3 takeaways from Day 16 of Buccaneers training camp: Bucs are very injured

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to get healthy before Week 1.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles prior to the game against the Tennessee Titans. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

We have just three more days of training camp, and the Buccaneers are likely to spend it trying to get healthy.

BucsGameday was live on site, and the Bucs are making their final preparations before the team plays the Bills in preseason and then gets ready for Week 1 — here are our three biggest takeaways from the day:

Buccaneers secondary is ravaged

Notre Dame defensive back Benjamin Morrison speaks to the media at the 2025 NFL combine. | Clark Wade/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tampa Bay’s secondary was in very, very rough shape on Tuesday. Benjamin Morrison, Jamel Dean, Christian Izien, Tyrek Funderburk, Josh Hayes and Tykee Smith were all non-participants in practice. DB JJ Roberts went to IR with a season-ending injury, and DB Marcus Banks was waived injured at the beginning of the month. The result? Tampa Bay is extremely thin at secondary.

A lot of these players could be back for Week 1, but it’s tough to practice with so many of your DBs out. Players like Bryce Hall, Roman Parodie, Shilo Sanders and Kaevon Merriweather can fill in that depth, but the Bucs will hope to see some of these players healthy sooner than later.

Desmond Watson still not back at practice

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Desmond Watson (56) looks on before training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Buccaneers took a chance on Desmond Watson in hopes he’d lose some weight, but as it stands, he’s running out of time to do so. The Buccaneers are playing the Buffalo Bills for their last preseason game, and it’s looking like he won’t be able to play.

The Buccaneers could move Watson around in an effort to let him continue losing weight — potentially on the NFI list — which would buy him some time. Todd Bowles mentioned that he may have a long-term plan in place for Watson, but time is running out, so he’ll want to get down to the weight Tampa Bay is looking for sooner or later.

Veteran defenders show out

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. participates in training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

It isn’t all bad secondary news, though. Antoine Winfield Jr. returned to practice today after a hiatus, and he made his presence known. At the beginning of 1v1 work, a Baker Mayfield pass to Mike Evans was tipped by Merriweather, and Winfield Jr. was able to get underneath it for the pick.

Then, at the end of practice, it was Lavonte David’s turn. David jumped up way high to grab a pick off of Mayfield, which caused the defensive sideline to go wild. Those two pieces have been crucial to this defense, and to see them both in a rhythm is nice to see for the Buccaneers.

READ MORE: Promising Buccaneers UDFA suffers season-ending knee injury

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