Ryan Succop was a late addition to training camp last year, but wound up beating incumbent starter Matt Gay for the Bucs kicking duties. Succop turned in a fantastic year – one of the best kicking seasons in Tampa Bay history – in helping the Bucs win Super Bowl LV. Succop converted over 90 percent of his field goals and extra points en route to setting a new team record for most points in a season with 136.

But that was last year.

This year, after signing a four-year, $12 million contract extension, the 34-year old Succop is having a bit of a hiccup in training camp. Succop isn’t as accurate as he was last year thus far – certainly not perfect like he was with his field goal attempts in the postseason in 2020.

And Succop hasn’t kicked every day in camp, giving way on some days to undrafted free agent rookie Jose Borregales, on some days. Succop started Tuesday’s practice 2-of-4 on field goals before finishing 4-of-6 on the day.

But head coach Bruce Arians isn’t alarmed by Succop’s early misses in camp.

Bucs K Ryan Succop – Photo by: USA Today

“He’s a 13-year vet so he doesn’t need [to kick in every practice], but he’s been up and down – just to put it mildly,” Arians said. “I have all the confidence that he’s going to figure it out real quick and get his timing back down and speed his operation up just like he did last year.”

Succop battled through a leg injury in Tennessee in 2019 before signing with Tampa Bay, and managed to stay healthy all of last year. Arians is pleased with where Succop is physically right now.

“He’s in really good shape,” Arians said. “The best shape he’s been in he said he feels in the last four or five years. I don’t have any questions that he’ll get it ironed out.”

Borregales won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s best kicker last year in Miami, connecting on 20-of-22 field goals and making all 37 extra points. Borregales has looked good so far, and chances are he will make Tampa Bay’s practice squad as Succop’s backup. The Bucs and most NFL teams carried an extra kicker on their practice squad last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.