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 *, Sterling Shepard
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, WR Tanner Knue, OL Lorenz Metz, WR Ryan Miller, T Raiqwon O'Neal, QB Michael Pratt, TE Tanner Taula, RB D.J. Williams)
Luke Goedeke returned to action after missing four games due to a concussion, and he played all 77 offensive snaps at right tackle against the Saints. With rookie Graham Barton dealing with a hamstring injury, veteran Robert Hainsey stepped back into the center spot and also played every offensive snap. Those two were part of a front line that blocked for a 277-yard rushing attack, the third-highest single-game mark in team history. Hainsey had started all 34 regular-season games over the 2022-23 seasons.
Second-year back Sean Tucker stepped up in the absence of Rachaad White to form an explosive duo with rookie Bucky Irving. Tucker played 29 offensive snaps and racked up 192 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. Irving played 49 snaps and added 105 yards from scrimmage and a score. Head Coach Todd Bowles said that Tucker's performance would make the team consider using a "three-headed monster" in the backfield when White returns from his foot injury.
Because he was apparently dealing with some sort of leg injury, wide receiver Mike Evans was in and out of the game in the Superdome, eventually playing 44 snaps, or 57% of the offensive total. First-year receiver Ryan Miller, who had been elevated from the practice squad for the game, essentially took all of the snaps when Evans was off the field, getting 32 total and contributing one important 39-yard reception. Evans had two receptions for 34 yards on the Bucs' opening touchdown drive but did not add to those stats the rest of the way. Chris Godwin played all but five of the offensive snaps and had an enormous game with 11 catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
View the top photos of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' regular season Week 6 game vs. the New Orleans Saints
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DEFENSE
DL: Calijah Kancey, C.J. Brewer
NT: Vita Vea, Greg Gaines
DL: Logan Hall, William Gholston
OLB: Yaya Diaby, Anthony Nelson
ILB: K.J. Britt, J.J. Russell
ILB: Lavonte David, Antonio Grier
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, LB Kalen DeLoach, DL Mike Greene, OLB Daniel Grzesiak, CB Keenan Isaac, LB Vi Jones, S Rashad Wisdom)
Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey made his 2024 debut after overcoming a calf injury and made an immediate impact. Kancey played 44 of the 70 defensive snaps (63%) and recorded two tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss.
Rookie cornerback Tyrek Funderburk saw his first action on defense in the regular season when starter Jamel Dean went down with a hamstring injury after 10 snaps. Funderburk took the other 60 and pitched in four tackles and a forced fumble. Funderburk is listed second behind Dean on the depth chart and would appear to be the answer going forward if Dean misses additional games due to his injury.
The Buccaneers emptied out their defensive bench towards the end of the game after they built a 24-point lead. Kaevon Merriweather got the last 14 snaps at safety for Antoine Winfield Jr., who played for the first time since incurring a foot injury in Week One. Winfield stormed back with four tackles, a quarterback hit, a pass defensed and a 58-yard fumble return for a touchdown. J.J. Russell played the last nine snaps in Lavonte David's place and outside linebacker Jose Ramirez logged a career-high 14 defensive snaps.
As of Tuesday, the Buccaneers were rolling with a 52-man active roster after putting outside linebacker Markees Watts on injured reserve last week. That means they have one open spot that could be filled at any time.
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)
Punter Jake Camarda got the call in Week Six after he had ceded the job to Trenton Gill in the previous two games. Bowles described the situation with the two punters as an "ebb and flow" going forward.
Three different players returned kickoffs for the Buccaneers as all six of the Saints' kicks either came down in the landing zone or just over the line of scrimmage. Tucker, Irving and D.J. Williams all had two returns, combining for 153 yards and a 25.5-yard average. Williams was elevated from the practice squad for the game with White out; he didn't see any action on offense but did play eight special teams snaps.
Outside linebacker Anthony Nelson continued to be the Bucs' most active special teams player, as he was on the field for 32 of the 37 snaps and contributed a kick-coverage tackle. Merriweather and Cornerback Tavierre Thomas were next with 30 snaps each.
