FAB 2. Bucs’ Practice Squad Prediction

If the 53 players that I’ve listed in my final Bucs’ 53-Man Roster Prediction are accurate, than most of the players Tampa Bay will cut could wind up on the 16-player practice squad. The NFL and the NFL Players Association agreed to an expanded practice squad of 16 players this year to help teams deal with any COVID-19 issues that may arise during the season. Teams can begin to sign players to assemble their practice squad at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 6 – one hour after the waiver claim period ends.

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The increased size of the practice squad isn’t the only new thing for 2020. There are some new stipulations for NFL teams’ practice squads after the roster cut-down to 53 takes place on Saturday, September 5. Teams may promote up to two players from their practice squads to increase the game-day roster from 53 players to 55, but only 48 can be active. This helps a team in case there is a last-minute illness or injury, and any practice squad player that was promoted would revert to the practice squad roster following the game.

As of 4:00 p.m. ET each Tuesday, NFL teams can protect four practice squad players from being signed away by other teams. Those protected four players can change on a weekly basis as the team sees fit.

“Here’s the thing that makes it tricky [signing a guy off the practice squad on a Tuesday],” said Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane. “If we went to go get someone off a practice squad, as the rules are right now obviously things can change, but that’s going to be a five-day entry to get them in our building (due to COVID-19 testing). So, you claim a guy on Monday, he’s mostly going to be virtually meeting with you until the end of the week. So he may not have a live practice with your team that week. Just as it stands now, just to get them in the building. It’s like a re-entry whether it’s a free agent, whatever. It’s that test day one, test day two, off day three, test day four. So all of those are going to have to [have] negative tests before they can enter our facility.”

The last caveat to the practice squad changes is that teams can carry up to six veterans on the practice squad – albeit at practice squad prices. Players with two accrued years in the NFL or less would get paid $8,400 per week, while veterans with more than two accrued years would make $12,000 per week.

Now let’s take a look at which Buccaneers from training camp might land on Tampa Bay’s 16-player practice squad at the start of the 2020 season.

OFFENSE

QB Reid Sinnett
RB Raymond Calais
WR Tyler Johnson
WR John Hurst
TE Codey McElroy
G Aaron Stinnie

Bucs RB Raymond Calais – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Analysis: The Bucs keep 26 offensive players on the 53-man roster, so they’ll only have six offensive players on the practice squad. Sinnett sticks around because he knows the system, has a good arm and has gotten positive reviews from the Bucs’ brass for his limited camp performance. Calais needs more time to develop as a kick returner and a running back, but his speed allows him to stick around. Hurst was impressive before a sprained ankle at the end of camp, while Johnson, the team’s fifth-round pick, missed most of the two weeks worth of padded practices due to a soft tissue injury. Johnson is way behind and isn’t ready to contribute yet, nor has he earned a roster spot. McElroy edges Tanner Hudson for a practice squad spot due to his bigger frame and better blocking ability. Stinnie is a third-year pro that was narrowly beaten out by undrafted free agent John Molchon. The Bucs like both guards, but one must head to the practice squad.

DEFENSE

DT Kyle Love
DT Benning Potoa’e
DE Jeremiah Ledbetter
ILB Noah Dawkins
OLB Michael Divinity
OLB Cam Gill
CB Mazzi Wilkins
S D’Cota Dixon
S Javon Hagan

Bucs DT Benning Potoa’e – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Analysis: The Bucs defense has a few more players on the practice squad due to special teams. Love is a veteran, but Khalil Davis, the team’s sixth-round pick, has been impressive in camp and has way more upside. Davis gets the nod for the 53-man roster, but Love gets promoted to the active roster if he falters or there is an injury at nose tackle. Potoa’e is a high-motor three-technique defensive tackle than can also play defensive end in a pinch. Ledbetter is edged out by Patrick O’Connor for a roster spot mainly due to special teams and O’Connor’s improvement on defense, but Ledbetter can fill in at defensive end if there is an injury. Dawkins provides depth at inside linebacker and can play special teams, while Divinity and Gill are undrafted free agents with upside as potential pass rushers. Wilkins knows the Bucs defense, so he sticks at cornerback, while Dixon can play safety and nickel cornerback and offers versatility there. Hagan impressed at safety at the end of training camp and is worth keeping around and developing.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K Matt Gay

Analysis: Yes, the Bucs should go into the 2020 campaign with two kickers – Elliott Fry on the 53-man roster and Gay, who was the team’s kicker last year – on the practice squad. Fry and Gay were up and down during training camp and whoever sticks as the game day kicker will come down to the wire. The hunch here is that it’s Fry, but keeping Gay around in case he falters makes sense.

The Buccaneers likely won’t have all 16 practice squad spots filled by their own players from this summer’s training camp. Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht and his scouting staff will scour the waiver wire and probably grab a player or two from other teams’ roster cuts to comprise the 16-player practice squad, but it’s impossible to predict who those players will be – especially without the benefit of watching players across the league in preseason games due to their cancellation from the COVID-19 pandemic.