Roster decisions loom for the Bucs
The Bucs wrapped up the pre-season in an uninspiring 25-10 loss to the Jaguars to finish the pre-season at 2-2.
What did we learn about his Bucs team during the pre-season? We learned that this offense has the potential to be pretty damn good regardless of who is under center Ryan Fitzpatrick or Jameis Winston.
With this crop of WR’s, which next to the DL happens to be the deepest position on the team, the Bucs offense may go down as the best offense in the 42 year history of the team. Yes even more prolific than the Super Bowl winning teams offensive firepower which finished 24th best in the league.
This offense has the deepest crop of WR’s the team has ever had. I think the Bucs will keep 6 WR’s on the roster. Justin Watson the rookie from Penn, and I think Bobo Wilson showed us enough especially in the return game to gain a roster spot. Bernard Reedy and Freddie Martino will probably gain a spot on the practice squad.
OJ Howard should continue to improve, Add in Cameron Brate and there is no shortage of weapons to throw to.
If Ronald Jones ever gets his act together, I know he ran behind a lot of guys that won’t even be playing on Sunday, but c’mon man 28 carries for 22 yards!! You gotta do better than that I don’t care who is blocking for you. The Bucs running game will be real solid with Barber, Rodgers, Jones and the FA from Duke Shaun Wilson. Wilson will only get better with more playing time and could really be a key piece in the running and return game as the season goes along.
The OL was really hit hard by injuries. After the starting five of Smith, Marpet, Jenson, Cappa, and Dotson, look for Smith, Benonoch, Wester, Liedtke, and Brad Seaton to make the team. If healthy, Cole Gardner and Evan Gettis may get a spot on the practice squad.
Defensively, I thought the Bucs were just so-so. Nothing great. I expected to see more pressure from the DL. Although the opposing QB’s felt the pressure, the sacks were missing. Come Sept 9th, I would like to see Drew Brees running for his life and getting put on the ground by this Bucs DL.
Noah Spence and Will Clarke will be the final guys to make the roster from the DL. Pat O’conner, Davonte Lambert, and Channing Ward may get a spot on the practice squad.
With Kendall Beckwith out still rehabbing his broken ankle, he may get put on the non football injury list and miss the first five games. That would open a spot for both Riley Bullough and Jack Cichy as Devante Bond may not be ready to go.
Alexander, David and Taylor will be the starters with Lynch, Cichy and Bullough all making the team. Nigel Harris could end up on the practice squad.
There is a lot of competition in the Defensive backfield for the 2-3 roster spots that will be available. Grimes, Evans, Hargreaves and Conte will start. if the Bucs keep 8 DB’s Carlton Davis and MJ Stewart have two of those backup spots Locke up. You would think Ryan Smith would get one of the remaining two and then you have one roster spot left for Javien Elliott, Keith Tandy, Josh Robinson and Jordan Whitehead.
I think the last spot will be between Elliott and Tandy, with Whitehead and Robinson going to the practice squad.
There will be a lot of movement over the next 48 hours. All rosters need to be down to 53 by 4PM on the first, and then the practice squad will begin to get filled out.
Koetter anLicht have a lot of work to do these next couple of days as they build the roster and make the right decisions to get the Buccaneers back to respectability.
