Bucs ready for the games to begin
The Buccaneers are ready for the games to begin. And so are the fans. The pre-season will kick off for the Bucs in Cincinnati tomorrow night against the Bengals. HC Dirk Koetter said that the starters will play about a quarter and that all healthy players on the roster will get playing time.
The Bucs starters on offense and defense are pretty well set. It's the depth especially in the defensive backfield where the battles are being fought.
The injury bug has already made a visit to the Bucs as DB Jude Adjei-Barimah fractured his patella in his right knee for the second tIme. Adjei-Barimah spent most of the off-season rehabbing the right knee from a fractured patella suffered late last season. He could miss up to four months and possibly the whole season. Second year CB Ryan Smith will get a long look in his absence, and expect Smith to get plenty of playing time on Friday night starting opposite Vernon Hargraves.
CB Brent Grimes suffered a lacerated shin in Wednesday's practice and will sit the game against the Bengals on Friday,
Some other Bucs that will get plenty of work tomorrow night include QB Ryan Griffin who is battling Ryan Fitzpatrick for the back-up QB job. WR Chris Godwin will get a good look At WR. Godwin, Bernard Reedy, Josh Huff, and Donteea Dye are all battling for the 4th and 5th WR spots on the roster.
The Bengals have their own set of unique challenges and are ranked No. 25 in NFL.com's pre-season power rankings. HC Marvin Lewis enters his 14th season in Cinncinnati and is the second most tenured coach in the NFL behind Bill Belichek in New England. The offensive line is a mess and needs to be re-built after losing 2 starters in free agency.
The Bengals did pick up some speed in the draft on the offensive side of the ball. WR John Ross who ran a 4.18/40 at the combine will get a long look at a starting role at WR. The Bengals also drafted RB Joe Mixon out of Oklahoma. A very versatile player, Mixon will get a shot in multiple roles in Cinncinnati at RB, WR, and returning kicks.
Some things to watch for in the game tomorrow night.
--How much better will the defense be playing in the second year under DC Mike Smith? Smith has said the defense has made great strides this off-season.
--Can Noah Spence be a four down player this year instead of a situational pass-rusher?
--What Roles will talented WR Chris Godwin play on this team?
Can Gerald McCoy take his game to the next level?
These are just a few of the questions that will start to be answered tomorrow night.
