Jones available to start would be a huge upgrade over a player like Tyler Johnson.

Creating Light Boxes In The Run Game

Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs don’t typically have a lot of four-receiver sets in their scheme. And rarely does Tampa Bay run out of four-receiver looks, outside of the occasional draw. But this offseason, Leftwich was encouraged to think outside the box (and Bruce Arians’ playbook) and get more creative by head coach Todd Bowles. One way to do that is to not only deploy more four-receiver looks with Evans, Godwin, Gage and Jones, but then run the ball against light boxes.

Teams will have to play the Bucs in nickel or dime defense when facing their four-receiver looks. Having a big, 240-pound back that can move in Leonard Fournette running against lighter fronts is inviting. If defenses do play dime with six defensive backs and just one linebacker, it would be criminal if Fournette didn’t get some carries against those looks.

Be The Julio Of Old, Especially In The Red Zone

At age 33, Jones may not be the type of receiver to frequently produce 100-yard games anymore. And he may not be able to deliver catches of 40 yards or more like he did in his prime. But at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Jones still has a big body and great leaping ability.

That still makes him a threat in the end zone and a great replacement for tight end Rob Gronkowski. Although Evans was the team’s leading touchdown producer the last two seasons, Gronkowski caught the second-most TDs in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Jones doesn’t have to dominate between the 20s like he used to in his Falcons days earlier in his career. But if he can still dominate in the red zone playing opposite Evans, it will help ease the loss of Gronkowski this year.

FAB 2. 5 Bucs Camp Standouts

The Bucs have gone through a full week’s worth of training camp practices, including three days in full pads. There is a long way to go in August, but these five Bucs have made an early favorable impression to Pewter Report – and the Buccaneers.

WR Russell Gage

Bucs WR Russell Gage – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Gage has been just as good as advertised through the first full week of camp. Sporting an array of moves, he has gotten separation outside as well as inside playing the slot receiver. With Chris Godwin out and Mike Evans and Julio Jones missing a couple of practices due to veteran rest days, Gage has gotten plenty of work. He’s often been the primary receiver in practice, whether it’s for Tom Brady or Blaine Gabbert.

Gage has been hard to cover and has given the defense a run for its money. When he takes the field along with Evans, Godwin and possibly Jones, look out. Gage won’t draw the opponent’s top defender, and will make defenses pay as a result.

WR Jaelon Darden

We’ve sung his praises before last summer, only to be disappointed when the preseason and regular season arrived. But this year is different for Darden. He has a much better understanding of the playbook. That includes the choice routes that are prevalent in the Bucs offense.

Last year proved to be a big leap from North Texas to the NFL. This year, Darden is playing faster, running better routes and is catching the ball with greater regularity. He has the inside track on the return specialist job, which helps his chances of making the 53-man roster. Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson and rookie Deven Thompkins have all had their bright spots in practice, too.

OLB Shaquil Barrett

A lot of noise is being made about the improvement of Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, and rightfully so. JTS is having a great camp. But Barrett has just been excellent against both the run and the pass so far in camp. Barrett and Tryon-Shoyinka have the ability to rush from either side. But when Jason Pierre-Paul was with the Bucs, he preferred rushing from the right side.

That meant that the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Barrett spent more time battling hulking right tackles in 2021. Last year, Barrett spent more time rushing from the right side and that helped him get to 10 sacks and back to the Pro Bowl. In 2019, 13 of Barrett’s 19.5 sacks came from the quarterback’s blind side. That included five of his six forced fumbles. Barrett is already poised for another big year.

FS Logan Ryan

Bucs DB Logan Ryan – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Having a savvy veteran like Ryan has allowed Todd Bowles to be even more creative on defense. Ryan has mostly played free safety, and that has allowed Antoine Winfield Jr. to play more in the slot against receivers and tight ends. That puts Winfield closer to the line of scrimmage, where Bowles can deploy him as a blitzer, too.

Ryan can also play some slot cornerback. That allows Bowles to disguise some coverages with Winfield playing back at free safety. Ryan is a film junkie who has already learned the Bucs’ defense. He also has plenty of wisdom to impart to the other younger members of Tampa Bay’s secondary.

RB Leonard Fournette

Fournette has done a great job of getting into shape for training camp. He’s a naturally big player who worked hard to shed pounds over the summer. Bowles has already declared Fournette to be in game shape, and he certainly looks like it. Conditioning hasn’t been an issue, and Fournette looks as fast and as explosive as ever.

The Bucs have given indications that they’ll be running the ball more in 2022. And that looks to be the case so far in camp. At $7 million per season, Tampa Bay will want to get its money worth out of Fournette. Veteran Giovani Bernard might have the initial inside track for the No. 2 running back job. But Fournette will remain the Bucs’ three-down feature back again this year. If he stays healthy, Fournette should rush for 1,000 yards.

FAB 3. 5 Bucs Players Who Need To Step Up

The first week of training camp is in the books. There is still plenty of time left to make a favorable impression on the Bucs’ brass, but these five players need to step it up as the second full week of camp begins.

C Robert Hainsey

Bucs C Robert Hainsey and RG Shaq Mason – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Hainsey really struggled in Tuesday’s practice and got chewed out by assistant head coach Harold Goodwin. He had a bad snap and had a few rough reps against Vita Vea. But then, the second-year center bounced back on Wednesday with a nearly flawless practice. Hainsey was so good that nobody noticed him, which is typically the sign of good offensive line play. Usually, when offensive linemen get noticed, it’s for holding or a false start, or giving up a sack.

Now it’s time for Hainsey to start stringing some nearly flawless practices together and show more consistency. The Bucs plan on rolling with him and Nick Leverett this year at the center position. Much to some fans’ dismay, they don’t plan on signing veteran J.C. Tretter, as the team wasn’t as impressed with his film last year as Pro Football Focus apparently was. Hainsey needs to reward Tampa Bay’s confidence in him by really stepping up in August.

QB Kyle Trask

After a redshirt year during his rookie season, Trask is now on the clock. There is a sense of urgency in Year 2. Trask needs to prove to the Bucs organization that he can be a viable option to start in 2023 if Tom Brady moves on or retires. He doesn’t necessarily have to prove that he’s going to be the starter. But he has to be in the mix to compete to be the starter as early as 2023.

That means he needs to beat out Blaine Gabbert for the No. 2 job in camp and in the preseason this year. On days when Brady takes a veteran day off, Trask becomes the No. 2 QB. He gets extended reps and needs to make the most of them. Wednesday was an ugly practice for Trask, with a pair of back-to-back interceptions in the end zone and two more INTs that were dropped. Trask needs to bounce back and eliminate the turnovers from his game ASAP.

WR Breshad Perriman

Perriman started off camp with some good days and made a big splash by connecting with Tom Brady on a bomb. The veteran used his blazing speed to outrun safety Logan Ryan to haul in a deep touchdown. But on Monday, Perriman pulled up with a leg injury – perhaps a hamstring. It doesn’t appear to be too serious, but Perriman can’t afford to miss much time.

The arrival of Julio Jones means there are only 2-3 receiver spots left on the 53-man roster. Perriman is fighting with Tyler Johnson, Scotty Miller, Cyril Grayson Jr., Jaelon Darden, Deven Thompkins and Jerreth Sterns for one of those spots. He needs to get well in a hurry. It will likely come down to special teams ability for the final receiver positions, and Perriman hasn’t really carved out a niche there yet.

CB Jamel Dean

Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Dean entered training camp as the No. 2 right cornerback behind Sean Murphy-Bunting. That was a bit of a surprise, as Dean held that starting role outside last year. The Bucs appear to have given up on Murphy-Bunting playing in the slot after he struggled there last season. Is the team just giving SMB one final look with the first team outside to see if he’s actually starter material? Or has Dean slipped and he’s really behind Murphy-Bunting?

Either way, Dean needs to play better and win back that starting job in camp and in the preseason. He can do that by making more plays on the ball. On Monday, he blanketed Darden in the end zone and dropped what should have been a 100-yard pick-6 from Trask. But on Wednesday, Dean bounced back and had a leaping interception in the end zone against Trask. Then, he started off Friday morning’s practice with another pick. Those are the plays he needs to make on the regular.

FS Mike Edwards

Edwards’ best trait as a defensive back is his ability to pick off passes. He’s entering a contract year and is being given the opportunity to start for the first time, replacing Jordan Whitehead. It’s not as if Edwards has had a bad start to camp. But he needs to show off his instincts and his hands with a few interceptions. He didn’t record a single INT through the first week of camp despite plenty of reps with the first team.

Edwards isn’t known for his physicality. And the Bucs signed Keanu Neal this offseason to be an enforcer in the running game. Not only does Edwards need to show up as good, sound tackler, but he needs to be a ballhawk. If he doesn’t show off his ability to create takeaways, he may lose more reps to Neal – or even the starting safety job.

FAB. 4 5 Things To Look For vs. Miami

The Bucs are scheduled to host the Dolphins for a pair of joint practices next week prior to the preseason opener. Here are five things Pewter Report will be watching closely when Miami comes to town.

Trask To See Plenty Of Work

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs need to find out if Kyle Trask can be a future starter in Tampa Bay. That means he’ll need to play a lot in the preseason games. But with only three exhibition games instead of four like the old days, both Trask and the Bucs will need to make great use of the upcoming joint practice sessions.

The Bucs have joint practices against both the Dolphins and the Titans this August. Trask is expected to play a lot in both the games and in the joint practice sessions. He needs to keep the turnovers to a minimum and keep being decisive with the ball when facing a new opponent and new defensive looks.

Can Bucs DBs Keep Up With Hill?

Tyreek Hill got the best of the Bucs secondary with over 200 yards and three touchdowns in the 2020 regular season. But Tampa Bay got revenge in Super Bowl LV, keeping Hill in check by playing a healthy dose of Cover 2. Now Hill, regarded as the fastest receiver in football, is a member of the Dolphins and will be Miami’s deep threat.

Will Todd Bowles elect to play some man coverage to see if Jamel Dean or a young speedster like Zyon McCollum can keep up with Hill in practice? Or will he seek to limit Hill’s big-play ability with a lot of 2 deep zone coverage? It will be interesting to see which cornerback – outside of Carlton Davis III – can matchup with Hill the best.

How Bucs Left Guards Battle vs. Wilkins

Not only are the Bucs breaking in a new center in Robert Hainsey due to Ryan Jensen’s knee injury, they’re still trying to find a starting left guard. No one has run away with the job yet. Aaron Stinnie, Brandon Walton and Nick Leverett have all taken turns as the starter in practice. The one candidate who hasn’t started yet is second-round pick Luke Goedeke. That might not happen until the joint practices are over.

But whoever is taking turns at left guard against Miami will have to face Christian Wilkins, a former first-round pick in 2019. Wilkins had a career-high 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble last year. He seems poised for a breakout year entering his fourth season with the Dolphins. At 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, Wilkins will prove to be a challenge due to his combination of size, strength and quickness. He will be a good measuring stick for the left guard candidates.

How Hainsey/Leverett Fare vs. Davis

Bucs C Robert Hainsey and NT Vita Vea – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Pro Bowl nose tackle Vita Vea gives Bucs centers Robert Hainsey and Leverett a great look in practice. At around 345 pounds, Vea is a massive man with superior strength. He’s an absolute juggernaut up front. Most game days should be easier for Hainsey or Leverett after facing Vea in practice.

Yet Miami has a massive man in the middle, too. Dolphins nose tackle Raekwon Davis is 6-foot-7, 335 pounds. He’s a few inches taller than Vea and has a longer reach. So he’ll pose a different kind of challenge for Hainsey and Leverett in practice when the Dolphins come to town.

Can Bucs Defense Create INTs vs. Tua?

The goal for Bowles and Tampa Bay is to create 47 sacks and 35 takeaways on defense each year. The Bucs did notch 47 sacks last season, but came up short in the takeaway department with only 29. Tampa Bay had 17 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. The Bucs will need to double their interception output from a year ago to achieve their takeaway goal in in 2022.

The Bucs didn’t play Tua Tagovailoa during the regular season. He was out with an injury and Tampa Bay faced Jacoby Brissett instead in the Bucs’ 45-17 win. Tagovailoa had 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions during the regular season last year. Can the Bucs secondary be more opportunistic and generate a handful of picks in the joint practices? And can Tampa Bay’s pass rush help by generating pressure and forcing Tagovailoa into some errant throws?

FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• OLD MAN TOM, PART I: Tom Brady turned 45 this week and Pewter Report gave the GOAT a birthday shout-out on Twitter.

• OLD MAN TOM, PART II: Bucs running back Leonard Fournette commissioned a baker to bake a realistic looking goat head on a cake for Tom Brady, who turned 45 on Wednesday.

• OLD MAN TOM, PART III: Fox Sports, which will be Tom Brady’s next employer, noted that there are 12 head coaches in the NFL younger than the 45-year old Bucs QB.

THIS WEEK’S PEWTER REPORT PODCASTS

• BUCS CAMP COVERAGE ON THE PEWTER REPORT PODCAST: The Pewter Report Podcast is energized by CELSIUS and broadcasts four live episodes each week. Bucs training camp kicked off this week and the Pewter Report staff was on hand to cover all the action. Next week’s schedule will feature PR Podcasts on Tuesday (Mark Cook tribute), Wednesday and Thursday (Bucs vs. Dolphins practices).

There will be a new Pewter Report Podcast on Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. following practice.

Matt Matera, Scott Reynolds and Kasey Hudson talked about how the Bucs’ bubble players shined on Monday, and discussed Tom Brady’s press conference.

Matera and Hudson analyzed Tuesday’s practice and delved into the fallout from the Tom Brady-Dolphins tampering issue.

It was a rough day for Bucs QB Kyle Trask on Wednesday as Reynolds, Matera and Hudson broke down practice.

Watch the Pewter Report Podcasts live on our PewterReportTV channel on YouTube.com and please subscribe (it’s free) and add your comments. We archive all Pewter Report Podcasts. So, you can watch the recorded episodes if you missed them live.

There is no better time to listen to or watch a new Pewter Report Podcast – energized by CELSIUS – than Friday afternoon on the way home from work. Or early Saturday morning during your workout or while running errands.

The popularity of the Pewter Report Podcast continues to grow. In addition to listening to the Pewter Report Podcasts on PewterReport.com, you can also subscribe to the free podcasts at PodBean by clicking here and on SoundCloud by clicking here. And of course, the Pewter Report Podcast is also available on iTunes and YouTube. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode.

FINAL VIDEO

• DOES JULIO STILL HAVE IT? New Bucs receiver Julio Jones struggled with hamstring issues in his lone season with the Titans last year. Jones only caught one touchdown, but did average 14 yards per catch in Tennessee in what was a down year for him in 2021. Does Jones still got it age 33? Watch last year’s highlights and gauge for yourself.

If the video doesn’t play due to restrictions from the NFL, just click it to watch it on YouTube.