After a long month of training camp and two very different preseason games, the Bucs wrap up their exhibition slate Saturday night with a road matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

For some players, the game represents one final chance to earn a spot on the final 53-man roster. And for established players guaranteed to make the team, it’s the final tune-up before Tampa Bay’s Sept. 11 season opener in Dallas.

Here are the biggest storylines for the Bucs as they take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday:

Brady Is Back

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It’s been a very unusual offseason for Bucs quarterback Tom Brady. He started it by retiring — with the news breaking on Gasparilla of all days — only to announce his comeback 41 days later. Then, it was business as usual — until it wasn’t. After beginning training camp with the team, Brady took a brief hiatus to attend to personal matters. It was pre-planned and essentially a non-story for the team. However, it was still a significant talking point externally.

Brady returned to practice on Monday, unsurprisingly looking like the same ol’ Brady. And on Saturday night, we get our first look at the 45-year-old quarterback in game action since the NFC Divisional Round back in January. We’ll see how much Brady plays, but the fact that he’s playing at all makes the start of Saturday’s game must-see.

First Look At The Bucs’ Starters In The 2022 Season

Brady isn’t the only key starter playing for Tampa Bay on Saturday night in Indy. Head coach Todd Bowles said Thursday that “anyone who is healthy will play” against the Colts. That’s a drastic departure from the philosophy that Bowles went with for the first two preseason games. In the preseason opener against Miami, the Bucs didn’t play any of their regulars. Then, last weekend in Tennessee, they started only a select few starters. In the loss to the Titans, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Leonard Fournette, Kyle Rudolph, Logan Ryan, Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting made their preseason debuts.

Now, on Saturday night, it sounds like we’ll see a group more like the one that will take the field for the Bucs in Dallas to start the regular season on Sept. 11. Tristan Wirfs, Keanu Neal, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage and Zyon McCollum are among the injured players who won’t play against the Colts, but we should see just about everyone else in some capacity.

Goedeke Looking To Lock Up The Starting Left Guard Role

Bucs LG Luke Goedeke – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

One of the biggest storylines throughout training camp has been the competition for the Bucs’ starting left guard spot. After Aaron Stinnie suffered a season-ending knee injury last weekend in Tennessee, the battle is down to Nick Leverett and rookie Luke Goedeke. The Bucs like Leverett and the versatility he brings, but right now, Goedeke looks to be the favorite to start against the Cowboys when the Bucs open the season on Sunday Night Football.

The 2022 second-round pick out of Central Michigan got his first reps with the starters during joint practices with the Titans last week. He then started last Saturday’s game, coming through with some good moments — and a few bad ones. Aside from a few mistakes against Tennessee, Goedeke really had himself a solid debut. And now, he’ll get a second consecutive start at left guard on Saturday night against the Colts. Barring anything disastrous, he may very well lock up the opening day start with a good showing.

Get In, Get Out And Stay Healthy

For the Bucs, getting in the preseason win column on Saturday night would be a positive. However, the primary goal will be to come out of the game as healthy as possible. Tampa Bay has dealt with its share of injury issues throughout training camp. Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen went down with a knee injury on the second day of practice. Mike Evans, Russell Gage and Breshad Perriman have all dealt with hamstring injuries at one time or another. Last week, the Bucs lost Aaron Stinnie for the season with a knee injury.

And while they’re supposedly on track to play in Week 1, both Tristan Wirfs and Keanu Neal are recovering from their own injuries. And with starters seeing some action against Indianapolis, there’s certainly risk of injury. So, for the Bucs, this game is less about the final score and more about getting their work in and getting out healthy ahead of the regular season.

One Last Round In The Kicking Competition

Bucs Ks Jose Borregales and Ryan Succop – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

There are plenty of position battles coming down to the very end of the preseason. The depth receiver spots are continuing to work themselves out, the No. 2 corner job still appears to be up for grabs between Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting and the aforementioned left guard battle is nearing its end. But one of the closer battles throughout the last month has been between kickers Ryan Succop and Jose Borregales.

Succop is the incumbent, and he’s made it really difficult for the Bucs to part ways with him. The 36-year-old has been nearly perfect in practice, then he nailed a 52-yard field goal against the Titans last week. Diminishing leg strength and range have been the knocks on Succop, but that 52-yarder showed that he still has a little something left in the tank. Borregales has also been impressive on the practice fields, plus he made a 55-yard field goal against the Dolphins two weeks ago.

However, his missed 49-yard field goal as time expired in that Miami game looms large. It was a pressure kick, and he doinked it off the upright. While keeping Borregales over Succop would potentially give the Bucs their kicker of the future in addition to saving them some cap space, the fact that they’re in win-now mode in what could be their final year with Tom Brady may lead to them opting to keep the more proven leg. Saturday night’s game is the last chance for both kickers to make their cases.