By: J.T. Olsen – Bucs Report
Special to Sports Talk Florida
As we enter the final week of the Buccaneers preseason, things are becoming more clear. At this point we have a very good idea of what the Tampa Bay’s roster is going to look like. There are honestly only a few spots left to figure out.
For the most part, I believe you can pretty much map out the Bucs depth chart. It wasn’t easy when it came down to those last few spots, but here is my attempt to predict who will make the cut and who won’t. This is my prediction for the Buccaneers depth chart on defense.
Defensive Line – Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey, Logan Hall, Greg Gaines, William Gholston
We know who the stars are upfront. Vita Vea is one of the best nose tackles in the NFL and is the foundation of everything the Bucs do along the defensive line. Next to him is second year defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. He is an elite athlete who is coming off a fantastic rookie season and is primed to take the jump into the pro bowl conversation as an interior pass rusher.
The other three guys are more role player types. Hall will be the third starter and the team is hoping he can take a step forward. Off the bench are a pair of run stuffers in nose tackle Greg Gaines and long-time Buccaneers defensive end William Gholston. They should both get plenty of action in this rotation.
I really wanted to keep six defensive linemen, but the other positions were just too strong compared to the defensive line. Fortunately, the Buccaneers have some very powerful edge rushers who can put their hand in the dirt and play along the line if need be.
Edge – Yaya Diaby, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Chris Braswell, Anthony Nelson, Jose Ramirez, Markees Watts
Despite lacking star power, this might be the deepest group on the roster. Yaya Diaby is the man expected to lead this unit as a second year player. He led the Buccaneers in sacks last year with 7.5 and is expected to build on that as he continues to become more of a polished football player and not just a freak athlete.
The trio of Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Anthony Nelson and rookie Chris Braswell should all get a very healthy dose of playing time. Tryon-Shoyinka will be the starter, but the other two will be the primary rotation. Todd Bowles will want to keep this group fresh, so it should be a pretty equal split of playing time between these three.
Jose Ramirez has been the star of the preseason. He has looked unblockable against second and third string guys. I believe he has firmly taken himself off the practice squad (where he spent last year as a rookie) and into the rotation. Markees Watts now becomes the sixth guy on the depth chart as strictly a situational pass rusher.
Linebackers – Lavonte David, K.J. Britt, SirVocea Dennis, JJ Russell
Enjoy watching Lavonte David while we still have him. The 34 year old is still playing at a very high level and has been one of the best linebackers in the NFL over the last two decades. Maintaining that level of play this year is critical for the success of this defense.
The other starter will be K.J. Britt. He took the job over for Devin White last year and really had a breakout season. He’s a bit of a throw back thumper, but has transformed himself to be at least functional in passing situations.
SirVocea Dennis is the guy who I thought would be most suited to take over that second starting spot going into last year. He’s better in coverage than Britt and is great at attacking forward. He has missed some time in camp due to injury, but there is no doubt as to where he stands with this team.
Many thought that J.J. Russell would be replaced by undrafted rookie Kalen DeLoach. However, Russell has been all over the field in the preseason where DeLoach has looked like an undrafted rookie. That is the difference between Russell making the team and DeLoach being one of my final cuts.
Cornerbacks – Jamel Dean, Zyon McCollum, Bryce Hall, Tavierre Thomas, Keenan Isaac
We know the starters are Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum with Bryce Hall as the primary backup on the outside. There could be some fluctuation here as McCollum still has a lot to prove with his first opportunity to be the opening day starter, but I believe this is how things stay for the whole year.
The other two corner spots are very much up for grabs. I believe that Tavierre Thomas has locked up one of those spots are a guy who can play both outside and the nickel position, despite a rough showing in the most recent preseason game. His versatility is valuable and has shown the ability to take the ball away.
The last spot goes to Keenan Isaac here. He has been in a tough camp battle with Tyrek Funderburk for this spot, but an injury to Funderburk, as well as two good preseason games from Isaac, has shifted the momentum towards Isaac winning this job.
Safety – Antoine Winfield Jr, Jordan Whitehead, Tykee Smith, Chris Izien, Kavon Merriweather
Most of these jobs were already locked up before camp even began. The combination of Antoine Winfield Jr and Jordan Whitehead make one of the best safety pairings in the NFL. There is no doubt that they will be the starters.
Tykee Smith is listed as a depth safety here, but really he will be the starting nickel. He was a third round pick in the most recent draft to play this role and he has received rave reviews in camp. If not to start the year, this rookie will take this job sooner rather than later.
Chris Izien was the starting nickel last year and could be the primary backup this season. He will also be the main backup at one of the two safety spots. Kavon Merriweather will be the other depth safety. Has has played very well in the preseason and seems to have established himself after breaking in with the team as an undrafted free agent last season.
Specialists – Jake Camarda, Chase McLaughlin, Zach Triner
Specialists…..they exist. They take up three roster spots. These are the three guys who we know will hold those jobs.
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