Tampa Bay Buccaneers Boast Crowded Wideout Room Ahead of Training Camp
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Boast Crowded Wideout Room Ahead of Training Camp originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had another successful NFL Draft this year, spearheaded by their No. 1 pick, wideout Emeka Egbuka, and several defensive picks after.
Advertisement
But with the selection of the standout Ohio State wideout, the Buccaneers will have questions when it comes time to cut down to the final 53-man roster ahead of the regular season.
Buccaneers.com senior writer Scott Smith offered his take on how the offseason could play out and who could be the odd man or men out.
"This year, if there are no more additions between now and then, the Buccaneers will take 12 receivers into camp, and eight of them were on the 53-man roster at some point last season," Smith wrote. "I think it's pretty safe to pinpoint the four guys who are virtual locks to be on the active roster to start the season: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and first-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka. The Buccaneers also drafted Tez Johnson in April, and while seventh-round picks are generally not locks to make the 53-man roster right away, the general consensus is that Johnson may have been something of a steal at that point in the draft.
"If he demonstrates the same innate ability to get open and make big plays that he did at Oregon, the team may be leery about exposing him to the waiver wire in order to get him onto the practice squad. Also, he has a very real shot at earning the punt return job, which would be another path to a spot on the 53-man roster."
Advertisement
Smith continued that while there were a couple of wideouts that impressed last season, it's going to be hard to decide who to add to the surefire four.
Sterling Shepard, Kameron Johnson and Trey Palmer, assuming Palmer isn't traded before then, as rumors might indicate, and Ryan Miller and Rakim Jarrett will all be in the mix.
Related: Buccaneers Offensive Lineman Favored for NFL's New Protector of the Year Award
Related: Buccaneers' Key Defensive Cog Reveals Health Update
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
James Cook, Bills Contract Standoff Receives Harsh Update
James Cook, Bills Contract Standoff Receives Harsh Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Buffalo Bills entered the new NFL year with a big question to answer. James Cook is coming off his best season after posting 207 carries, racking up 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns in 16 games. Advertisement He went from being a strong force to a scoring machine, helping the Bills play in the AFC championship game, where the Kansas City Chiefs stopped them again. Amid an offseason in which the team gave Josh Allen a new $330 million contract and extended several members of the 2022 class, including linebacker Terrel Bernard, wide receiver Khalil Shakir and cornerback Christian Benford, Cook expressed his desire to win $15 million per campaign, as he entered his final year on his current deal. Buffalo's management stated they aren't entertaining that possibility at the moment, putting Cook in a difficult position. Buffalo Bills running back James CookMark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Amid his contract standoff, Cook opted to skip the voluntary OTAs at the end of May, sounding the alarms for the defending AFC East champions. Their mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 10-12, which could be the breaking point of this relationship. Advertisement During Wednesday's edition of his "The Adam Schefter Podcast," the NFL insider shared a grim update on where things stand between Cook and his team. Schefter says that Cook will likely remain absent from his team's practice for the foreseeable future. 'You've got a guy who's unhappy with his contractual situation," Schefter said. "(He) has basically disconnected himself from the organization and the city, put his house up for sale...I don't think we'll be seeing him in Buffalo anytime soon. Again, the start of training camp will be the next critical moment. If they don't have a deal done there or by then, does James Cook show up for training camp? Does he risk the penalties that come along in the collective bargaining agreement if he doesn't show up? Schefter then added how other teams with star running backs handled their situations differently. "We've seen the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason reward Saquon Barkley, we've seen the Baltimore Ravens reward Derrick Henry. We have not seen the Buffalo Bills pay James Cook yet. James Cook is a valuable member of that offense." Advertisement The running back market experienced big changes thanks to Barkley, Henry and Cook's performances in 2024. They posted remarkable seasons that helped their teams compete in the playoffs, but only two of them have been given new deals. Related: Commanders Could Trade for James Cook in Blockbuster Prediction This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Haason Reddick Gives Bizarre Buccaneers' OTA Update
Haason Reddick Gives Bizarre Buccaneers' OTA Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The month of May is usually a time for organizations around the league to hit the practice field for offseason workouts. It's usually a good time for disgruntled players to also try and make headway on new deals with their team. Advertisement The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in a unique situation in regards to that. They don't really have any player in line for major contract extensions, yet have a very clear absence from OTAs that is turning heads. Haason Reddick, the former All-Pro with the Philadelphia Eagles, is on his third team in as many years. He signed a free agent deal with the Buccaneers for over $14 million - a stark decrease from the amount he has been looking for over the last few years. Even still, Reddick missed most of the 2024 season while holding out for a new contract with the New York Jets. It would make sense for him to show up and be dominant with his new team in Tampa Bay. That isn't what is happening, though. Reddick has remained away from the Buccaneers organization during voluntary workouts. Advertisement Bordering on the even further bizarre, Reddick posted a story on his Instagram of him working out titled "Great work day". Here's a question - why exactly isn't Reddick working out with his new team? Tampa Bay runs a different scheme than the Jets and Eagles do. Why does Reddick think he'll be able to pick that up easily? The reality is that Reddick has become a major enigma in NFL circles. The more he stays away from the team during the voluntary workout phase, the weirder this whole situation looks. Related: Baker Mayfield Shows Bucs Commitment With Major Life Move Related: Buccaneers Offensive Lineman Favored for NFL's New Protector of the Year Award This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
How NFC Trade Helps Buccaneers' Super Bowl Hopes
How NFC Trade Helps Buccaneers' Super Bowl Hopes originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When the Philadelphia Eagles chose to trade edge rusher Bryce Huff to the San Francisco 49ers last week, the expectation was that there wouldn't be major shake-up among NFC contenders. Advertisement The reality, though, is that this move says a lot more about the NFC Playoff picture than originally perceived. And it's great news for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Let's start with the defending champs. The Eagles have struggled mightily to beat the Buccaneers over the last few years. They also have a pass rush that has now seen four players from last season all find new homes (one of them did retire). The departure of Huff won't make things easier for Philly going forward. Then there is the 49ers. After a dismal six-win finish in 2024, the team said goodbye to several starters on the defensive end. While Huff was most productive under head coach turned defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, he still has major weaknesses against the run. Advertisement That kind of weakness shows the 49ers won't be very good against the run next season. ... Especially in Saleh's wide-nine approach. Both teams are expected to be contenders alongside the Buccaneers this season. The fact that the competition may have have taken major steps backward in their run defense is great news for Tampa Bay. ... Especially with a 1,000-yard runner in Bucky Irving already on the team. Tampa's rushing attack will make things very difficult for both Philly and San Fran, And it could fundamentally shift the balance of power in the conference going forward. Related: Baker Mayfield Shows Bucs Commitment With Major Life Move Related: Buccaneers Offensive Lineman Favored for NFL's New Protector of the Year Award This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
