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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

What to Watch at Training Camp, August 1

A few things to keep on eye on when the Bucs take the field on Saturday.

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READ: TRAINING CAMP NEWS1. Starters.

During OTAs and mini-camp, Head Coach Lovie Smith said not to look too much into who is working with the first and second team, and that one of the team's goals during spring workouts was to evaluate several different combinations of players. But when training camp kicks off, Smith said, who is working with the first team would hold much more weight. The Bucs have already announced one starter – Jameis Winston at quarterback – on Friday.

2. Who works as the No. 3 receiver?
Last season, Louis Murphy worked as the Bucs' No. 3 receiver along with Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson. But Murphy will be sidelined during Saturday's practice with an ankle injury. So who will step in and work as the third receiver? One possible candidate is rookie Kenny Bell, who the Bucs selected in the fifth round. Also keep an eye on Russell Shepard and Kaelin Clay.

3. A good, hard look at the rookie linemen.
During his pre-camp press conference, Coach Smith discussed how difficult it is to evaluate offensive linemen without pads on. So Saturday will be the Bucs' first opportunity to get a good feel for how Ali Marpet and Donovan Smith, both second-round picks in this year's draft, are developing.

4. How will players react to the heat?
The heat index will be over 100 degrees in Tampa on Saturday, with the humidity expected to be over 90 percent. Mix that in with the first day of pads, and the weather could present a challenge.

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