1. Finishing out a tough stretch.
The Buccaneers will be in full pads for the fourth day in a row on Saturday before a much-needed day off on Sunday. Head Coach Dirk Koetter described this stretch of practices as the toughest of camp, so it will be interesting to see how players respond to a week's worth of contact. After this week, the Buccaneers will begin their preseason games, so things will lighten up slightly until the start of the regular season.
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Pictures of the Buccaneers Cheerleaders at Training Camp.
- The competition at wide receiver.**
The Bucs have their first three wide receivers in Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson and Adam Humphries but after that, the competition is wide open. On Friday, Evan Spencer and Jonathan Krause stood out at practice, with Kenny Bell and Russell Shepard also having their moments during camp. Speedster Bernard Reedy is also in the mix after having an excellent spring. There are only so many roster spots available for wide receivers, so keep an eye on which of the aforementioned players is getting reps on special teams. For players on the bubble, being able to return or cover kicks could be the difference between getting a jersey on Sunday and looking for a new team.
3. Young offensive linemen.
Tampa Bay invested in two offensive linemen in last year's draft, with both stepping in and starting immediately. Both of those players, Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet, had successful rookie seasons and both players appear poised for strong performances in year two. On Friday, Marpet was dominant during pass-rush drills, while Smith had a standout practice on Thursday. Keep an eye on those two players to continue to improve as camp carries on.
