FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• I wrote about how former Western Michigan tight end Donnie Ernsberger could be a sleeper at the tight end position in Bucs training camp, but keep an eye on another undrafted free agent – Tanner Hudson. The 6-foot-5, 239-pound Hudson enrolled at Memphis as a quarterback and punter before transferring to Southern Arkansas where he served as the team’s punter and starting tight end. He added 30 pounds to his frame in college to handle the rigors of in-line blocking that the tight end position requires.

Bucs Tanner Hudson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Hudson had at least 40 receptions for 600 yards and six touchdowns in each of his last three years for the Muleriders, and totaled 143 catches for 2,152 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also added seven catches for 117 yards and two TDs as the Offensive MVP in the National Bowl Game, which is a lower level college all-star game. If Hudson can make plays in the passing game, show improvement as a blocker and become a contributor on special teams in coverage units he could edge Ernsberger and steal a roster spot away from Alan Cross or force the Bucs to keep five tight ends.

• Speaking of tight ends, Buccaneers second-year offensive lineman Cole Gardner is a former tight end that turned into a left tackle at Eastern Michigan after putting on 50 pounds. Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht has a fondness for former tight ends that have been converted to offensive tackles and found another one in Temple’s Cole Boozer.

The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Boozer made the transition to right tackle at Temple for his senior season and is still in the process of gaining weight and adding strength, which he’ll need to better compete at the NFL level. But Boozer has quick feet, toughness and a nasty demeanor perfectly suited for offensive line play. He isn’t as far a long as Gardner is from a developmental standpoint, but don’t be surprised if Boozer makes Tampa Bay’s practice squad if he has a good training camp and preseason.

The Bucs are looking for an eventual replacement at right tackle for Demar Dotson, who turns 33 in October. Leonard Wester, Brad Seaton, Gardner and Boozer are all young, developmental tackles that have shown promise and potential.

• A new week, a new Pewter Nation Podcast! Our latest podcast was taped just hours after the NFL’s decision to suspend Jameis Winston for three games became official on Thursday, June 28. PewterReport.com’s Trevor Sikkema, Mark Cook and yours truly discussed Winston’s statement and his suspension and what that means for the Bucs. Obviously we have a clearer picture now of what Winston and the Bucs are facing to start the 2018 season, but it’s still worth a listen. Click here for Episode 80: Winston Suspended, Statements Released; Now What?

If you missed our previous Pewter Nation Podcast when Winston’ suspension first broke you can click here for Episode 79: Winston Worries Worsen

Our previous episode featured Mr. Evil Bucs Media himself, good friend and top sports columnist Tom Jones from the Tampa Bay Times. Jones joined the podcast last week to share his insights into Bucs mini-camp along with Mark Cook, Sikkema and myself. You can listen to that podcast by clicking here: Episode 78: Mini-Camp With Mr. Jones

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

• Tampa Bay had an interest in drafting Washington State quarterback Luke Falk in the sixth round instead of Wisconsin linebacker Jack Cichy, only to see Tennessee beat the Bucs to the punch six picks earlier. The Titans, who have Marcus Mariota and Blaine Gabbert as their starter and backup, may or may not keep three quarterbacks, depending on how Falk fares in training camp and the preseason.

Washington State QB Luke Falk – Photo courtesy of Washington State

The Bucs will get a first-hand look at Falk in training camp as Tampa Bay will travel to Nashville for two joint practices with the Titans prior to their exhibition clash in Week 2 of the preseason. If he impresses during practice, don’t be surprised if the Bucs signed Falk if he is waived by the Titans in an effort to place him on Tennessee’s practice squad, and don’t rule out Bucs general manager Jason Licht perhaps swinging a trade for Falk with his good friend and protégé Jon Robinson, who is Tennessee’s general manager.

• Get ready for Bucs training camp next month by making sure you are following us on Twitter. Become one of the 29,500 Twitter followers of @PewterReport prior to Tampa Bay’s 2018 training camp. If you want updates from Bucs press conferences, training camp practices and new PewterReport.com story notifications be sure to follow us on Twitter and help us grow to 30,000. To follow @PewterReport on Twitter please click here, and to follow us on Facebook please click here.

• One final thought regarding Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston. It’s one thing to perhaps mislead the public and the media by initially suggesting that he wasn’t guilty of groping a female Uber driver in March of 2016, but if Winston wasn’t completely truthful with general manager Jason Licht, head coach Dirk Koetter and the Glazers about what really transpired that night in Arizona it would be a serious breach of trust that likely would have led to his release.

Since that hasn’t happened – and from what I’m hearing it won’t happen – Winston will remain the quarterback in Tampa Bay for the foreseeable future. If he stays out of trouble and performs well and shows improvement, the Bucs’ plan is still to extend his contract. Whether that happens in lieu of his fifth-year option in 2019 or after it in 2020 remains to be seen, but Tampa Bay Times columnist Tom Jones won’t get his wish.

Winston will remain a Buccaneer. But the team will still draft a quarterback somewhere in the 2019 NFL Draft.