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What the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Roster Looks Like Pre-Draft
We take a look at where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster stands weeks before the NFL Draft.
As the second wave of free agency comes to a close and all eyes turn to the draft at the end of the month of April, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have done a good job of re-signing their own top free agents and adding competition and depth to their roster. With 67 of the 90 allowed roster spots filled and as of now seven draft selections set to join the roster, the Bucs will once again be players in the undrafted free agent sweepstakes to round out the rest of their roster.
The Bucs have just under $500,000 in cap space, so I wouldn't expect any other signings before the draft unless they start to do some cap maneuvering. Extending left tackle Tristan Wirfs and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. are still priorities for the team as well. While there's no timetable on Wirfs, getting Winfield Jr. under a long-term deal needs to be completed by July 15 or he will play out the year on the tag.
General manager Jason Licht has made some moves in the past after free agency such as signing Leonard Fournette, Ndamukong Suh and picking up Carl Nassib off waivers. He tends to target lower-profile players to round out the roster post-NFL Draft. Keeping that in mind, here is what the current 90-man offseason roster stands.
Quarterbacks - 3
Baker Mayfield
John Wolford
Kyle Trask
Analysis: The quarterback room appears to be set in place for the upcoming season. Mayfield was brought back on a three-year, $100 million deal and will be the starter. Trask enters the final year of his deal and will again be the top reserve. While Wolford brings insurance and is like another coach in the room. I wouldn't rule out the Bucs drafting a quarterback in the latter rounds of the draft or signing one in undrafted free agency to push Trask in camp.
Running Backs - 4
Rachaad White
Chase Edmonds
Sean Tucker
Patrick Liard
Analysis: White proved he has what it takes to be a lead back in the NFL and finished his sophomore season with over 1,500 yards from scrimmage. He was just 10 yards shy of 1,000 yards rushing and will look to improve in that area in year three. Behind him, Edmonds is the defacto number two back but Tucker will get the opportunity to supplant him. The Bucs are almost certain to draft a player to push the room's ceiling.
Wide Receiver - 8
Mike Evans
Chris Godwin
Trey Palmer
Rakim Jarrett
Deven Thompkins
Cephus Johnson
Raliegh Webb
Ryan Miller
Analysis: Evans is back on a two-year deal and has been playing like a receiver in his prime. On the opposite end, Godwin struggled to produce from the outside last season and will see more action in the slot this year. He enters the final year of his deal in 2024. Palmer showed the stage wasn't too big for him last season as a rookie but will need to show more consistency with an increased role as the Bucs offense will shift to a more three-wide receiver, 11-personnel groupings. Behind the scenes, the coaches were pleased with Jarrett's development but would've liked to see more from Thompkins as a returner, however with new kickoff rules he may get that chance. The rest of the group will fight for a job in training camp, potentially with a new draft pick in a deep draft at the position.
Tight End - 5
Cade Otton
Payne Durham
Ko Kieft
David Wells
Tanner Taula
Analysis: Otton was an ironman for the Bucs last season, playing in 98% of the team's offensive snaps. With no clear option behind him to steal snaps away that could be the case again in 2024. The position is dry in free agency and after boasting the league's youngest tight end room in the league, they could add even more youth to the position. The team hopes to receive more production from Durham who made some spectacular receptions down the stretch. Kieft has proven he is nothing more than a blocker and special teamer and Wells floundered the chance to be the number two early on. Taula showed up behind the scenes but is still developing. The Bucs clearly have a need at tight end but in a down year in the draft at the position they will struggle to find a difference-maker unless they opt to address the position early.
Offensive Line - 12
Tristan Wirfs
Robert Hainsey
Cody Mauch
Luke Goedeke
Sua Opeta
Ben Bredeson
Brandon Walton
Justin Skule
Silas Dzansi
Luke Haggard
Logan Stenberg
Analysis: The Bucs are returning three of four starters on the offensive line, so there will be more continuity at the position than last year. Aaron Stinnie signed with the Giants, Nick Leverett signed with the Patriots and Matt Feiler won't be back with the team so there will be new faces competing for the starting spot at left guard. The Bucs already made moves bringing in Opeta from the Eagles and Bredeson from the Giants. Both will compete for starting jobs and the team will likely spend a premium day one or two pick at the position. The team would like to find an upgrade at center as well but are prepared to ride out the final deal of Hainsey's contract if nothing comes to fruition. They brought back swing tackle Skule in free agency and like what they have in Dzansi as a developmental player at tackle.
Defensive Line - 8
Vita Vea
Calijah Kancey
Logan Hall
Greg Gaines
Mike Greene
Lwal Uguak
C.J. Brewer
Eric Banks
Analysis: The Bucs have their starters set in place with Vea, Kancey, and Hall and re-signed a valuable depth piece in Gaines. Though behind those four there is a lot left to be desired. Greene made the roster out of camp after making the practice squad as a tryout player the season before but finished the season on injured reserve and hasn't made the impact the Bucs had hoped. After that, it's a who's who of players vying for a roster spot. Addressing the position in the draft or post-draft seems like a foregone conclusion with so little dependable depth on the roster.
Outside Linebacker - 6
Yaya Diaby
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
Randy Gregory
Anthony Nelson
Markees Watts
Jose Ramirez
Analysis: Diaby had a breakout rookie season, notching 7.5 sacks in 2023 and will step into a full-time starting role next season. across from him, there will be competition with Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and the newly signed Gregory but neither player has had an impactful career to date. Nelson will continue to hold the role as steady backup while all eyes will be on Watts and Ramirez as they bide for roster spots next season. The Bucs would love to land one of the top three first-round pass rushers but addressing the position in some way feels like a necessity with a less-than-intriguing free-agent market.
Inside Linebacker - 5
Lavonte David
K.J. Britt
SirVocea Dennis
J.J. Russell
Vi Jones
Analysis: David is back as father time hasn't slowed down the veteran linebacker. He'll have a new running mate for the first time in five years as Devin White will not be on the team after signing with the Eagles in the offseason. Britt will get the first crack at the role after replacing an injured and ineffective White during the regular season last year. The Bucs liked what they saw out of Dennis during his rookie campaign and he too will be given a shot at the starting role. Russell is the special team's maven but stepped up in his first career start big time last season. Jones was on the practice squad and will fight to make the team. I wouldn't rule out an addition to the room through the draft, as the Bucs met with several players at the combine and brought in Edgerrin Cooper, Jeremiah Trotter, and Trevin Wallace for 30 visits to the team.
Cornerback - 8
Jamel Dean
Zyon McCollum
Christian Izien
Bryce Hall
Taviere Thomas
Josh Hayes
Quandre Mosely
Keenan Isaac
Analysis: The Bucs traded away one of their starters in Carlton Davis III earlier in the offseason, netting them a third-round pick from the Lions. Dean remains a starter but will need to put the injuries behind him this season to escape the same fate next offseason. To replace Davis, McCollum will get the first crack at the starting job. He started nine games for the Bucs last season due to injuries and head coach Todd Bowles found other ways to get him on the field when his outside corners were healthy. The team is clearly high on McCollum and what he can be on the defense. Licht was busy in free agency bringing in two cornerbacks. Hall will challenge McCollum for the starting spot while also providing a safety blanket if someone goes down with an injury. Meanwhile, Izien got competition at the nickel spot with Thomas coming in from the Texans. Hayes led all players in special teams tackles in 2023 and the Bucs have built solid depth at a position that has banged up over the years. I still wouldn't rule out a selection here in the draft and one as high as a first-round pick in a deep draft at the position.
Safety - 4
Antoine Winfield Jr.
Jordan Whitehead
Kaevon Merriweather
Richard LeCounte III
Analysis: Winfield Jr. is back on the tag, but the two sides will continue to try and hammer out a long-term deal to keep him in Tampa for the long haul. A reunion in the secondary saw the team bring back Whitehead who helped them win a Super Bowl in 2020 and then left for a payday from the Jets. He brings attitude to the secondary and has improved in coverage as well. The team is high on Merriweather as well, who was forced to start two games as an undrafted rookie and impressed. I expect the Bucs to bring in competition to round out the room through the draft or the undrafted frenzy following but this room is likely to grow in size by the end of the month.
Special Teams -4
K Chase McLaughlin
P Jake Camarda
LS Zach Triner
LS Evan Deckers
Analysis: The special teams room remains intact after the Bucs signed McLaughlin back to a new three-year deal at the start of free agency. Shortly thereafter, Triner was brought back to keep the starting unit together. Deckers provides youth at the longsnapper positon and could push Triner off the roster but there's something about not messing with the continuity of the group. I'd expect the same group in 2024
You can follow JC Allen on Twitter @JCAllenNFL.
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