5 Buccaneers Who Will Be Entering Training Camp With Soaring Stock

Look out for these Tampa Bay Buccaneers players in July.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. (14) celebrates with wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have completed the last of their offseason programs before it all gets real. With OTAs and mandatory minicamp, only training camp remains, and it's the most extensive work the team will get before the start of the regular season.

Training camp will see Buccaneers players put the pads on to really hone their craft, and Tampa Bay's coordinators and coaches can really open up the playbook and get the brunt of the install work done. It's a whole different game from OTAs and minicamp — which Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell lovingly refers to as "pajama parties" — but that doesn't mean that players who did well there can't carry their momentum into the next phase.

There were a few standouts in training camp and a few players who seem ready to perform once it starts. We picked out five Buccaneers who are carrying the most momentum into training camp this July:

WR Chris Godwin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. (14) runs for a gain during the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Chris Godwin signed a big deal worth $22 million APY before the start of last season, but he was hurt for most of it and played in just nine games. He was a big feature at OTAs and minicamp, though and he got a lot of looks his way in the slot — and he looked crisp with the ball in his hands.

Godwin is perhaps the odds-on favorite to take Tampa Bay's WR1 job, and he's spoken at length about how good he feels and where his health is. Training camp will be crucial in the wide receivers room to make a big impression before Week 1, and based on what we've seen so far, Godwin looks to be up to the task.

OLB Rueben Bain Jr.

Buccaneers edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. | River Wells/BucsGameday

The time for talk is over for Bain. The Buccaneers were shocked that Bain was able to fall to them at pick No. 15 in the NFL Draft, and the rookie phenom out of Miami has already impressed with his burst. But it's hard for edge rushers to truly be disruptive without pads on, so we haven't really seen what Bain can do yet in OTAs and in minicamp.

Training camp will change that, though. Padded practice begins on August 3, and everyone is watching to see just how Bain can truly perform against elite talent like Tristan Wirfs on the edge. Bain certainly has momentum with the sheer amount of praise he's gotten, but it will be interesting to see if he can use it and have a great training camp before the start of the season.

CB Benjamin Morrison

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison (21) celebrates a play with outside linebacker Lavonte David (54) | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Morrison had a very nice pick in OTAs against quarterback Baker Mayfield. And while he's been nursing a leg injury after that — and that seems to be the antithesis of momentum — Morrison finds himself one-up on every other Bucs DB when it comes to turnovers in the offseason so far, and that will carry a lot of weight in a competition Morrison firmly finds himself in the middle of.

Morrison will have to fend off Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish, the latter of whom is moving inside after playing nickel last year. Tampa Bay needs a strong outside corner room to win games in 2026, and every spot should be up for grabs. That play on the ball by Morrison gives him an upper hand in one area, so he definitely has momentum heading into training camp — but will he be healthy enough to use it?

RB Kenny Gainwell

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) rushes for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Much has been said about Gainwell since his arrival in Tampa Bay. A versatile back signed in free agency from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Gainwell has found the end zone a few different times during OTAs and minicamp and, due to Bucky Irving's injury, has taken a lot of running back reps already in Zac Robinson's system.

Many Bucs fans are anticipating Irving's return, and with good reason. But Irving has some work to do to get back in shape after taking some time off, while Gainwell has been practicing and looking strong throughout the offseason. A 50-50 split for Gainwell and Irving is likely this season, but if Gainwell really impresses and Tampa Bay wants to keep Irving healthy, he could earn himself an even bigger share of carries than that.

QB Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws a pass against the Carolina Panthers in the first half at Raymond James | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Mayfield has always played with a chip on his shoulder. And no matter what way his contract situation goes, he's likely to have a ton of momentum heading into training camp.

Mayfield set a training camp deadline to get an extension done this offseason. If that extension does get done, Mayfield will walk into training camp with a huge new deal and the understanding that Tampa Bay has his back, and he can draw motivation from that. If it doesn't get done? Mayfield can use that as fuel to perform and make Tampa Bay regret it, and that should give him some momentum, too.

The Bucs can rely on Mayfield regardless of what happens, and he's likely going to have a pep in his step when training camp comes along no matter what.

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