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Cade Otton Cade Otton Held out of rookie minicamp
Wed, May 11, 2022, 3:55 PM
Otton (ankle) won't participate in on-field work at rookie minicamp, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: The rookie fourth-round pick received medical clearance in April following season-ending surgery, but the Bucs will play it safe and keep him off the practice field for now. Otton currently falls somewhere behind Cameron Brate on the depth chart, with both moving down a slot if Rob Gronkowski decides to play another season. |
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Kyle Trask Kyle Trask Likely No. 3 QB to start season
Tue, May 10, 2022, 11:28 AM
Buccaneers quarterback coach Clyde Christensen said Tuesday that he doesn't expect Trask to compete with Blaine Gabbert for the No. 2 spot this season, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: With the return of Tom Brady, both quarterbacks aren't expected to see the field, but it sounds like the veteran Gabbert has the primary backup spot locked down heading into training camp. There was speculation that Trask could compete with Gabbert after being selected by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but the second-year quarterback is apparently headed for another developmental year. |
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Heads to Tampa Bay
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 5:29 PM
The Buccaneers selected Anthony in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 248th overall.
Analysis: Anthony is more of a tweener linebacker than pure defensive end, but he's a capable pass rusher with a massive wingspan (82). Expect to see the LSU product fight to earn a depth role on the 53-man roster. |
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Goes to Tampa Bay in sixth round
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 4:22 PM
The Buccaneers selected Kieft in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 218th overall.
Analysis: Kieft comes to the league from Minnesota with 10 career receptions, so blocking will be his path to getting on the field in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers led off Day 3 of the draft by selecting Washington's Cade Otton, so Kieft has plenty of competition as it is. If Rob Gronkowski returns to Tampa Bay, Kieft is at risk of not making the roster. |
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FCS corner to Tampa Bay
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 1:42 PM
The Buccaneers selected McCollum in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 157th overall.
Analysis: McCollum starred at the NFL Combine by posting a 4.33 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vertical jump at 6-foot-2, 199 pounds. He was a five-year starter at Sam Houston State of the FCS and finished with 54 pass breakups and 13 interceptions during his tenure. McCollum has the athleticism to handle the speed of the NFL game, but he fell to the fifth round because there's limited tape of him against top-tier talent. |
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Second punter heads to Tampa Bay
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 12:31 PM
The Buccaneers selected Camarda in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 133rd overall.
Analysis: Camarda is the second punter off the board, as the Ravens selected Jordan Stout just three picks earlier. Camarda was a four-year player at Georgia. As a senior, he averaged 46.7 yards per punt and landed 17 of 47 punts inside the 20-yard line. When a punter is picked this high, he typically has an inside track to the starting job. |
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Fits need in Tampa
Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 11:15 AM
The Buccaneers selected Otton in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 106th overall.
Analysis: Otton becomes the first player off the board for Day 3. The tight end out of Washington is a solid value for Tampa Bay, which was in the market at that position with Rob Gronkowski's status uncertain and O.J. Howard now in Buffalo. Otton missed four games as a senior, two of which were due to an ankle injury that also prevented him from testing at the combine and the Washington pro day. Still, Otton is a smooth pass catcher who caught 91 of 124 targets for 1,026 yards and nine scores in his collegiate career. However, at 247 pounds, Otton's blocking could be an issue at the next level. |
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Links up with Tampa Bay
Fri, Apr 29, 2022, 10:00 PM
The Buccaneers selected White in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 91st overall.
Analysis: Ronald Jones' departure in free agency put Tampa Bay in the market for a running back and White is a solid value at this stage of the draft. White has a good frame at 6-foot, 214 pounds but he can get in trouble by running upright at times. Still, that didn't stop him from ripping off chunk yardage during his time at Arizona State. It's a small, two-year sample, but White averaged 6.4 yards per carry over 224 career attempts and ran for 20 scores. He was efficient as a pass-catcher, too, reeling in 51 of 58 targets for 607 yards and two touchdowns. He doesn't have blazing speed (4.48), but it's enough at 214 pounds, and his strong scores in the jumps mean that he has good anchor and burst. Tampa Bay has struggled to find good running backs through the draft in recent years, but perhaps White can buck the trend and secure a role ahead of Ke'Shawn Vaughn. |
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Scooped by Tampa Bay
Fri, Apr 29, 2022, 8:03 PM
The Buccaneers selected Goedeke in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 57th overall.
Analysis: Tampa Bay continues to invest in the trenches in the second round, taking a defensive lineman to start the round and circling back with Goedeke out of Central Michigan, who goes before teammate Bernhard Raimann. Goedeke started his career as a tight end at UW-Stevens Point before transferring to Central Michigan and transitioning to the line. He started every game that he played for the Chippewas but missed 2020 due to injury. Goedeke has the ability to play guard or tackle but likely profiles at guard with his new team. |
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Tampa Bay's first pick of 2022
Fri, Apr 29, 2022, 6:18 PM
The Buccaneers selected Hall in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 33rd overall.
Analysis: The Houston product is a long edge defender at 6-foot-6 and 283 pounds. Hall broke out as a senior when he racked up 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss after three nondescript seasons to start his career. With Ndamukong Suh gone, Hall fits well at one of the defensive end spots in Tampa Bay's 3-4 defense. |
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Fifth-year option picked up
Wed, Apr 27, 2022, 10:10 AM
Tampa Bay informed White on Wednesday that his fifth-year team option for 2023 will be exercised, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: The Buccaneers' decision to pick up White's $11.706 million option comes just one day before the 2022 NFL Draft and gives the team an additional year to negotiate with him on a longer-term extension. Though White's production took a step back in 2021 (128 tackles, 3.5 sacks) compared to 2020 (140 tackles, 9.0 sacks), White is certainly viewed as a major pillar of Tampa Bay's defensive scheme. |
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Tom Brady Tom Brady Restructures contract
Fri, Apr 22, 2022, 2:59 PM
The Buccaneers have restructured Brady's 2022 contract, a move that creates $9 million in salary cap space for the team, ESPN's Jenna Laine reports.
Analysis: The report notes that prior to restructuring Brady's deal, the team had just shy of $4.4 million in cap space ahead of next week's NFL draft. Now the Bucs have added resources to sign rookies, as well as potentially add more veteran free agents, with tight end Rob Gronkowski an intriguing option on that front if he decides to play in 2022. In any case, Brady -- who turns 45 in August -- remains on track to become an unrestricted free agent in 2023. |
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Signs one-year deal with Tampa Bay
Fri, Apr 22, 2022, 12:57 PM
Senat signed a one-year, league minimum deal with the Buccaneers on Friday, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Senat was sidelined for the majority of the 2021 campaign due to an undisclosed injury and was waived by Atlanta in November after failing to make an appearance. He last played in 2020, when he had four tackles across five games for the Falcons. Auman suggests that Senat will challenge the returning practice-squad players for a backup spot on the initial 53-man roster. |
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Recovery going well
Fri, Apr 15, 2022, 11:48 AM
Wirfs (ankle) said Friday that his recovery has been going well.
Analysis: Wirfs was expected to require surgery to repair a significant high-ankle sprain during the offseason, but he ultimately didn't undergo a procedure and is progressing well. He's been working out and is expected to be back to full health in time for training camp. |
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Staying with Tampa Bay
Tue, Apr 12, 2022, 3:25 PM
O'Connor (knee) signed a contract to remain with the Buccaneers on Tuesday, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: O'Connor did not receive a qualifying offer from the Buccaneers as a restricted free agent this offseason, but he'll return to the team after all. The fifth-year defensive lineman was Tampa Bay's team leader in special teams snaps with 341 last season, despite suffering a PCL injury that forced him to miss the final five games (including playoffs) of the 2021 campaign. O'Connor should be ready to reprise his role as a core special teamer and rotational defensive lineman this coming regular season, once he's healthy. |
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Blaine Gabbert Blaine Gabbert Back with Bucs
Wed, Apr 6, 2022, 4:06 PM
The Buccaneers have re-signed Gabbert.
Analysis: By bringing back Gabbert, who spent the past two seasons as Tom Brady's primary backup, the Bucs have retained all four quarterbacks they carried either on their active roster or practice squad last year. Per Greg Auman of The Athletic, it remains to be seen if Gabbert maintains his depth chart standing, however, with 2021 second-rounder Kyle Trask a candidate to push him for the team's No. 2 signal-caller role. |
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Joining Tampa
Wed, Apr 6, 2022, 3:30 PM
Neal is signing with Tampa Bay, where he's expected to play safety, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: The 2016 first-round pick mostly played linebacker for Dallas last year, after a six-season run in Atlanta as a hard-hitting strong safety. A return to the secondary represents his best shot at IDP relevance, considering Neal had three 100-tackle season as a safety and managed a modest 72 in 14 games for Dallas last year. That said, the Bucs already have Antoine Winfield and Logan Ryan, potentially leaving Neal to come off the bench, in which case IDP value would require an injury in front of him. Neal likely has made a full recovery from the chest injury that held him out of the Cowboys' playoff loss to San Francisco in January. |
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Tyler Johnson Tyler Johnson Outlook muddled by signings
Sun, Apr 3, 2022, 11:07 PM
Johnson (ribs) will have to compete with free-agent signee Russell Gage and the returning Breshad Perriman (abdomen) for snaps behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (knee) in 2022, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Johnson posted seven tallies of at least three receptions during the 2021 season and added another five grabs during the Buccaneers' two-game playoff run. The second-year wideout undoubtedly made strides while logging 38 more targets and 328 more snaps than in his rookie 2020 campaign, but the signing of Gage gives him some accomplished and more experienced competition. The former Falcons wideout produced a 138-1,556-8 line across the last two seasons alone, and in addition to Gage, Johnson will also have to deal with the presence of Perriman, who has experience in the offense and brings some coveted deep speed. Godwin's likely absence early in the season will give Johnson a clearer path to meaningful snaps no matter where he ends up in the pecking order, but he'll have to make a notable impact to ensure that remains the norm once his teammate is healthy. |
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Tom Brady Tom Brady Should have continuity on offense
Sat, Apr 2, 2022, 2:33 PM
Brady should remain in what is now a familiar offensive system despite the retirement of Bruce Arians, as he'll still be working under offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: The future Hall of Famer's brief retirement came to an end shortly before Arians' sudden decision to call it a coaching career himself. However, Brady certainly won't have to adapt to a new offensive system, despite the architect of the one he's thrived in the last two seasons no longer donning a headset. In Leftwich, Brady will still be working under the same coordinator that's helped the legendary signal-caller rack up 9,949 yards and 83 touchdown passes across his last 33 regular-season games. Moreover, with new head coach Todd Bowles almost certain to give Leftwich significant autonomy over the offensive side of the ball, it's highly conceivable Brady will have an even bigger voice in the overall scheme during the coming season. |
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Giovani Bernard Giovani Bernard Staying with Tampa
Fri, Apr 1, 2022, 1:17 PM
Bernard is re-signing with the Buccaneers on a one-year contract, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: The 30-year-old RB reportedly fielded offers from multiple teams before deciding to stay in Tampa Bay, where he had eight carries and 23 catches in 12 games last season. Bernard should continue to have a role on third downs, though Leonard Fournette -- also re-signed this offseason -- has proven capable of handling much of the receiving workload out of the backfield. The Bucs did lose Ronald Jones to the Chiefs in March, but he and Bernard were never competing for the same snaps anyway. |
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