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, Rakim Jarrett *

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 *

The Buccaneers increased their receiver depth chart to six players for the first time in 2023 when they activated rookie Rakim Jarrett from injured reserve. When Jarrett was placed on injured reserve on November 22, the Bucs initially used his spot to promote cornerback Keenan Isaac, as they were also dealing with injuries at that position. David Moore was elevated from the practice squad three times to serve as the fifth receiver, after which he was out of elevation options and was instead signed to the 53-man roster on December 13. When Jarrett was activated last week, the Bucs opened a spot by releasing defensive lineman Deadrin Senat. Jarrett was declared inactive prior to the game in Carolina.

Rookie wideout Trey Palmer, the team's primary third receiver, played only 29 of the Bucs' 65 offensive plays against the Panthers, the first time he had a snap share lower than 50% since Week Two. The Buccaneers used two tight ends and/or six offensive linemen on 44% of their plays, which led to a bit more playing time than usual for tight end Ko Kieft (23 snaps) and swing tackle Justin Skule (7 snaps). While Tampa Bay's offense had one of its least productive outings of the season in the 9-0 division-clinching win, it had its highest yards-per-play mark (4.48) and best success rate (48%) out of "12" personnel, with two tight ends, two receivers and one back.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield played all 65 snaps despite coming into the game with a painful ribs injury and subsequently getting an ankle rolled. Mayfield has been on the field for all but three of the Bucs' 1,103 offensive plays this season.

DEFENSE

DL: Calijah Kancey *, Pat O'Connor

NT: Vita Vea, Greg Gaines

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

With their defensive front as healthy as it has been for quite some time, the Bucs went back down to six defensive linemen with the release of Senat. In Charlotte, the Bucs relied heavily on their three starting linemen - Calijah Kancey (77% snap share), Vita Vea (73%) and Logan Hall (54%). Backup nose tackle Greg Gaines logged 13 snaps, while Will Gholston had just seven and Pat O'Connor had two. Logan Hall led that group with four solo tackles.

The Bucs were without reserve linebacker K.J. Britt due to a calf injury suffered late in the week of practice and rolled with just four against the Panthers, with J.J. Russell active for the first time since 15. Russell did not log any defensive snaps, however. Starter Lavonte David briefly left the game after being shaken up and rookie SirVocea Dennis picked up the three snaps he missed.

The Bucs continued to mix and match safety packages. While Antoine Winfield Jr. played every snap, as usual – and turned in the most important play of the game with a goal-line forced fumble in the second quarter – the Buccaneers split the snaps at the other safety spot between three players. Ryan Neal started and had the largest share, with 24 snaps, followed by versatile cornerback Zyon McCollum (17) and rookie Kaevon Merriweather (11). That added up to 52 snaps, the same total as Winfield logged. Neal contributed four tackles, one for a loss and McCollum had two stops in his new role.

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

Chase McLaughlin played only three snaps in the game, but they were big ones, as he hit on all three of his field goal tries, from 36, 57 and 39 yards out. McLaughlin finished the regular season with a 93.5% field goal success rate (29 of 31), the best in franchise history. Jake Camarda averaged 55.0 gross yards on his six punts and for the third time in his two seasons tied the team's all-time record with a 74-yard punt.

The team's most active special teams players against Carolina were Merriweather and outside linebackers Cam Gill and Anthony Nelson, all of whom logged 17 of a possible 20 snaps. Gill had one of the Bucs' seven special teams tackles. Moore was next with 16 snaps on special teams and also had a kick-coverage stop.