September 2 Updates
On Friday, the Buccaneers reached an injury settlement with veteran cornerback Rashard Robinson and released him from the roster. Robinson had been placed on injured reserve on Tuesday as part of the team's long list of moves to trim the roster to 53 players. Because Robinson was placed on injured reserve before making it through to the 53-man roster, he is not eligible to play for the Buccaneers in 2022 but he can sign with another team.
Robinson played in seven games for the Buccaneers in 2021, recording two tackles on defense as well as two stops on special teams. He had previously seen action with the 49ers, Jets and Cowboys.
CLICK HERE to review all of the Buccaneers' roster moves of the week.
August 31 Updates
Late in the Buccaneers' 2022 training camp, wide receiver Scotty Miller said he was "ready to fight for everything" as he tried to secure a roster spot among an extremely deep group of pass-catchers. Apparently, he fought well.
Miller was one of seven receivers the Buccaneers retained through their cutdown to the 53-man regular season limit on Tuesday. Most notably he was retained over third-year wideout Tyler Johnson, who was waived and subsequently claimed by the Houston Texans.
"Obviously, it was going to be a fight for a roster spot," said Miller, back in the Bucs' locker room on Wednesday but not ready to relax. "We had and still have a really deep receiver room, so it was a battle. I'm just fortunate to be on the team right now and it's never going to stop being a fight. Got to keep grinding and keep trying to do my best every day."
Like Johnson and some others, such as Jaelon Darden, Breshad Perriman, Deven Thompkins and Kaylon Geiger, Miller had to wait and see if he got a phone call throughout the day on Tuesday. He was mentally ready for any outcome.
"It was crazy," said Miller. "That final cut day is always wild. You never really know how it's going to shake out, how it's going to go. So I really just tried to get my mind prepared for whatever and I happened to stick on the team here, make the team. I'm just really excited to be here and be a part of something special. I'm just grateful."
CLICK HERE for a complete look at the Bucs' 53-man roster after Tuesday's moves.
The Buccaneers saw their depth at center severely tested during their final preseason outing in Indianapolis when both Robert Hainsey (ankle) and Nick Leverett (shoulder) left the game with injuries. First-year player John Molchon, who has since been waived and then re-signed to the Bucs' practice squad, finished the game.
Fortunately, it appears that will not be a long-term concern. The Buccaneers are holding two abbreviated "bonus" practices this week before fully diving into a game-week schedule next Monday. The regular season begins in Dallas on September 11 and it appears likely that Hainsey and Leverett will suit up for the game. Hainsey is expected to start in place of injured Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen.
"They're both trending in the right direction," said Head Coach Bowles on Wednesday. "If they continue to heal they'll be ready to practice next week and should be available for the game."
August 28 Updates
The Buccaneers conducted a wide-open battle for their kicker job throughout training camp and the preseason. The two competitors were veteran incumbent Ryan Succop and first-year challenger Jose Borregales. Succop got most of the work in Saturday's preseason finale in Indianapolis and he may be getting all of the work going forward.
Succop hit a 30-yard field goal and made his only extra point try against the Colts. Borregales pushed a 52-yard field goal attempt a bit wide right in the fourth quarter. Asked on Monday if Succop had won the competition, Head Coach Todd Bowles replied: "I haven't discussed it yet, but probably."
CLICK HERE to watch Bowles' day-after-game press conference.
While a great deal of attention has been paid to the Bucs' search for new starters at center and left guard, a quieter competition has taken place at the second starting cornerback spot opposite entrenched star Carlton Davis. The competitors are Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean, both of whom have played extensively throughout the last two seasons when healthy. If one considers the nickel corner to be a starter, Davis, Murphy-Bunting and Dean have been the starting trio during much of their time together, with Murphy-Bunting and Dean occasionally trading duties as the starter opposite Davis in base packages.
In 2022, it appears the Buccaneers will be getting a versatile group of safeties more involved in sub packages, with Antoine Winfield Jr. seeing some action in the slot during the preseason. Depending upon how that shakes out, there may not be abundant playing time right away for the corner who does not secure the second starting job. On Monday, Head Coach Todd Bowles indicated that he was close to picking that starter.
"Obviously, I have a starter in mind at this spot, but we'll discuss it with the coaches later on this afternoon," he said. "Both of them had very good training camps when it came down to it, but we have one guy in mind that played very well, so we'll talk about it amongst ourselves, and we will come out with a starter."
CLICK HERE to hear more of Coach Bowles' day-after-game thoughts.
August 25 Updates
Head Coach Todd Bowles revealed on Thursday that every player on the roster who is healthy will take part in the Buccaneers' preseason finale in Indianapolis on Saturday night. That's a shift from the first two games, in which most of the team's regulars saw little to no action.
Bowles made that announcement in response to a question specifically about his plans for quarterback Tom Brady, so that list of healthy players presumably includes the team's starting quarterback. Bowles repeated the same line when asked about the availability of wide receiver Mike Evans, who has practiced without limitations all week after returning from a hamstring injury. Obviously, there are varying degrees of 'healthy,' and it remains unlikely that wide receiver Chris Godwin will play given that he has not yet been cleared for contact in practice.
Bowles wants to get his starters some live game action before the games that count begin on September 11.
"It's important for continuity," said the coach. "We have some new guys on the O-Line, we have some new guys at receiver, so other than having them practice together we need to see them in the game in certain situations and just the flow of it. No matter how long it is, we just need to see it."
The Buccaneers have enviable depth at wide receiver but have one fewer player in that mix for the 53-man roster after second-year man Cyril Grayson was waived/injured on Thursday. That move opened a spot on the current 80-man roster for outside linebacker Genard Avery, who was signed on Thursday.
If Grayson is not claimed off waivers by another team he will automatically revert to Tampa Bay's injured reserve list. At that point, he can either remain on that list for the season or reach an injury settlement with the team that is equivalent to the number of weeks he would expect to miss due to his injury. Grayson has been with the Buccaneers for more than two seasons, since he was first signed in December of 2019. A former track star at LSU, he saw his most extensive playing time late last season when injuries to the likes of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans created a void at the position and he stepped up with 10 catches for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Most notably, he scored the game-winning touchdown on a 33-yard grab in the final 15 seconds of Tampa Bay's 28-24 road win over the New York Jets in Week 17.
CLICK HERE for more on Thursday's roster moves.
August 22 Updates
Neither Mike Evans nor Chris Godwin has played in either of Tampa Bay's first two preseason games, but the more important target is September 11, when the the Buccaneers will play their regular-season opener in Dallas. Both receivers made progress towards being available on that date on Monday as they participated "fully" in the two-hour afternoon workout, according to Head Coach Todd Bowles. Evans has missed roughly two weeks with a minor leg injury while Godwin is in the latter stages of his return from a December knee injury.
Godwin wore a black jersey in practice Monday to signal that he wasn't to take any contact from his teammates, which allowed him to ramp up his participation in full-team drills. Bowles still would not predict whether Godwin would play in Week One, but he's headed in the right direction.
"We're getting him into team drills slowly," said Bowles. "He's doing certain things, but he ran a lot…a bit of team [drills] today."
CLICK HERE for more on Monday's practice developments, including the return of Tom Brady.
Quarterback Tom Brady returned to practice with the Buccaneers on Monday afternoon. He had been away from the team on an excused absence for a period of 11 days, during which the Buccaneers held five practices and played in one game. He was not scheduled to appear in the preseason Week Two contest at Tennessee.
During the portion of Monday's practice on which the media could report, which mostly consisted of a special teams drill, Brady threw with the other quarterbacks on a separate field. Two of Brady's main targets also appeared to be progressing in their return from injuries. Wide receiver Chris Godwin, who is coming back from a season-ending knee injury last December, was on the field in a black jersey signifying that his teammates should avoid making contact with him, which suggested he was going to take part in team drills. Wide receiver Mike Evans, who has been sidelined for several weeks due to a minor leg injury, had shoulder pads and a helmet on as he warmed up prior to individual-position drills.
CLICK HERE to watch Todd Bowles' post-practice press briefing.
On Monday, the Buccaneers placed outside linebacker Cam Gill and guard Aaron Stinnie on injured reserve. Neither will be eligible to play for the Buccaneers in 2022. Gill suffered a Lisfranc injury in his right foot in the preseason opener and Stinnie went down with a knee injury in the second game. Gill was part of the team's edge rush rotation and slated to play a larger role in 2022 than the past two seasons. Stinnie was in the competition for the starting left guard job.
CLICK HERE for more on Monday's roster moves.
August 21 Updates
As they absorb the news that Aaron Stinnie, the most experienced player in the competition to replace the retired Ali Marpet at left guard, is done for the season with ACL and MCL injuries in his left knee, the Buccaneers can at least breathe a sigh of relief regarding All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs.
The Buccaneers held a pair of joint practices with the Tennessee Titans in Nashville this past week and Wirfs exited the Thursday session early due to an apparent injury to his abdomen. Wirfs did not play in Saturday's preseason game but the team sat most of its starters anyway. On Sunday, Head Coach Todd Bowles eased any concerns about a long-term absence for Wirfs.
"Right now it's day-to-day," said Bowles. "It shouldn't be much of a concern but we'll monitor going forward."
CLICK HERE for more on the Bucs' offensive line injuries.
August 18 Updates
Rookie guard Luke Goedeke, the second of the Bucs' two second-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, was given work with the first-team offensive line on Thursday for the first time since training camp began. Goedeke was expected to compete with Aaron Stinnie for the left guard job left vacant by the retirement of Pro Bowl lineman Ali Marpet, but that competition has since widened to include Nick Leverett and Brandon Walton. While the other three had rotated in that spot with the starting line for the past three weeks, Goedeke had been running exclusively with the second team.
"Now's the time to give him a look," said Head Coach Todd Bowles after the Bucs finished their second joint practice with the Tennessee Titans. "You can't put him in early because he hasn't learned everything. He's learned enough now to go in and play. Like we've said, we're giving all these guys shots at guard and his time has come."
Bowles said that he hadn't yet made a final decision as to who will start Saturday's preseason game at left guard but that he did have a candidate in mind. He indicated he would make the decision after consulting with Assistant Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator Harold Goodwin and Offensive Line Coach Joe Gilbert.
CLICK HERE to listen to more of Coach Bowles' thoughts after Thursday's practice.
August 17 Updates
The Buccaneers' younger wide receivers took center stage in the team's preseason opener against Miami last Saturday, and it looks like their will be plenty of snaps available to those roster hopefuls this weekend in Nashville. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Russell Gage will all remain out, and Head Coach Todd Bowles said on Wednesday that Julio Jones, while not injured, will not make his Buccaneers debut on Saturday, either.
"He'll practice tomorrow – he won't play Saturday. He'll get his work in during the week, but he will not play Saturday."
Tyler Johnson led the team in the opener with 73 yards on six catches but undrafted rookies Jerreth Sterns and Kaylon Geiger each four catches, for 51 and 52 yards, respectively, including a 19-yard touchdown catch for Sterns.
CLICK HERE to hear all of Coach Bowles' thoughts after practice on Wednesday.
August 16 Updates
The third week of August has brought another important step in wide receiver Chris Godwin's progress as he returns from last December's knee injury. As the Buccaneers have returned to practice following their preseason opener, Godwin has begun taking part in some team drills.
Godwin was surprisingly not placed on the active/PUP list prior to the start of training camp even though it had only been roughly seven months since he suffered the injury in a Week 15 game against the Saints. He returned to practice for the first time on August 15 but only took part in individual-position drills, working on the side with trainers when practice progressed to offense-vs.-defense work. Head Coach Todd Bowles has said the Buccaneers will not force the issue in an effort to get Godwin back for Week One of the regular season, and that remains true despite this latest development.
"It's just good to see him out there," said Bowles. "Putting him in team drills a little bit and letting him get his feet wet. But we're still in the process with him, day by day, and we're bringing him along slowly."
WR Julio Jones is expected to accompany the team to Nashville on Tuesday and take part in the Bucs' two joint practices with the Tennessee Titans, according to Head Coach Todd Bowles. Jones was one of nearly 30 front-line players who did not play in the preseason opener last Saturday, but he is not dealing with any injury.
Bowles also said that wide receivers Mike Evans and Russell Gage, both of whom are dealing with minor leg injuries sustained during training camp, will not return to practice this week.
August 15 Updates
In addition to losing running back Kenjon Barner to a season-ending groin injury, the Buccaneers also came out of Sunday's preseason opener with another new injury concern. Third-year outside linebacker Cam Gill, who had one of the team's three sacks against the Dolphins, suffered a Lisfranc injury in his right foot and will miss a still-indeterminate amount of time. Head Coach Todd Bowles said on Monday that he still doesn't have a full prognosis on Gill's recovery period.
"Not at the moment I don't," said Bowles. "It could be a little bit, it could be more. I'm not sure yet."
A Lisfranc injury is one that occurs to the bones or ligaments, of the middle part of the foot. They are often caused by a twisting fall while the foot is pointed downward.
The Buccaneers do not have much experienced depth at the edge rusher position. Second-year man Joe Tryon-Shoyinka is stepping in as the new starter opposite Shaq Barrett, and Gill and fourth-year player Anthony Nelson (who also had a sack Saturday) were slated to be the primary reserves. Every other player on the OLB depth chart is a rookie.
CLICK HERE for more of Coach Bowles' post-practice thoughts on Monday.
The first round of roster cuts looms for the Buccaneers this week.
The first trim isn't deep - the team only needs to reduce its roster from 90 to 85, with the deadline set as 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Those cuts will continue the following Tuesday with a reduction from 85 to 80, and the final wave down to 53 will occur on August 30.
"It's always tough when cut days come because you don't ever want to ruin anyone's dream, but the nature of the business is we've got to let some people go," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "We'll put our heads together, depending on who's short at what position and what we need and who we can afford to let go. We'll make a decision that way."
Veteran running back Kenjon Barner was placed on injured reserve on Monday due to a groin ailment he suffered in Saturday's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday night. Barner played 23 offensive snaps before getting hurt and was active in that playtime, running seven times for 18 yards and catching two passes for 13 yards.
Because Barner landed on I.R. before the final roster reduction to 53 for the regular season, he is not eligible to return to action for the Buccaneers this season. If he were to be subsequently released with an injury settlement, however, he would be free to sign with another NFL team. The Buccaneers used the roster spot opened by his move to I.R. to sign a backfield replacement in former Dolphins running back Patrick Laird.
CLICK HERE for more on Monday's roster moves.
Quarterback Tom Brady is not taking part in the Buccaneers' second joint practice with the Dolphins on Thursday morning. Brady has an excused absence from the team and Head Coach Todd Bowles will speak on the topic after practice. Bowles had already announced that Brady would not play in the team's preseason opener on Saturday.
Center Robert Hainsey, who left practice a few plays early on Wednesday and was carted inside, was back in action on Thursday. His early departure the day before was due to cramps. However, the Buccaneers are starting to run a little thin at the receiver position and there should be a lot of snaps available for younger players on Saturday night. Mike Evans, Russell Gage and Breshad Perriman are all sidelined by minor injuries and Julio Jones appears to be getting a veteran's day off. Chris Godwin is participating in individual drills but has not yet joined in the full-team sessions.
The Buccaneers had a very useful two-hour joint practice with the Miami Dolphins at the AdventHealth Training Center on Wednesday, but two Buccaneers didn't quite make it to the finish line. Both center Robert Hainsey and wide receiver Russell Gage left the field early due to apparent injury or discomfort. Head Coach Todd Bowles did not have updated information on either player by the time he spoke to the media, but word later circulated that Hainsey had merely suffered cramps. There was no further information on Gage.
As was the case during the 2021 season with the team's cornerbacks and later its receivers, the Bucs' injuries seemed to be starting to cluster by positions. Hainsey is currently working with the first team at center because the Buccaneers' Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen, suffered a significant knee injury on the second day of training camp. Jensen is not expected back until at least November or December and could miss the whole season. Gage was essentially the Bucs' de facto number-one receiver coming into Wednesday's practice, as Mike Evans is out with a minor leg injury and Chris Godwin is still working his way back from last year's ACL tear.
August 9 Updates
When Chris Godwin was not put on the active/PUP list to start training camp, it generated hope that he was ahead of schedule in his return from last December's knee injury. When he returned to practice last week in limited fashion, it raised the possibility that, contrary to popular wisdom, Godwin could be ready to go for the start of the regular season.
And that may be the case. When the Buccaneers take on the Dallas Cowboys on September 11, Godwin may be in uniform. However, the team will not force the issue to get that outcome. The Bucs continue to take the long view when it comes to Godwin, who signed a new three-year deal with the team in March after first receiving the franchise tag.
"No, he doesn't have to be ready," said Head Coach Todd Bowles on Tuesday. "We want him for the long haul. We don't want him running around, looking good and then getting hurt. We're going through all the protocols and doing all the little things for him, and it's good to see him in pads, but he's got some tests to pass and some ways to go. We're not rushing him by no means. We just want him healthy for the long haul. Once we get down the road and make that determination, we'll go from there. But there's not a fast way to have him ready for the season."
Godwin has been taking part in individual drills but otherwise working on a separate field with trainers during full-team drills. Bowles does not have a timetable for when Godwin will take the next step and start going up against defenders.
"The trainers and the strength coach will let us know when that determines," said Bowles. "It all depends on how he feels after practice and after lifting and everything. If he keeps feeling good it will progress to that. I can't give you an exact date but we'll know when they say something."
CLICK HERE to hear the rest of Coach Bowles' post-practice remarks.
August 7 Updates
The Buccaneers are searching for a new starter at left guard following the retirement of Pro Bowler Ali Marpet in February and have spent the first two weeks of training camp looking at several candidates. Aaron Stinnie, Nick Leverett and Brandon Walton have all spent time at that spot with the first-team line while rookie second-rounder Luke Goedeke has primarily worked with the second line. Assistant Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator Harold Goodwin likes what he's seen from the group as a whole and sees the competition as still being wide open.
"The beautiful thing about it, it's fun to watch because you think about it, you've got all these guys that actually get a shot to win a job," said Goodwin. "Usually when you come to camp it's pretty much solidified but to have three or four guys rotate in and try to give it their best every day, I like watching that. At some point I've got to put my foot down and just go ahead and pick a guy so we can build that communication with Donnie [Smith], build that communication with Hainsey at the center spot. But I like to watch it. Those guys care, those guys compete and they help each other out. At the end of the day they all want to win that job, but at a certain point here I've just got to go ahead and pick a guy. But they're all doing a nice job right now."
Goodwin said the Bucs don't have a specific target date for picking a starter but did throw out a potential timetable for the decision.
"Not really. I'm thinking somewhere before the third preseason game. Just kind of go ahead and lock it down and get it over with. But right now it's wide open in my opinion. I might even try to put a helmet on and some shoulder pads and give it a try myself. We'll see how it goes."
CLICK HERE to watch Goodwin's entire post-practice briefing.
August 6 Updates
Wide receiver Mike Evans was unable to finish Friday's practice, leaving during the penultimate drill after catching a deep pass and then pulling up short. After practice but before he had visited the training room to check on Evans, Head Coach Todd Bowles suspected Evans had tweaked one of his hamstrings.
Evans did not practice on Saturday but he may not be sidelined for long, according to Bowles.
"He's sore," said Bowles. "He's day-to-day. He'll be fine, it's just a matter of when we put him out there."
Wide receiver Chris Godwin participated in individual drills for the second day in a row but still did not join in full-team periods. There is no set timetable for that next step in his return from a knee injury suffered last December.
August 5 Updates
In the lead-up to training camp, it was presumed that the primary competitors in the battle to replace the retired Ali Marpet at left guard would be veteran Aaron Stinnie and second-round rookie Luke Goedeke. Stinnie has indeed worked with the first-team line in several practices but he has split those duties not with Goedeke but with second-year player Nick Leverett and first-year man Brandon Walton. Leverett worked with the first team on Friday, just as he had on Wednesday, while Goedeke took second-team reps, with Stinnie at right guard. However, Head Coach Todd Bowles said after practice that Goedeke was still in the running for the starting spot.
"He still gets in the mix," said Bowles. "The other guys have been here. Experience-wise, as we install, they kind of know it already. It's good for Luke to see somebody do it before he does it, rather than just go out there and just make a mistake that way. We're getting the older guys in there some that's been here. As he gets experience he'll play a lot. It's still an open competition."
CLICK HERE for Coach Bowles' additional post-practice remarks.
For the first time since he tore an ACL in a game against New Orleans on December 19, wide receiver Chris Godwin is back in action with his teammates.
The Buccaneers returned to work on Friday morning after a players' day off on Thursday and Godwin was on the field, in pads and in the mix during early-practice drills. He wore a brace on his surgically-repaired knee but took part in individual position drills and got the first rep, along with Mike Evans, when the quarterbacks began throwing passes to the wideouts. More information on Godwin's status will be provided after the conclusion of practice.
CLICK HERE for more on Godwin's return as well as an apparent injury suffered by Mike Evans on Friday..
August 3 Updates
The Buccaneers may not have a deeper position on their 2022 training camp depth chart, and that means they will have to make some difficult decisions when it comes time to trim the roster to the regular-season limit of 53.
"It's going to be tough," said Head Coach Todd Bowles after Wednesday's practice. "It's going to be tough. That's why we have the practices. They're going to play in the games. We're going to get to see them, not just once, we're going to see them twice. We're going to see them a lot in the practices that we have against [the Dolphins and Titans] and in the preseason games, and we'll look up and see. But there's a lot of talent that position, not just the four that we have but all the other guys too, but we have to see how it shakes out."
The first four spots are likely to be occupied by returning stars Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and newcomers Russell Gage and Julio Jones. The competition for the other two - or possibly three - spots is crowded with the likes of Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson, Jaelon Darden, Cyril Grayson, Breshad Perriman and a handful of intriguing rookies. One player from among that group who has impressed Bowles with his progress is Darden, a 2021 fourth-round draft pick who was primarily a return man as a rookie.
"I really like what Darden's doing right now," said Bowles. "His approach all offseason has been outstanding. He works hard, he keeps his head down and he plays ball."
CLICK HERE for more of Todd Bowles thoughts on training camp developments.
August 2 Updates
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers encountered their steamiest day of practice in training camp so far on Tuesday, with the humidity level sitting around 75% and the feels-like temperature approaching triple digits. Head Coach Todd Bowles responded to the rising heat index by making the built-in water breaks longer, but he may make some further adjustments over the next two weeks of training camp. The Buccaneers have a state-of-the-art indoor facility next to their practice fields, which is a perfect fallback for stormy days but also potentially a place to escape from the heat on occasion.
"We'll probably have some inside," said Bowles. "We have some [practices] that we talked about wanting to go inside on some. But just getting them out here early, getting used to the pads and getting used to the heat, and getting some extra conditioning was important."
CLICK HERE to hear all of Coach Bowles' post-practice thoughts.
Sigh of relief.
All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs left practice before the conclusion of the final drill on the schedule, which was an unwelcome sight, particularly in light of last week's loss of Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen to a practice-field knee injury. Wirfs was escorted into the training room on a cart driven by former Head Coach Bruce Arians. Fortunately, as Head Coach Todd Bowles reported after practice, Wirfs was merely dealing with cramps on what was the hottest day of training camp so far.
CLICK HERE for more thoughts from Todd Bowles on training camp so far.
August 1 Updates
Buccaneers players had the day off on Sunday but rookie cornerback Don Gardner got some good news when he was activated from the active/physically unable to perform list. That meant Gardner could immediately return to practice, which he did on Monday morning. The Buccaneers now have no players on their 90-man camp roster on a reserve list of any kind, though the team is still awaiting the final word on center Ryan Jensen's knee injury.
CLICK HERE for more on Gardner and his activation.
July 29 Updates
The Buccaneers still do not have a complete prognosis for Ryan Jensen following the knee injury he suffered in practice on Thursday, but they do it is severe enough to keep him out for at least a major portion of the season.
"Don't know the severity of it, per se, but I do know he'll miss some significant time, up to a couple of months," said Head Coach Todd Bowles after Friday's practice. "Whether he'll be back later in the season, November or December, that depends on what they find in the knee, but he won't be available anytime soon."
CLICK HERE to hear more of Bowles' thoughts on Jensen and the Bucs' center position.
Aaron Stinnie and Luke Goedeke are widely considered the frontrunners in the competition to replace Ali Marpet at left guard, particularly since Ryan Jensen's significant knee injury has pulled some of other competitors over to the pivot. It may indeed come down to Stinnie and Goedeke, but in the meantime the Bucs are going to cast a wide net to see who might fit well at the position. On Friday, first-year man Brandon Walton, listed on the Bucs' roster as an offensive tackle, got a shot to take some first-team reps at right guard. Said Head Coach Todd Bowles on the former Florida Atlantic standout:
"Well, we're mixing it up right now. He's tough and it's a wide-open spot. We've just got to pick and choose our spots, who to put in there and get a significant amount of time so we can see everybody and make an educated decision. But he's tough, he comes to work every day, he's in early. He has good technique, he has a lot of strength, so it's going to be a fight."
CLICK HERE to hear more of Bowles' thoughts on Friday's practice and recent developments.
For the first time since he suffered a season-ending knee injury in a preseason game against the Bengals last August 14, guard Sadarius Hutcherson participated in a practice on Friday morning. Hutcherson began the Buccaneers' 2022 training camp on the active/PUP list but was taken off that list just three days into camp practices. Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen suffered a knee injury in practice on Thursday and will be very difficult to replace for whatever amount of time he is unavailable. From the basic standpoint of snap shares, however, the Buccaneers do maintain the same number of interior linemen for practices moving forward with Hutcherson back in the mix.
CLICK HERE for more on Hutcherson's status and other Friday moves.
The Buccaneers signed tight end Kyle Rudolph two days before training camp and had a deal in place with wide receiver Julio Jones before the practice, but the first real in-camp roster moves took place on Friday. The team added a tight end to the mix in former North Carolina wide receiver Bug Howard, making the depth chart seven men strong at that position. Howard has been in a number of NFL camps previously and made the switch from receiver to tight end while playing in the short-lived AAF in 2019. To make room for Howard on the roster, the Buccaneers waived their second-string punter, Sterling Hofrichter.
CLICK HERE for more on Friday's roster moves.
July 28 Updates
Ryan Jensen, the Buccaneers' Pro Bowl center, was carted off the field during the final period of Thursday's training camp practice after sustaining what Head Coach Todd Bowles later revealed to be a knee injury. The team does not expect to have a clear idea of how much time Jensen will miss for a couple days, as it will take time to administer and receive the results of tests on his knee. Second-year man Robert Hainsey stepped in with the starting line after Jensen left the field.
CLICK HERE for more on Jensen's injury.
July 27 Updates
Inside linebacker Lavonte David, who finished the 2021 season on an injured knee that had him playing at - by his estimation - about 60% capacity, was full-go when the Buccaneers held their first 2022 training camp practice on Wednesday. Afterward, he declared that he was back to 100% healthy and completely unlimited on the practice field. Others who had come to camp with potential injury concerns but were able to practice without issue on Wednesday include safety Antoine Winfield, Jr., kicker Ryan Succop, inside linebacker Grant Stuard and wide receiver Russell Gage.
CLICK HERE for more on the Buccaneers' nearly clean bill of health at the start of camp.
The Buccaneers officially signed veteran wide receiver Julio Jones on Wednesday morning, with pen put to paper at the same time his new teammates were on the practice field for the first workout of training camp. Jones came out to the field as a spectator and later talked about his desire to join Tom Brady and the Buccaneers and chase a championship.
CLICK HERE for more on Jones' first day with the Buccaneers.
July 26 Updates
A day after adding a seventh tight end to the training camp roster, the Buccaneers trimmed that position back down to six by waiving first-year man Codey McElroy with an injury designation. McElroy has spent much of the past two-and-a-half seasons on Tampa Bay's practice squad but also appeared in three regular-season games over that span, recording one catch.
CLICK HERE for more on Tuesday's roster move.
July 25 Updates
The Buccaneers added some much-needed experience and pass-catching prowess to their tight end room on Monday, signing 12th-year veteran Kyle Rudolph. A former second-round pick out of Notre Dame, Rudolph spent 11 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before signing with the New York Jets last year. His career totals include 479 catches for 4,745 yards and 49 touchdowns. Rudolph joins holdover Cam Brate as the veteran leaders of an otherwise very young tight end group.
CLICK HERE for a more detailed look at the Bucs' new addition at tight end.
July 24 Updates
The Buccaneers completed the necessary contract work on their 2022 draft class on Sunday when they inked fourth-round tight end Cade Otton to a four-year deal. All eight of the Buccaneers draft selections now have their deals in place and will be able to start training camp on time. Otton, who sat out spring practices while completing his recovery from ankle surgery, is expected to be cleared for action when camp begins on Wednesday.
CLICK HERE for more on the Cade Otton signing.
July 23 Updates
Defensive lineman Logan Hall, the Buccaneers' top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, signed his first NFL contract on Saturday shortly after reporting for the pre-camp 'QB School.' Hall received the standard four-year deal that all players selected after the first round of the draft get. Tampa Bay nabbed the former Houston standout with the first pick of the second round (33rd overall) after trading down from their original spot at number 27 in the first round.
CLICK HERE for a more detailed look at Hall and his new contract.
Prior to the start of the Bucs' pre-training camp 'QB School,' which also involved rookies and some first-year players, the Buccaneers placed two players - first-year guard Sadarius Hutcherson and undrafted rookie cornerback Don Gardner - the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Neither player is ready to begin practicing yet due to pre-existing injuries. While on the active/PUP list, players do count against the 90-man camp limit, and they can come off that list and return to practice at any time. Using the active/PUP designation preserves the team's option to put those players on reserve/PUP before the start of the regular season, if necessary.
CLICK HERE for more on the Bucs' pre-camp roster moves.
