June 30 Updates
Rachaad White has a good grasp on the Buccaneers' recent history. Now he's aiming to make some of his own.
A third-round draft pick in 2022, White heads into his second season as the presumptive lead back in the Buccaneers' offense. He actually assumed the starting role around midseason of his rookie campaign but still spent most of the season in a relatively even timeshare with veteran Leonard Fournette. Fournette ended up with a team-leading 668 rushing yards on 189 carries while White put up 481 yards on 129 totes. White also caught 50 passes for another 290 yards.
As a tandem, White and Fournette surpassed 1,100 yards in 2022. In 2023, White is aiming to hit double digits on his own, a feat that he's aware no Bucs back has done in a while. The last individual Bucs back to surpass 1,000 yards was Doug Martin, with 1,402 in 2015.
"My expectation is really just to do my job, be the guy [General Manager] Jason Licht wants me to be but really just to be myself, go out there and have fun, hang loose," said White on Friday during an appearance on NFL Network's Good Morning Football. "Obviously, the Bucs haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher in about eight years or so. I want to, of course, eclipse that, but in the framework of just doing my job and being me and being there for my teammates."
White was on the field for 39% of the Buccaneers' offensive snaps in his rookie season. That number is likely to increase significantly in 2023 as he takes on the role of the team's primary ballcarrier. Under new Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales, the Bucs are expected to put more emphasis on the running game after finishing last in the NFL in that category in 2022. All of that could help White become the ninth player in franchise history to record a 1,00-yard rushing season, and the first in close to a decade.
CLICK HERE to hear more of White's thoughts during the Bucs' June minicamp.
June 29 Updates
The Buccaneers announced a series of promotions in their football operations staff on Thursday, including the naming of Mike Greenberg and John Spytek as Assistant General Managers. Greenberg, entering his 14th season with the Buccaneers, previously held the position of Vice President of Football Administration. Spytek was promoted from Vice President of Player Personnel as he begins his eighth season with the team.
In addition, Jackie Davidson has been named Vice President of Football Research and Shane Scannell will take on the title of Director of Pro Scouting. Davidson joined the team in 2020 and previously held the position of Senior Director of Football Research. Scannell enters his ninth year with the Buccaneers as he is promoted from his previous position of Assistant Director of Pro Scouting.
All four work closely with General Manager Jason Licht, who has held that position since 2014. Greenberg tends to all aspects of the salary cap, contract negotiations, CBA compliance and strategic planning. Spytek oversees the daily operation of the Bucs' college and pro scouting departments and works closely with Licht regarding the draft, free agency and all player personnel matters. Davidson supports the coaching and personnel staffs in strategic decisions through the development of analytical tools and methods. Scannell works closely with Director of Player Personnel Rob McCartney on advance scouting and the evaluation of all professional players.
The Bucs also noted the following promotions: John Ames, Senior Athletic Trainer; Scott DeGraff, Senior Athletic Trainer; Mike Myrick, Senior Equipment Manager; Kyle Gilliam, Senior Food and Beverage Manager; Daniel Battles, Senior Groundskeeper; Andrew Kinch, Field Maintenance Coordinator.
June 15 Updates
At one point on the afternoon of April 30, 2022, Sam Houston State cornerback Zyon McCollum stood out on the Buccaneers' draft board like his name was in neon. Surprised to see McCollum still available in the fifth round, and without their own selection in that round due to a previous trade for guard Shaq Mason, the Bucs decided it was worth it to send a 2023 fourth-round pick to the Jaguars to get into position to draft him.
Now McCollum has a chance to stand out on the playing field as well, even more so than a rookie season in which he quickly became one of the Bucs' best special teams players. With the departure of Sean Murphy-Bunting in free agency, McCollum is clearly the team's third outside corner behind starters Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean. He has also been mentioned as a possible competitor for the wide-open slot corner position.
The Buccaneers had expected McCollum to be an instant contributor on special teams due to his combination of size (6-2, 199) and speed (4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine). That speed will help on defense as well, but the key for McCollum in getting more work is having everything around him get slower.
"The game has slowed down for him," said Head Coach Todd Bowles during the Bucs' three-day mandatory minicamp. "I think, mentally, he's in a different place, understanding how the game has slowed down. He's playing faster. He doesn't have to use his speed for everything – he can see it with his eyes and his technique. It's slowed down for him this camp."
Dean has seen the same progress in McCollum's game.
"You can tell he's got a season under his belt," said the fifth-year corner. "He's more confident out there, he knows what he's doing, he's trying out different techniques so he can see what works for him and what doesn't. That's the next step in your career, showing that you're growing."
CLICK HERE for more of Coach Bowles' thoughts at minicamp.
June 14 Updates
There may be no "I" in "team," but there could be a couple more on the Buccaneers' roster in 2023.
The Bucs will wrap up their offseason program on Thursday and the real competition for starting jobs and roster spots won't begin until training camp later in the summer. Still, this week's minicamp is another opportunity for newcomers, including the 21 undrafted rookies who signed with the team. While Head Coach Todd Bowles has repeatedly resisted making any sweeping pronouncements about how various players are faring while the team is still practicing in "short and t-shirts," he did note on Tuesday that former Alabama State cornerback Keenan Isaac is off to a good start.
"There [are] some interesting guys that flashed – Isaac from Alabama State has flashed here and there enough to look at him in pads," said Bowles.
During the first two days of the Buc's current three-day minicamp, Isaac has seen a good amount of action on the second unit, working opposite Zyon McCollum as one of the two outside corners. The team's two starting spots at outside corner are set with Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean, but there is an opportunity for some young players behind them, as there is very little experienced depth at the position. Tampa Bay did draft a defensive back in the sixth round in April, Kansas State's Josh Hayes, but the initial plan for Hayes is to work in the slot.
Right behind Isaac on the Bucs' alphabetical roster is former Rutgers safety Christian Izien, another undrafted rookie. There's even less experienced depth at that spot on the Bucs' current roster; Antoine Winfield Jr. and Ryan Neal are the projected starters but there are no other safeties on the team who have started an NFL game. Izien has definitely caught Neal's attention.
"Great kid," said Ryan on Wednesday. "He plays multiple [positions] like everybody else. Short and stocky, so I know he's probably physical. Real fast and he has great hips and great feet, too. I love what he does, and he does have a blitz package, too. He hit a spin move on a running back the other day and I said, 'I don't even have that in my package!'"
CLICK HERE for more of Coach Bowles' thoughts after the first practice of minicamp.
June 13 Updates
When the Bucs ran their first full-team drill during Tuesday's minicamp practice, the starting offensive line was the same as what the team had been putting together during OTAs. That includes Tristan Wirfs making the move to left tackle, Luke Goedeke sliding into the right tackle spot and Robert Hainsey playing center while Pro Bowler Ryan Jensen continues his return from last year's knee injury. The Bucs could also have two new starters in the guard spots, with second-round rookie Cody Mauch on the right side and free agent acquisition Matt Feiler on the left side.
On Tuesday, Head Coach Todd Bowles said that Feiler is leading the way at the the left guard position, which last year was filled first by Goedeke and later by Nick Leverett. Feiler has 73 career regular-season starts, including all 33 at left guard for the Chargers over the past two seasons.
"Right now it's his job to lose, yes," said Bowles.
Of course, there will still be competition for most of those spots in training camp, and Feiler will have to continue to prove he is the best option between Wirfs and Jensen. The Buccaneers have good depth for their interior line spots with Feiler, Jensen, Hainsey, Mauch, Leverett, Aaron Stinnie, Brandon Walton and John Molchon. All but Molchon and Mauch have started games during the regular season.
The Buccaneers had 89 players on their offseason roster when their mandatory minicamp began on Tuesday, and all 89 were in attendance at the AdventHealth Training Center, even players like outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett who are rehabbing injuries and were unable to practice. That group also included inside linebacker Devin White, who the team is counting on in 2022 even after a reported trade request. White watched Tuesday's practice from the sideline but Head Coach Todd Bowles said the fifth-year defender would be ready to participate at the start of training camp.
"His mindset is good," said Bowles. "I mean, it's just business. That's part of it. That takes care of itself. He'll be ready for training camp and he'll be good to go."
Wide receiver Chris Godwin is one of the Bucs' veteran players who has been present for the entire offseason program, which concludes with this week's minicamp. Godwin understands that some of his veteran teammates have different ways of pursuing an offseason regimen, and that attendance at everything besides the minicamp is completely voluntary. Still, he said the team is getting a boost this week by having the entire roster together.
"It's really good to have everyone in the building," said Godwin. "Everyone has their thing and guys train elsewhere; we're all professionals so we know guys are working. But when we get everybody in the building you can kind of feel how the team is coming together. We get a to bond a little bit more. We kind of just pick up where we left off."
CLICK HERE for a photo gallery of Tuesday's minicamp practice.
June 12 Updates
The Buccaneers' offseason training program, which began on April 17, will come to its conclusion this week with a three-day minicamp. The minicamp is the only portion of the program that is mandatory; however, the team enjoyed very high participation levels throughout the voluntary phases.
The team will conduct practices of approximately two hours on the mornings of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. As was the case with the 10 OTA workouts that were held over the previous three weeks, the minicamp practices will include full-team drills, pitting offense against defense, but no pads or purposeful contact.
Each day of practice will also include media sessions, with Head Coach Todd Bowles and a variety of players taking to the microphone. Those interviews will be posted on Buccaneers.com.
After the minicamp, coaches and veteran players will enjoy approximately six weeks off from team activities before the start of training camp. Newcomers to the NFL will attend a Rookie Academy for Player Engagement next week before also getting a pre-training camp break.
CLICK HERE for a look back at the OTA practices with Team Reporter Casey Phillips.
