Each week during the regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' communications department publishes a "Game Release" to aid the media in coverage of their upcoming game. Within that release are a number of documents regarding the player roster, including a depth chart, which lists the pecking order at every position on offense, defense and special teams.
Each game week, we will be taking a closer look at that depth chart, pointing out any changes or relevant notes from the previous game. Let's start on offense. Rookies are marked with an asterisk. Players we will be discussing in depth are highlighted in bold text.
OFFENSE
- WR: Mike Evans, Trey Palmer*, David Moore
- WR: Chris Godwin, Deven Thompkins
- LT: Tristan Wirfs, Justin Skule
- LG: Aaron Stinnie, Matt Feiler
- C: Robert Hainsey
- RG: Cody Mauch*, Nick Leverett
- RT: Luke Goedeke, Brandon Walton
- TE: Ko Kieft
- TE: Cade Otton, Payne Durham*
- QB: Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask, John Wolford
- RB: Rachaad White, Chase Edmonds, Sean Tucker*
Backup running back Chase Edmonds saw a larger portion of snaps than usual, getting on the field for 24 offensive plays, or 32% of the total. That was his highest usage rate of the season so far, and starter Rachaad White (50 snaps) was given a season-low 68% usage rate. White still led the team with 20 carries and had another six catches on seven targets, but Edmonds had a season-high 10 rushes.
Coming off a big game in Green Bay that included a game-clinching 52-yard catch-and-run, wide receiver David Moore also had a season-high snap total, with 23. He caught his only target for seven yards. Rookie Trey Palmer remained the team's primary third receiver but his snap rate came down a bit from recent weeks to 53%. He was targeted multiple times early in the game and finished with four catches for 42 yards.
Tight end Ko Kieft got 17 snaps on offense, his highest total since Week Two, as the Buccaneers ran 22 plays with at least two tight ends on the field. The Bucs also went to a jumbo package four times, with reserve tackle Justin Skule joining the front as an eligible receiver. Rookie TE Payne Durham also logged 11 snaps in these multiple-TE packages, and had the Bucs' longest catch of the day, a 25-yarder on his only target.
DEFENSE
- DL: Calijah Kancey*, Pat O'Connor
- NT: Vita Vea, Greg Gaines, Deadrin Senat
- DL: Logan Hall, William Gholston
- OLB: Yaya Diaby, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Markees Watts
- ILB: Devin White, K.J. Britt, J.J. Russell
- ILB: Lavonte David, SirVocea Dennis*
- OLB: Shaquil Barrett, Anthony Nelson, Cam Gill
- CB: Jamel Dean, Zyon McCollum
- CB: Carlton Davis, Christian Izien, Josh Hayes*
- S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Kaevon Merriweather*
- S: Ryan Neal, Dee Delaney
K.J. Britt made his fourth straight start at linebacker next to Lavonte David, but Devin White also returned to action, and in a big way. White was clearly the choice in nickel packages, and since the Jaguars ended up running nearly 87% of their plays with three receivers on the field that put him in position for a lot of action. By the end of the game, he had logged 63 of a possible 66 defensive snaps, or 95% of the total, while Britt was in for the other three plays. White recorded the first of the Bucs' four defensive takeaways with an interception to end Jacksonville's first drive.
Similarly, Ryan Neal returned to his starting spot at safety but it was Dee Delaney who got the most work opposite Antoine Winfield Jr. Delaney played 60 of the 66 snaps, compared to six for Neal and 20 for rookie Kaevon Merriweather. The Buccaneers also deployed cornerback Zyon McCollum at safety on some early-game downs, but cornerback Carlton Davis suffered a concussion on his 10th snap, which pressed McCollum into service at that spot. Merriweather's snaps came after Winfield left the game to be evaluated for a concussion in the second half. Winfield was deemed not to have a concussion but the coaches didn't feel the need to put him back in the game with the Bucs up big on the scoreboard.
Along the defensive front, rookie Calijah Kancey got the most snaps, with 40. Shaq Barrett topped the edge rushers with 36 snaps, one more than rookie Yaya Diaby. Diaby turned his 35 snaps into 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
SPECIALISTS
- P: Jake Camarda
- PK: Chase McLaughlin
- KO: Jake Camarda
- H: Jake Camarda
- LS: Zach Triner
- PR: Deven Thompkins, Trey Palmer*
- KR: Deven Thompkins, Rachaad White
Even with a slight uptick in his playing time on offense, Kieft was the Bucs' busiest special-teamer, logging 18 of a possible 20 snaps in that phase of the game. He pitched in with a tackle assist. Moore and outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka had 12 and 10 plays on special teams, respectively, and each turned in two solo tackles in kick coverage.
