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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs' Release Week Five Depth Chart: Vita Vea Returns in a Big Way

The return of Vita Vea to the middle of the Bucs' defensive front juiced up the pass rush against Philadelphia and helped the run defense hold strong save for one big play by Saquon Barkley

depthchart

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

WR: Chris Godwin, Kameron Johnson *

LT: Tristan Wirfs, Justin Skule

LG: Ben Bredeson, Royce Newman

C: Graham Barton *, Robert Hainsey

RG: Cody Mauch, Elijah Klein *

RT: Luke Goedeke

WR: Jalen McMillan *

TE: Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft, Devin Culp *

QB: Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask

RB: Rachaad White, Bucky Irving *, Sean Tucker

(On the practice squad: OL Luke Haggard, OL Lorenz Metz, WR Ryan Miller, T Raiqwon O'Neal, QB Michael Pratt, WR Sterling Shepard, TE Tanner Taula, WR Cody Thompson, RB D.J. Williams)

Second-year receiver Trey Palmer got the start against Philadelphia with rookie Jalen McMillan sidelined by a hamstring injury. Palmer played 11 offensive snaps and caught his first touchdown pass of the year but was later knocked out of the game by a concussion suffered on a punt return. That opened the third receiver job for veteran Sterling Shepard, who had been elevated from the practice squad for the game. Shepard logged 50 offensive snaps, or 65% of the total, and caught three passes for 51 yards.

Running backs Rachaad White and Bucky Irving had much more of an even timeshare in the backfield after White dominated the snaps in Week Three. White started and played 45 snaps while Irving was on the field for 32 plays. Both backs ran exactly 10 times for 49 yards, with Irving adding his first career touchdown run. White had three targets in the passing game to one for Irving.

Left tackle Tristan Wirfs came out for the last three plays of the game as the Bucs were running out the clock. He was replaced by Royce Newman.

View the top photos of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' regular season Week 4 game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles

DEFENSE

DL: Calijah Kancey, C.J. Brewer, Ben Stille

NT: Vita Vea, Greg Gaines

DL: Logan Hall, William Gholston

OLB: Yaya Diaby, Anthony Nelson, Markees Watts

ILB: K.J. Britt, J.J. Russell

ILB: Lavonte David, SirVocea Dennis

OLB: Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Chris Braswell *, Jose Ramirez

CB: Jamel Dean, Tyrek Funderburk *

CB: Zyon McCollum, Josh Hayes

S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Christian Izien, Tavierre Thomas

S: Jordan Whitehead, Tykee Smith *, Kaevon Merriweather

(On the practice squad: S Marcus Banks, DL Mike Greene, LB Antonio Grier, OLB Daniel Grzesiak, CB Keenan Isaac, LB Vi Jones, S Rashad Wisdom)

Vita Vea returned after missing a game with a knee injury and was not limited, playing 38 of the 57 defensive snaps, or 68%. Vea had the first of the Bucs' six sacks, resulting in a three-and-out on Philadelphia's second possession. Tampa Bay's run defense was mostly stout, save for one 59-yard breakaway by Saquon Barkley on the first play of the second half. Otherwise, Barkley gained 25 yards on his other nine carries and mobile quarterback Jalen Hurts gained 20 yards on eight runs.

Defensive lineman Ben Stille only played two defensive snaps but he made the most of them. On one, he recovered the Hurts fumble that was caused by Lavonte David in the third quarter. Yaya Diaby was the most active of the five players the team used in their edge rush rotation, logging 36 snaps (63%) and recording his first sack of the season, along with a forced fumble.

The Bucs started the game using the same K.J. Britt-SirVocea Dennis rotation at one of the two off-ball linebacker spots, but Dennis was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury after taking just five snaps. That left Britt to play 51 snaps out of a possible 57.

The Bucs' defense was in the nickel package for most of the game, which meant Tykee Smith was on the field for 45 of the 57 defensive snaps. He had one tackle and a quarterback hit.

SPECIALISTS

P: Jake Camarda

PK: Chase McLaughlin

KO: Jake Camarda

H: Jake Camarda

LS: Zach Triner

PR: Trey Palmer, Kameron Johnson *, Jalen McMillan *

KR: Bucky Irving *, Kameron Johnson *

KR: Sean Tucker, Trey Palmer

(On the practice squad: P Trenton Gill)

The Buccaneers made two changes on this part of their depth chart in Week Four. One, Zach Triner replaces Evan Deckers at the long-snapper spot after Deckers was forced to injured reserve with a hamstring ailment. Two, Trey Palmer replaces Jalen McMillan on the second kick returner line.

Third-year punter Trenton Gill was elevated from the practice squad for the Eagles game and took over the punting duties from Jake Camarda, who was inactive. Gill punted four times for 150 yards, with a 37.5-yard gross average and a 37.5-yard net, placing one kick inside the 20. Gill also handled kickoffs, forcing six touchbacks on seven kicks.

Rookie wide receiver Kameron Johnson took over the punt return duties after Palmer was knocked out of the game. Johnson had one return for 11 yards.

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