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!

Here are my thoughts and observations on all of the players from the first week of Bucs training camp.

FAB 1. Bucs Skill Positions

Tampa Bay’s offense is wide receiver-driven, and it’s stacked at the position. But the running back room and tight end position have been bolstered by new additions, too.

Quarterbacks

QB Tom Brady
Brady still throws one of the best deep balls and has had a hot start to camp. He doesn’t look or play like he’s going to turn 45, nor does Brady look like he is contemplating retirement in the back of his mind.

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

QB Blaine Gabbert
Gabbert has been Gabbert. Makes a few spectacular throws, and makes a few he wishes he had back. Can he hang on to the No. 2 QB job again this year? Possibly. It depends more on how Kyle Trask fares than anything.

QB Kyle Trask
Trask looks better than he did a year ago. He’s more decisive and quicker with his set up and release. This is a big preseason for him for 2023 and beyond. He’ll need to win the backup job this year to make the organization have confidence in him as a potential starter. Trask is making strides but the preseason games will be huge for him.

QB Ryan Griffin
He’ll be the practice squad quarterback again and rarely takes snaps in camp practices outside of individual drills.

Running Backs

RB Leonard Fournette
Fournette came to camp in great shape and is easily the best running back on the team. He looks quick and powerful and is catching the ball as good as ever out of the backfield. With any weight concerns behind him, Fournette is off to a great start in camp.

RB Giovani Bernard
Bernard has received more reps in the first week of practice than he did a year ago. That’s because of the departure of Ronald Jones II. If the season started today Bernard might be the No. 2 back. The veteran is healthy and still electric with the ball in his hands in space.

RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn
This is the best version of Vaughn we’ve seen as he enters his third year in Tampa Bay. He’s catching the ball better and knows the offense inside and out. But does Vaughn have enough physical talent to win the No. 2 RB job? That’s not likely unless Bernard or Rachaad White falter.

RB Rachaad White
The rookie has been eased in camp with more reps going to Fournette, Bernard and Vaughn so far. White has done a better job catching the ball than he has as a between-the-tackles runner. Once he dons the pads we’ll find out how physical White is as a runner.

RB Kenjon Barner
Barner has had a good start to camp. Like White, he’s a better receiver than a runner at this point in time. He’s more quick than fast, and will have to win the return specialist job to make the roster. Barner seems destined for the practice squad.

Wide Receivers

WR Mike Evans
In excellent shape, pencil Evans in for another 1,000-yard season if he stays healthy. Evans hasn’t lost a step and has just gotten even craftier and more precise as a route runner.

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

WR Chris Godwin
Godwin didn’t practice the first week. The team is being cautious about his return to action, but he did pass the team physical to avoid being placed on the PUP list.

WR Russell Gage
Gage got better as the week went on. He’s getting more comfortable in the offense and his rapport with Brady is growing with each practice. Gage is a quick and crafty route runner with good hands. So far he’s as good as advertised.

WR Julio Jones
He only practiced with the Bucs twice during the first week. But the 6-foot-3, 220-pound receiver still moves well at age 33. His cuts are razor sharp for such a big man, and Jones’ hands are still top-notch. He’s the best No. 4 receiver in the league. Jones will be a huge addition in Tampa Bay if he stays healthy.

WR Cyril Grayson, Jr.
Grayson seems to be picking up from where he left off last year. It’s clear that he has the trust of Brady and Gabbert given the number of targets he’s received in practice. Grayson is quick, fast and displays improved hands.

WR Breshad Perriman
Perriman has made some big plays in camp, but needs to be more consistent running routes and getting open. He’s in the mix for a roster spot because of his size and speed. But Perriman disappears too often in practice and isn’t targeted as much as other receivers.

WR Jaelon Darden
The second-year receiver had a strong first week catching the ball. Darden still makes some mental mistakes that he needs to clean up, but the big thing he needs to show is that his level of play doesn’t drop off when the pads come on. Darden is very much in the mix for the return specialist job as well.

Bucs WR Deven Thompkins – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

WR Deven Thompkins
The rookie has had a sizzling start to camp and has shown great hands and playmaking ability. Thompkins is a smart player with a good football I.Q. and plays like a veteran. He plays bigger than his size and his electric speed stands out. He’s also in the mix to be the return specialist.

WR Tyler Johnson
Johnson is off to a better start in camp than he was a year ago when he reported out of shape. But he’s not very fast and his hands aren’t reliable. Johnson has been targeted a bunch, but has had trouble putting together a clean practice without some key drops.

WR Scotty Miller
Miller had a good first week of camp and looks healthy and fast. But is it enough? He’s no longer the only burner on the roster and his lack of size limits his game. Miller will need a big preseason to make the team and must find a role on special teams, too.

WR Jerreth Sterns
Sterns is the classic definition of “steady Eddie,” and he’s more quick than fast. He’s a reliable receiver in the Adam Humphries mold, but perhaps a bit more dynamic. Sterns is short, but compactly built and will go up and get passes like a 6-foot receiver despite being 5-foot-8.

WR Kameron Brown
Brown stands out at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and has good speed for a big man. He’s made a few plays the first week of practice to squarely put himself in position to compete for the final roster spots. He’ll need to be physical and play to his size once the pads come on.

WR Kaylon Geiger
Geiger is slightly bigger than Sterns and Thompkins, and has made a few plays. But he didn’t stand out as much as the other undrafted free agent receivers during the first week of practice. He did however come down with a few nice touchdown grabs, including one to cap off Fridays practice.

WR Vyncent Smith
Smith is an okay camp receiver, and has good size at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. But this is a crowded WR room and he probably impressed the least during the first week of camp.

Tight Ends

Bucs TE Kyle Rudolph – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

TE Cameron Brate
Brate is clearly the best tight end on the roster. He has the trust of all of the quarterbacks and knows the offense. Brate isn’t the player he once was, but he’s atop the depth chart for now for good reason.

TE Kyle Rudolph
Rudolph still has great hands, but he’s clearly lost a step. He’s not fast or agile, but still has a decent amount of quickness to create some separation. Rudolph’s calling card will be his ability to block, and we’ll see that next week when the pads come on.

TE Cade Otton
The rookie has made some plays in the passing game and looks like a younger version of Brate at times. The key will be to see how physical he is next week in full pads. The Bucs drafted Otton to be a complete tight end and blocking will be the key to him earning playing time.

TE Ko Kieft
Perhaps no player will elevate his game more when the pads come on than Kieft. He’s an okay athlete and receiver, but his forte is blocking. The rookie’s head was swimming at times in the first week as he had trouble locating the player he was supposed to block on some running plays.

TE J.J. Howland
Howland had some mental errors during the first week in terms of where to line up. He’ll need to get that corrected immediately. Howland is a long tight end at 6-foot-6, but needs to play bigger and be more physical when the pads come on. He also had a few notable drops.

TE Bug Howard
Howard was signed at the end of the week, but he’s a good-looking athlete and a good receiver. He’s very light at 240 pounds and must play bigger than his size as a blocker next week when the pads come on.

TE Ben Beise
He didn’t stand out during the first week of camp, and with the addition of Rudolph and Howard, Beise must catch the ball consistently and stand out in a hurry.

FAB 2. Bucs Offensive Line

Tampa Bay’s offensive line was dealt a blow when Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen suffered a serious left knee injury. Left guard Aaron Stinnie blocked defensive tackle Logan Hall into Jensen, who is out for several months – maybe longer.

Bucs LT Donovan Smith and RT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

LT Donovan Smith
Smith looks like he’s in the best shape of his career. He’s big, fast and strong and seems primed for another great season at left tackle.

LG Aaron Stinnie
After Stinnie blocked Logan Hall into Ryan Jensen’s knee he hasn’t been seen in the starting lineup. In fact, he was moved to second-string right guard after that happened. The arrow is not pointing up for Stinnie after the first week of camp.

C Ryan Jensen
The Pro Bowler was off to a sensational start to camp before his serious knee injury during Thursday’s practice. He was carted off and will miss several months – if not the entire year.

RG Shaq Mason
Mason is as good as advertised. He’s easily the quickest and fastest lineman on the team. Mason is deadly in space on screen passes and zone blocks. He should be an upgrade over Alex Cappa.

RT Tristan Wirfs
The All-Pro is off to a great start in camp. Wirfs looks like an All-Pro because he is an All-Pro. He’s a superstar and the best right tackle in the game.

C Robert Hainsey
Jensen’s injury paves the way for Hainsey to start – if he can hang on to the job. He’s gotten bigger, and everyone raves about his intelligence. Hainsey is quick and athletic, but his physicality will be tested when the pads come on.

LG Brandon Walton
Walton can play guard and tackle, and got a look with the starters the last two days of practice at left guard. At 6-foot-5, 300 pounds he has a good frame. Walton is athletic and packs a punch. The question is – can he stay in the starting lineup?

C Nick Leverett
Leverett went from being the backup right guard to the backup center. Perhaps the most versatile offensive lineman, Leverett is in the mix for the starting center job with Hainsey.

LG Luke Goedeke
Physically, Goedeke looks the part. He’s big and strong and looks like a block of granite. The key for him will be making the transition from right tackle to left guard and getting the playbook down. Can he win the starting job? We’ll find out in the preseason.

Bucs OT Fred Johnson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

OT Fred Johnson
A massive offensive lineman at 6-foot-7, 326 pounds, Johnson wins with length and strength. He’s a natural backup right tackle, but the coaches want to see if he can play left tackle, too. Johnson practiced there on Thursday with the second-string. Usually he’s the second-team right tackle.

OT Josh Wells
Wells might be feeling some heat from Johnson’s arrival, but he’s clearly the best backup left tackle on the team at this point. In fact, the veteran might be a better left tackle than right tackle at this stage of his career.

C John Molchon
Molchon keeps hanging around on the practice squad due to his versatility. He’s able to play both guard spots and center. With Jensen out he’s clearly the No. 3 center, but not a lock to make the team by any means.

G Sadarius Hutcherson
Fresh off the PUP list, Hutcherson has some ground to make up after missing his rookie season due to a torn ACL. He’s a dominant run blocker, but must show improvement as a pass protector.

OT Dylan Cook
He got some reps as the backup right tackle during Thursday’s practice. The undrafted rookie has good size at 6-foot-6, 305, but he’s not ready for NFL action yet. Cook is a likely practice squad candidate.

OT Jonathan Hubbard
Like Cook, Hubbard is likely destined for the practice squad. A bigger lineman at 6-foot-4, 314 pounds, his level of play needs to rise next week once the pads come on.

G Curtis Blackwell
Blackwell is another undrafted rookie free agent that will need time to develop. He has a good frame at 6-foot-5, 308 pounds, but it’s been a big transition from Ball State to the Buccaneers for Blackwell so far.

FAB 3. Bucs Defensive Line + Linebackers

Tampa Bay’s front seven has looked sharp during the first week of training camp. Here are the player evaluations after Week 1.

DT Akiem Hicks
The newly signed defensive tackle looks like an upgrade over Ndamukong Suh. He’s bigger and quicker off the ball. If Hicks stays healthy for the whole season he’s capable of getting 6-8 sacks and being a force versus the run.

Bucs NT Vita Vea and DT Akiem Hicks – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

NT Vita Vea
Vea dropped a bunch of weight over the summer and looks amazing. He’s been his typical juggernaut self during the first week of camp. Once the pads come on next week the Pro Bowler’s impact will be felt even more on defense.

DE Will Gholston
Gholston had his best season last year at age 30 and shows no signs of slowing down. He’s a run stopper that has become craftier as a pass rusher over time.

NT Rakeem Nunez-Roches
Nunez-Roches is in excellent shape, having shed a few pounds. He looks quicker and more explosive as a run stuffer and will rotate at nose tackle with Vea.

DT Logan Hall
The rookie has high expectations for himself and the tools to produce six sacks in his first year in Tampa Bay. Athletically he looks the part. The key will be quickly learning the nuances of playing defensive tackle in the NFL.

DE Patrick O’Connor
O’Connor makes the team each year due to being a core special teams player. But he’s improved every year as a defensive lineman. O’Connor is tough and tenacious for being undersized at 270 pounds.

NT Deadrin Senat
The new veteran has been as good as advertised. But at 6-foot-1, 305 pounds he’s strictly a nose tackle and doesn’t offer much versatility. He might stick on the practice squad.

DL Benning Potoa’e
Potoa’e has been a practice squad mainstay for years. He’s added some needed weight and is stronger now than he has been in years past. Potoa’e needs a big preseason.

DL Willington Previlon
At 6-foot-5, 287 pounds, the Bucs like his size and ability to move. He’ll need to be physical when the pads come on.

DL Mike Greene
Greene made the team as a tryout player. He’s powerful going through the bag drills. Now he’ll need to show that power when the Bucs go to full pads.

Outside Linebackers

Bucs OLB Joe Tryon – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

OLB Shaquil Barrett
Barrett has been spending more time at right outside linebacker like he did in 2019, but will play on both sides. He’s had a fantastic start to camp versus the run and the pass. Barrett seems poised for another Pro Bowl season.

OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
Tryon-Shoyinka is easily the fastest and most athletic edge rusher the Bucs have. He’s off to a great start in camp and is really testing Wirfs with his pass rush.

OLB Anthony Nelson
Nelson has made big strides is playing with increased confidence. He’s entering a contract year and has put himself in position to be the first edge rusher off the bench to play on either side.

OLB Cam Gill
Gill had a nice interception during the first week, showing off his increased ability to drop in coverage. He’s becoming a more well-rounded outside linebacker and the preseason will be important for him.

OLB Elijah Ponder
Ponder looks great, having dropped 35 pounds after playing defensive tackle in college back in 2020. He’s physical, and excels in setting the edge and stopping the run. Ponder is working on his pass rush, and the preseason games will be key for him.

OLB Andre Anthony
Anthony looks the part, but hasn’t really stood out in practice yet. He’ll need to be more physical when the pads come on next week.

OLB Jordan Young
The undrafted free agent looks really undersized at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. He’ll need to step up his game and play bigger when the team goes to full pads.

OLB JoJo Ozougwu
Like Young, Ozougwu has yet to distinguish himself as an edge setter or pass rusher in practice. All three of the team’s rookie outside linebackers look like camp bodies so far.

Inside Linebackers

Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

ILB Devin White
White has shown a better attention to details, especially in pass coverage, so far. The key will be to show improvement getting off blocks in run defense once the team is in full pads.

ILB Lavonte David
David is healthy and seems poised to return to form as he enters a big contract year. His interception of Brady in the red zone was his signature play during the first week of practice.

ILB K.J. Britt
Britt has drawn rave reviews from the coaches for his football I.Q. He’s processing the game faster as he has a better grasp of the playbook. Britt is still a limited athlete, so the preseason will be big for him. Yet he’s already better than Kevin Minter was as the No. 3 inside ‘backer.

ILB Grant Stuard
Stuard missed Saturday’s practice, but should excel again on special teams. That’s where he’ll make the roster. Stuard’s size and speed limitations show up on defense and they’re not going away anytime soon.

ILB Olakunie Fatukasi
A bigger body at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, Fatukasi looks like he can pack a wallop in the run game. The key will be how physical he is in pads, and how fluid he can be dropping in coverage.

ILB J.J. Russell
At 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, Russell is the smallest linebacker aside from Stuard. He has decent speed, but he’ll have to play big once the pads come on and the physicality gets dialed up.

FAB 4. Bucs Secondary + Specialists

Week 1 evaluations wrap up with a look at Tampa Bay’s secondary and special teams.

CB Carlton Davis III
Davis enters camp as clearly the best cornerback on the roster. He had a great first week with a few big plays, including an interception off a tipped pass. Davis got a big payday in the offseason and deserved it.

CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
Murphy-Bunting has strictly been playing outside cornerback during the first week, and running with the starters ahead of Jamel Dean. The experiment with him in the slot appears to be over. Murphy-Bunting had a decent start to camp, but didn’t make any plays.

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

CB Jamel Dean
Dean has been relegated to second-string right cornerback. Is this because the Bucs want to get a good look at SMB outside, or are they unhappy with Dean? Dean dropped a big end zone interception in practice. Entering a contract year, those are the plays he needs to make.

CB Zyon McCollum
Everyone is high on McCollum. He has ideal size at 6-foot-2, 199 pounds and supreme athleticism and great hands. The only thing missing is just experience and that will come with reps. McCollum will push for a starting spot opposite Davis this year.

CB Dee Delaney
Delaney had a great offseason, but has been picked on a bit during the first week of camp. He’ll need to rebound and make some plays on the ball next week when the pads come on.

CB Kyler McMichael
McMichael looks like he has the potential to be an NFL cornerback, but he also looks like a rookie. Naturally he’s been picked on at the start of camp. We’ll see how he fares when the pads come on.

CB Ross Cockrell
Cockrell has clearly lost a step and hasn’t impressed. He was the darling of camp last year when he moved to safety, picking off a bunch of passes. But at age 31, Father Time seems to be calling Cockrell’s name.

CB Rashard Robinson
Robinson was brought in to be a gunner on special teams last year. That’s where he’ll have to earn a roster spot in 2022. He’s not good enough to make it as a cornerback.

CB Don Gardner

The undrafted free agent corner was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list at the start of camp and hasn’t been medically cleared to practice.

Safeties

Bucs Ss Keanu Neal and Antoine Winfield, Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

S Antoine Winfield, Jr.
Winfield was a Pro Bowl safety last year for the Bucs, but has almost exclusively been playing in the slot at the start of practice. He had his ups and downs, especially in man coverage this week. Is this a trial or will this be a new position for Winfield? Stay tuned.

S Mike Edwards
Edwards has had a solid, but not spectacular start to camp. He looks like a starter in that he hasn’t made many mistakes. But Edwards is a playmaker and we need to see some plays from him.

S Logan Ryan
Ryan seems to be a natural fit at free safety, which is where he played a good deal during the first week of practice. Much like how Winfield is trying out a new spot, is free safety going to be home base? Or will Ryan get a look in the slot, too?

S Keanu Neal
Neal is a force at 6-foot, 218 pounds. He’s the biggest safety on the roster and will get most of his playing time around the line of scrimmage, naturally. Both he and Ryan have done some blitzing, which is common for safeties in a Bowles defense.

S Nolan Turner
Turner has good size at 6-foot-1, 202 pounds and really came on strong at the end of the week with a deep pass breakup and a would-be pick-6 on Saturday. He’ll need to impress on special teams to force the Bucs to keep five safeties.

S Troy Warner
Warner had a few plays go his way during the first week of camp, but he’ll need to more of a ballhawk in camp to stand out. Right now, Turner, a rookie, has made more of an impression.

S Chris Cooper
Cooper may be more of a factor on special teams than on defense. He closed out the first practice of the week with an interception, but hasnt done anything to stand out since.

Specialists

K Ryan Succop
The veteran kicker is in for the camp battle of his life this year. Succop turns 36 in September and has lost some range on his kicks.

Bucs P Jake Camarda – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

K Jose Borregales
Borregales has had a strong start to camp and is in the mix for the Bucs’ kicking duties. He was protected all year last season on the practice squad and the team is high on the 2020 Lou Groza Award winner. He has a big leg and will need to be accurate in the preseason.

P Jake Camarda
The rookie punter is very athletic, has done a good job holding and his punts have been booming. The Bucs cut their backup punter this week, so that’s a great sign for this year’s fourth-rounder.

LS Zach Triner
Triner has quietly become one of the best long snappers in the game. The Bucs are fortunate to have such a reliable snapper.

FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• JULIO’S CONTRACT DETAILS: Spotrac has the contract details of Julio Jones’ new deal in Tampa Bay. In case you missed it, here is Pewter Report’s breakdown too – detailing how little his cap hit is.

• WILL JULIO HELP AGAINST THE SAINTS: Like Tampa Bay, new Bucs wide receiver Julio Jones has not exactly lit it up against the Saints in his years with the Falcons.

• BRADY UNHAPPY WITH HIS INITIAL MADDEN RATING: This one is just self explanatory.

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 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Scott Reynolds and Kasey Hudson previewed Bucs training camp on Monday.

Reynolds, Hudson and JC Allen discussed all the action from the first day of Bucs training camp on Wednesday’s show.

Reynolds, Allen and Hudson analyzed Julio Jones’ first practice with the Bucs and Ryan Jensen’s injury on Thursday’s show.

Reynolds, Allen, Bailey Adams and Josh Queipo discussed Robert Hainsey’s play at center plus a myriad of other camp topics on Friday’s podcast.

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

17-GAGE: New Bucs wide receiver Russell Gage had a great first week of camp and really impressed. Here are his highlights from the 2021 season in Atlanta.