The third week of July has begun, and it will be the last week of 2024 without any football on the fields behind the AdventHealth Training Center, assuming the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold at least one brief practice during their Week 11 bye. The team's rookies will report for training camp next Monday, the veteran players will follow them in on Tuesday and the whole group will hit the practice fields on Wednesday morning.
For one of the players listed below, this will be the 13th time he has reported to a Buccaneers training camp, putting him in a sparsely populated fraternity. That would, of course, be Lavonte David, who is soon to become just the fourth man ever to play at least 13 seasons for the Bucs, joining Ronde Barber, Derrick Brooks and Dave Moore.
On the other hand, the list below also includes two players who will be embarking on their first NFL training camp cruise, and two others who have not participated in a Tampa Bay training camp. There is a wide range of NFL journeys in the nine men who are currently wearing jerseys in the 50s for the Buccaneers (only nine are available as Brooks' #55 was retired by the team), and a wide range of potential outcomes from this year's camp.
While the Buccaneers as a team will use training camp to fully install their playbooks and whittle a 53-man roster out of a group starting at 91, those 91 players will surely have individual goals of their own. This week, in our continuing project of suggesting what those goals might be for each player, we head into the second half of the numerical roster, beginning with the 50s.
View photos from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' rookies taking part in Rookie Minicamp Day 1 at AdventHealth Training Center on Friday, May 10th, 2024.
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Safety Tykee Smith #23 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Director of Rehabilitation and Performance Coach Maral Javadifar of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Cornerback Tyrek Funderburk #24 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Wide Receiver Zach McCarron-Mathis #16 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Outside Linebacker Chris Braswell #43, Defensive End Judge Culpepper #59, Outside Linebacker Daniel Grzesiak #57, Wide Receiver Jalen McMillan #15, Guard Xavier Delgado #60, Tight End Devin Culp #82, and Running Back Bucky Irving #7 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Center Graham Barton #62 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Cornerback Tyrek Funderburk #24 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Corner Back Anthony Johnson #32 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Safety Rashad Wisdom #38 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Running Back Bucky Irving #7 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Running Back Bucky Irving #7 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Running Back Bucky Irving #7 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Outside Linebacker Jose Ramirez #33 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Outside Linebacker Chris Braswell #43 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Outside Linebacker Chris Braswell #43 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Outside Linebacker Chris Braswell #43 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Center Graham Barton #62 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Inside Linebacker Antonio Grier #48 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Defensive/Special Teams Assistant Keith Tandy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Safety Tykee Smith #23 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Wide Receivers Coach Bryan McClendon of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Cornerback Tyrek Funderburk #24 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Defensive End Judge Culpepper #59 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Defensive Tackle Daymond Williams #96 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Wide Receiver Caleb Chapman #89 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Running Back Anthony Grant #35 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Wide Receiver Jalen McMillan #15 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Wide Receiver Jalen McMillan #15 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Quarterback Michael Hiers #4 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Cornerback Josh Valentine-Turner #26 and Cornerback Chris McDonald #36 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Head Coach Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Running Back Bucky Irving #7 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Center Graham Barton #62 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Guard Elijah Klein #79 and Center Graham Barton #62 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Tight End Devin Culp #82 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Kicker Colton Theaker #1 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Linebacker Billy Schaeffer #44 and Outside Linebackers Coach George Edwards of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Wide Receiver Zach McCarron-Mathis #16 of the Tampa Bay Bucaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Head Coach Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey, Kicker Colton Theaker #1 and Punter Pressley Harvin III #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey and Kicker Colton Theaker #1 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Kicker Colton Theaker #1 and Punter Pressley Harvin III #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Long Snapper Tucker Addington #45 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Quarterback Jeremy Moussa #11 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Quarterback Jeremy Moussa #11 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - General Manager Jason Licht during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Safety Tykee Smith #23 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Safety Tykee Smith #23 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Safeties Coach Nick Rapone of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Pass Game Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Coach Larry Foote of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Cornerbacks Coach Kevin Ross of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Safety Tykee Smith #23 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Head Coach Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Guard Elijah Klein #79 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Head Coach Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Center Graham Barton #62 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Safety Tykee Smith #23 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Center Graham Barton #62 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Center Graham Barton #62 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Tight Ends Coach Justin Peelle and Tight End Devin Culp #82 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Outside Linebacker Chris Braswell #43 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Wide Receivers Coach Bryan McClendon of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - May 10, 2024 - Defensive Back Andrew Hayes #22 and Assistant Secondary Coach Rashad Johnson of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during 2024 Rookie Mini Camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
#50 NT Vita Vea: Vea didn't get too deep into the specifics of his offseason body transformation – nor should he, if he doesn't feel like it – but we know from comments made by Head Coach Todd Bowles and Defensive Line Coach Kacy Rodgers that it was a self-motivated process, not a team directive. As Bowles has made it clear, the reason Vea wanted to shed some weight that has accumulated over his first six seasons so that he could get back to dominating on a down-to-down basis, rather than just in spurts. Vea made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and has since played in 29 of a possible 34 games and has 12.0 sacks in that span, as compared to 11.5 over his first four seasons. In other words, he certainly hasn't been a hindrance to the Bucs' success. But Vea wants to get back to the peak of his powers, and he could use the upcoming training camp and preseason to demonstrate that he can do so with a somewhat trimmer frame. If Vea can consistently demand two sets of hands on him in the middle of the trenches, as he has the best stretches of his career, that could open more pass rush lanes for 2023 first-round pick Calijah Kancey to burst through, which in turn could give the Bucs one of the best interior D-lines in the NFL.
#51 LB J.J. Russell: Russell initially joined the Bucs as an undrafted rookie in 2022 and he has spent the entirety of his first two NFL seasons in Tampa, alternating between the practice squad and the active roster. During that time he has logged 116 snaps on defense, all of it contained within two games. He saw his first defensive action in the 2022 season finale, when the Bucs rested most of their starters after being locked into a playoff seeding the week before. Last year, he played the entire Week 13 win over Carolina when the team was hit by a rash of injuries to their linebackers. Obviously, that's not a huge amount of experience, but at least it is roughly two full games of tape for coaches to examine, rather than random handfuls of snaps here and there, and in both cases Russell acquitted himself nicely. As such, he should be considered a legitimate candidate to win the open starting spot next to David, if not necessarily the favorite. One would expect that to be Russell's primary goal heading into his third camp, though just making the active roster in Week One for the first time would also be a promising step forward in his young career.
#52 LB K.J. Britt: Britt is likely to have pole position on the aforementioned open starting spot as camp begins, given that he essentially finished the 2023 season as a starter. He had three games in which he played 59 or more defensive snaps in place of Devin White (some but not all due to injury), including the final one in the playoffs in Detroit. As such, the goal for Britt is obvious, to start in front and stay in front in that competition. A fifth-round draft pick in 2021, Britt has always been considered a thumper and a downhill run stopper, but there was less certainty about how he would hold up in coverage. Showing that he can indeed thrive in that part of the game during training camp would be a reasonable sub-goal within his efforts to win the starting job, particularly during the preseason games. Britt is heading into the final deal of his rookie contract, so the attention he gets next offseason from the Buccaneers and/or other teams could be affected heavily by how much playing time he gets in 2024 and what he does with it.
#53 LB Vi Jones: Jones will be entering his first training camp in Tampa after he was signed to the team's practice squad last November. Originally an undrafted free agent with the Seahawks in 2022, he spent his rookie season on Seattle's practice squad and got called up to play in three games. He was waived and lost the first half of last year due to injury but got a handful of tryouts in October and November and ended up in Tampa. Jones' goal heading into his third NFL camp will presumably be to graduate to the active roster this time, and there is opportunity to be found on an unsure Bucs' depth chart at his position. When he got a chance to play a bit during the regular season in 2022, it was solely on special teams, and that would be his best path to making the Bucs' roster in 2024. Showing he is one of the team's better players in that phase of the game – particularly within the confines of the new kickoff return and coverage rules – would be an excellent thing for Jones to focus on.
#54 LB Lavonte David: As noted above, David has already moved into rare company in terms of his longevity with the only NFL franchise he has known. What's more, he's shown virtually no signs of slowing down, as his 12th season in 2023 rivaled the best years of his career. David himself has noted how his ever-deepening well of experience has allowed him to offset any minor loss of a step he may have encountered so that he can remain as productive as ever. David doesn't have anything left to prove, as he already stands as one of the five or six best players in franchise history, but surely would like to show that he's still not slowing down in his 13th season. Other than that, David's individual goals are probably more oriented towards team goals; after it took him nine seasons before he played in his first postseason contest, David has now tasted the playoffs four years in a row. Extending that run and challenging for a second Super Bowl ring are likely high on David's list entering 2024.
#56 OLB Randy Gregory: The Bucs signed Gregory, a veteran pass-rusher, on April 4, but since he did not participate in any offseason workouts or the three-day minicamp in June, training camp will be the first opportunity for Bucs coaches to see how he operates within Todd Bowles's defense. Gregory has started 18 of the 72 games he's played for Dallas, Denver and San Francisco since 2015, and he said after signing with Tampa Bay that he wasn't necessarily expecting to compete for a starting job with his newest team. However, he's gotten regular playing time throughout his career when he's been on the field, absorbing roughly 50% of the defensive snaps when active for games. Gregory is surely looking to carve out a similar role in Tampa, as the Bucs look for the best combination of players to build a more potent pass rush off the edge.
#57 OLB Daniel Grzesiak: Grzesiak is one of three rookies in the mix at outside linebacker, along with second-round draft pick Chris Braswell and fellow undrafted rookie Shaun Peterson. Grzesiak has some nice measurables and test times – he turned heads at the Big 12 Pro Day with a 4.58-second 40-yard dash, a 35.5-inch vertical leap and a 10'5" broad jump – and he had an 8.5-sack season at Utah State before transferring to Cincinnati last year. As the Bucs showed last summer, particularly in the decision to keep then-rookie Markees Watts as a rare sixth outside linebacker, they will do what it takes to keep any legitimate edge-rush ability in the building. So Grzesiak will be striving to show that he is exactly that, much the way Watts did in camp a year ago after arriving as an undrafted free agent. Interestingly, Grzesiak (6-1, 245) is almost the exact same size as Watts (6-1, 240), and given that he has good speed for that profile, he could be impactful in the new kickoff process. So, like all young and inexperienced players, showing up on special teams in camp and in the preseason games would be a worthwhile goal, as well.
#58 OLB Markees Watts: Watts is already a success story for making the Bucs' roster last year after starting out as a tryout player in rookie minicamp. That didn't immediately translate into a lot of playing time – the Bucs kept six outside linebackers on the 53-man roster but usually only dressed five of them for games, with only four seeing significant snaps – but he still made some splash plays. On just 26 pass-rush snaps, Watts recorded a sack and eight quarterback pressures. In 2024, the Bucs will be looking to replace the snaps and contributions of Shaquil Barrett, who was released in March for cap reasons. They drafted Braswell in the second round to help with that but Bowles also mentioned Watts and fellow second-year man Jose Ramirez as players who could graduate to bigger roles in 2024. So that's the goal for Watts: not only hold onto his roster spot but show enough that the coaches will work him into the rotation more frequently. He may be looking to prove that he can hold up on the edge, too, so that he is not used as just a pass-rush specialist. The fact that he was on the field for 44 total defensive plays last year and 26 of them ended up with him rushing the passer indicates that's how the team viewed him as a rookie. Watts will be looking to round out his game and pump up his playtime this summer.
#59 Judge Culpepper: While this is probably of more interest to those of us writing about the team than Judge himself, here's a camp goal that is unique to him alone: Become the first son of a Buccaneers player to also suit up for the franchise. His father is Brad Culpepper, who played six of his nine NFL seasons in Tampa and a heady three-year run (1997-99) in which he racked up 23.5 sacks. The elder Culpepper was drafted, but back when there were 12 rounds and he went in the 10th to Minnesota. Judge is an undrafted free agent out of Toledo but has the family pedigree to suggest he can overcome the odds and stick in the NFL. He had 9.0 sacks in his final season with the Rockets, and showing him any semblance of an ability to get pressure up the middle would get him noticed quickly in training camp. The 6-4, 290-pound Culpepper will also be looking to demonstrate in the preseason games that he can hold his own against run-blocking linemen when the snaps are live.
