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
The Buccaneers made a minor change in how their offensive starters are listed in 2024, as they are now listing three receiver spots and just one tight end, rather than the 2x2 format of last year. And the player in the third starting receiver spot alongside Mike Evans and Chris Godwin is rookie third-rounder Jalen McMillan. Second-year wideout Trey Palmer, who got the most snaps as the third receiver last year, is currently listed second behind Evans at the first receiver spot. Undrafted rookie Kameron Johnson, the surprise breakout player from the offseason and training camp, is listed behind Godwin.
Royce Newman, who was claimed off waivers from the Packers last Wednesday, is the primary backup to Ben Bredeson at left guard. Bredeson won that spot in training camp after signing with the team as an unrestricted free agent from the Giants in the spring.
Rookie running back Bucky Irving, a fourth-round pick out of Oregon, is the primary backup to Rachaad White and is likely to see a significant amount of playing time.
Here is the full Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2024 53-Man Roster.
C Graham Barton #62
OLB Chris Braswell #43
G Ben Bredeson #68
LB K.J. Britt #52
P Jake Camarda #5
TE Devin Culp #82
LB Lavonte David #54
CB Jamel Dean #35
LS Evan Deckers #86
LB SirVocea Dennis #8
OLB Yaya Diaby #0
TE Payne Durham #87
WR Mike Evans #13
CB Tyrek Funderburk #24
DL Greg Gaines #96
DL William Gholston #92
WR Chris Godwin #14
T Luke Goedeke #67
C Robert Hainsey #70
DL Logan Hall #90
DB Josh Hayes #32
RB Bucky Irving #7
CB Keenan Issac #16
S Christian Izien #29
WR Kameron Johnson #9
DL Calijah Kancey #94
TE Ko Kieft #41
G Elijah Klein #79
G Cody Mauch #69
QB Baker Mayfield #6
CB Zyon McCollum #27
K Chase McLaughlin #4
WR Jalen McMillan #15
S Kaevon Merriweather #26
OLB Anthony Nelson #98
Royce Newman (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)
TE Cade Otton #88
WR Trey Palmer #10
OLB Jose Ramirez #33
LB J.J. Russell #51
T Justin Skule #77
S Tykee Smith #23
DL Ben Stille #56
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
DB Tavierre Thomas #37
QB Kyle Trask #2
OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka #9
RB Sean Tucker #44
NT Vita Vea #50
OLB Markees Watts #58
S Jordan Whitehead #33
RB Rachaad White #1
S Antoine Winfield Jr. #31
T Tristan Wirfs #78
DEFENSE
DL: Calijah Kancey, Earnest Brown
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, Bryce Hall
CB: Zyon McCollum, Josh Hayes, Tyrek Funderburk *
S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Christian Izien, Tavierre Thomas
S: Jordan Whitehead, Tykee Smith *, Kaevon Merriweather
Last season, then-rookie Yaya Diaby moved into the starting lineup at outside linebacker opposite Shaquil Barrett at midseason, supplanting Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. With Barrett now retired, Tryon-Shoyinka is back with the first team on the other end of the line. Diaby remains an obvious starter but his availability for the regular season opener is not yet clear due to a high ankle sprain suffered early in training camp. The Buccaneers went deep at the OLB position, keeping six, but second-round rookie Chris Braswell is listed second beyond Tryon-Shoyinka, suggesting that he is in line for a significant role after an impressive training camp.
The Bucs also kept six down linemen, with the final spot going to another surprise camp story, Earnest Brown. Brown didn't join the Bucs until late May after being let go by the 49ers, but he won a crowded battle for that last spot, with Mike Greene and C.J. Brewer landing on the practice squad instead. Brown is listed behind Calijah Kancey, which means he's most likely to fill in as a three-technique type of interior pass-rusher, while Greg Gaines is the backup nose tackle and Will Gholston is the backup strongside lineman.
Bryce Hall and Josh Hayes are the two cornerbacks listed with the second team, and preseason rotations suggest that Hall would be the first man in if either Jamel Dean or Zyon McCollum were unavailable. However, it is likely to be Tykee Smith, listed second behind Jordan Whitehead at safety, who is the third cornerback on the field, playing in the slot when the Bucs go to nickel packages.
SPECIALISTS
P: Jake Camarda
PK: Chase McLaughlin
KO: Jake Camarda
H: Jake Camarda
LS: Evan Deckers
PR: Trey Palmer, Kameron Johnson *, Jalen McMillan *
KR: Bucky Irving *, Kameron Johnson *
KR: Sean Tucker, Jalen McMillan *
The Bucs return the same kicking duo of Jake Camarda and Chase McLaughlin as last year, but Evan Deckers is the new long-snapper, having won the job from Zach Triner in training camp. The Bucs are carrying an extra punter, Seth Vernon, on the practice squad.
The Buccaneers' preferred return men to start the season are all very young players. Palmer, in his second season, is listed as the top punt returner but is followed by a pair of rookies in Johnson and McMillan. The team now lists two kickoff return spots because they will be putting two of them on the field in the NFL's drastically reworked kickoff process. Rookies Irving, Johnson and McMillan are three of the players listed at those two spots.
