FAB 4. SR’s Bucs Training Camp Insider

My SR’s Bucs Training Camp Insider column on Monday was very well received, so I decided to include another camp report with my insights and analysis in this week’s SR’s Fab 5.

• The Buccaneers haven’t practiced any 3-4 looks on defense in training camp and there’s a good reason for that. The team has been in nickel defense, which features four defensive linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs, for a good portion of the practices. Remember, Tampa Bay plays in a quarterback-rich division with the likes of New Orleans’ Drew Brees, Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and Carolina’s Cam Newton. The Bucs defense will be in nickel defense at least 60 percent of the snaps during the season, especially in games against NFC South opponents. Any 3-4 looks the team might show this season will merely be wrinkles as a result.

Bucs Safety J.J. Wilcox – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

• Through Thursday’s practice, the interception leaders for the Bucs secondary were reserve strong safety J.J. Wilcox and reserve nickel cornerback Robert McClain. Both Wilcox and McClain are veteran free agent additions, but haven’t cracked the starting lineup. Keith Tandy is ahead of Wilcox on the depth chart at strong safety, while second-year cornerback Javien Elliott, who got his first interception of camp against Jameis Winston on Wednesday, is the starting nickel cornerback for now. Elliott has been the surprise of camp thus far, while Conte has really stepped up to make plays, too. Conte has two interceptions in camp, including a pick-six of Jameis Winston on Thursday.

Not much has changed to the Bucs’ secondary depth chart during the first week of training camp. The starting lineup has included Tandy, Elliott, free safety Chris Conte, left cornerback Brent Grimes and right cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III. The second unit has also remained steady with McClain, Wilcox and rookie free safety Justin Evans, left cornerback Jude Adjei-Barimah and right cornerback Ryan Smith.

• The biggest defensive wrinkle the Bucs have used on defense thus far is a three-safety look with Wilcox, Tandy and Conte all on the field at the same time. Conte and Tandy stay at the free and safety positions, respectively, with Wilcox playing nickel corner in this new defensive look. The Bucs haven’t run this personnel grouping often, but we saw it last week and also again on Thursday. Having the 6-foot, 213-pound Wilcox in the slot gives the Bucs more size and physicality than Elliott brings. If teams flex their tight ends out in the slot Wilcox might be better equipped to cover them than Elliott.

• Smith gave rookie running back Jeremy McNichols a lesson in practice etiquette on Wednesday when he tracked down McNichols at the end of a run. McNichols slowed up and began jogging back to the huddle when Smith came up from behind and punched the ball out, and then scooped up the fumble recovery.

The play didn’t actually count as the whistle had blown, but it was a lesson learned that running backs coach Tim Spencer will likely bring up in the running backs meeting room about ball security. Tampa Bay defenders often paw at the ball at the end of plays, practicing strips and forced fumbles, while it works on the ball security of the Bucs’ running backs, wide receivers and tight ends.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

• Wednesday was a big experimentation day at One Buccaneer Place. Several veterans, including defensive end Robert Ayers, right tackle Demar Dotson, wide receivers Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson got reduced reps and that opened up the door for others to make an impression. Without Ayers in the nickel rush package, the Bucs inserted Ryan Russell into the starting lineup at left defensive end opposite Noah Spence. Keep an eye on Russell, who is generating some buzz at One Buccaneer Place.

On offense, the Bucs gave both Caleb Benenoch and Leonard Wester a shot at right tackle and left tackle. Both second-year tackles have been getting looks on both sides of the line in an effort to become Tampa Bay’s swing tackle. If a game were played today and either Donovan Smith or Dotson went down with an injury, left guard Kevin Pamphile would slide over to tackle with Evan Smith stepping in to replace Pamphile. However, the Bucs hope that either Benenoch or Wester could develop to the point where either could step in and keep Pamphile at guard.

At wide receiver, we continue to see some experimentation with Chris Godwin playing some in the slot, and on Wednesday, we saw Adam Humphries move outside for a few plays. Without Evans or Jackson in the lineup for much of Wednesday’s practice, we saw Donteea Dye as the third receiver accompanying Humphries and Godwin.

Godwin is even better than advertised and is going to be pushing for playing time during his rookie season. Said Koetter: “He does not look like a rookie, he does not play like a rookie.”

• It has been a week into practice and rookie Kendell Beckwith has lined up exclusively at middle linebacker with the second team. It was thought that Beckwith was going to provide competition at SAM (strongside) linebacker with Devante Bond, but that won’t be the case for two reasons.

First, the Bucs have been very pleased with Bond this offseason and at the start of training camp. He missed his rookie season with a hamstring injury but learned the defense while watching film and taking notes in the classroom. Second, the Bucs want to ease Beckwith’s transition to the NFL by having him learn the MIKE (middle) linebacker role first and then cross-train him at SAM in practice once the season starts.

Bucs MLB Kendell Beckwith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Adarius Glanton has been the backup at WILL (weakside) linebacker behind Lavonte David the last year, and the Bucs need to find a backup to Kwon Alexander now that Daryl Smith is gone. Smith, who was the starting SAM last year, was also tasked with being Alexander’s backup – although Alexander didn’t miss a snap last year. That’s where Beckwith, who played middle linebacker at LSU, comes in.

Mississippi State undrafted free agent Richie Brown has been battling Cam Lynch for the backup SAM linebacker role in practice and has been getting more second-team reps.

• Tampa Bay’s most heated training camp competition is at kicker where veteran newcomer Nick Folk is battling Roberto Aguayo, last year’s second-round pick, for the job. Aguayo is coming off a year in which he made 72 percent of his kicks and was the league’s worst kicker.

Through one week Aguayo has a slight edge and has been more accurate by a field goal or two. Expect this battle to go down to the wire, as both kickers will have four preseason games to duel it out.