The Buccaneers will take on the Jaguars in Jacksonville after two joint practices with the club on Wednesday and Thursday. The exhibition in Jacksonville is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET start time on Saturday, August 17. Tampa Bay and Jacksonville have played 15 preseason games against each other, but none since 2017, when the Bucs traveled upstate to grab a 12-8 win. That provided the Buccaneers with a 9-6 edge in the all-time series. At EverBank Stadium, there are several players to watch on the gridiron for the visiting team during the preliminary battle:
Kyle Trask
In contrast to last year, Kyle Trask is not competing for the starting quarterback role in Tampa Bay, but he is seeking to fortify his place on the depth chart as the primary backup to incumbent Baker Mayfield. On the final year of his rookie contract, Trask is focused on honing his craft and building mental fortitude. Trask spent the first two seasons in Tampa Bay behind both Tom Brady, who never missed a start, and Blaine Gabbert, who took over on the rare occasions Brady came out of a game. Now, both Brady and Gabbert are gone, and Trask got the chance to split first-team reps with Mayfield last training camp. The additional attention from coaches spurred growth in Trask's game and entering the 2024 year, the former Gator is vying to lock up the No.2 post. Trask possesses superb arm-strength, accuracy at all three levels and solid touch on deep shots downfield. He will be one to watch against the Jaguars on Saturday.
Kameron Johnson
Kameron Johnson wore a no-contact jersey during Thursday's joint practice with the Jaguars in his re-acclimation to full work from a rib injury. During the scrimmage, he was heavily utilized in the club's pre-snap motion. Johnson, an undrafted rookie, played at Barton College, a Division II program located in Wilson, North Carolina, and was a part of the school's first football team when the program relaunched in 2020. Now, after 51 catches for 875 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, Johnson is the first Barton player to sign with an NFL team. Following the injury, Johnson has gradually gotten his mobility back to full strength. The gadget player is lethal off jet sweeps, screens and end-arounds, forcing defenses to account for his speed. Dubbed a "stud" by Baker Mayfield, Johnson will be one to observe on Saturday.
Christian Izien
For the Buccaneers, the slot corner position is up for grabs in Todd Bowles' complex defense. One of the frontrunners is Rutgers product Christian Izien. Throughout the offseason, he received consistent work with the team's first-team nickel defense. His rising stock and sideline-to-sideline splash plays continued to draw praise from coaches. Izien is adept at blitzing and is a willing tackler. With explosiveness that jumps off the tape and quick-twitch prowess, Izien has continued to rev up the competition with Tykee Smith for the vacant spot. Production during the preseason will go a long way into securing a full-time gig and Izien will be a player to keep an eye on in the secondary against the Jaguars' offensive weapons.
Sean Tucker
Sean Tucker led the Buccaneers with 68 yards on 10 attempts against the Bengals in the club's first preseason matchup. He averaged over six yards a tote and produced the longest run of the night with a dazzling 26-yarder. On a split zone run, with the offensive line zone blocking in one direction, Tucker came across the formation and moved the chains. Tucker, who signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent last season, rushed for 23 yards on 15 carries in 2023. As he strives for a spot on the Bucs' final 53-man roster, Tucker will look to make his mark against the Jaguars, setting the tone on the ground. He possesses elite contact balance to fight through contact and instincts that allow him to create along the perimeter outside the blocking scheme. Throughout camp, Tucker has elevated the team's screen game and has added another dimension to outside zone runs with a lethal cutback.
Trey Palmer
Trey Palmer has competed with rookie Jalen McMillan and veteran offseason acquisition Sterling Shepard for the No.3 spot on the depth chart behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Last year in his rookie campaign, Palmer finished the year with 385 receiving yards on 39 catches and three touchdowns. The Nebraska product has outstanding speed to stretch the field vertically. Palmer flies off the line of scrimmage like a cannon and the second-year player continues to gain comfortability in Liam Coen's offense. He is quick out of his breaks and can create YAC yards with agility. In one of the most talked-about battles on the roster, Saturday's performance against the Jaguars' defensive backs for Palmer will be pivotal.
