The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a deep roster, and that depth is coming into play before the season has even started because the team has been decimated by injuries. The health of the Buccaneers will make for an interesting cut-down day. So who will make the 53-man roster after cuts are made on Tuesday?
Quarterback (2):
Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask
Baker Mayfield has developed into a superstar since becoming a Buccaneer. He has made the Pro Bowl each of his two seasons with the team, even throwing for 41 touchdowns last year. Teddy Bridgewater was out of football but joined the Buccaneers to compete for the backup quarterback position, but Kyle Trask will serve as QB2 for the fourth straight season.
Running back (3):
Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker
The Buccaneers have a great one-two punch at running back, which will allow them to keep just three ball carriers on the 53-man roster. Bucky Irving had a phenomenal rookie season, and Tampa Bay still has the utmost confidence in Rachaad White despite his sometimes inefficient rushing numbers. There will only be limited carries available for Sean Tucker, but he will likely make the most of his chances.
Receiver (6):
Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Sterling Shepard, Tez Johnson, Ryan Miller
At full health, the Buccaneers have the best receiving corps in the NFL. Mike Evans is good for 1,000 receiving yards every season, and Chris Godwin usually leads the team in receptions. Godwin was even leading the NFL in catches before suffering an ankle injury last season. The Buccaneers also drafted Emeka Egbuka in the first round, and the Ohio State product has been a training camp/preseason standout. Jalen McMillan had an incredible rookie season last year, too.
Unfortunately, Godwin's 2025 debut will be delayed because of that aforementioned injury, although reports suggest he will still likely make the initial 53-man roster. McMillan might not be as lucky. The receiver took a nasty stumble and hurt his neck, which could lead to him starting the season on short-term injured reserve. While the injured receivers recover, Sterling Shepard and Ryan Miller will need to step up. Tez Johnson, one of the lightest NFL players ever, will also make the team as the return man.
Tight end (4):
Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft, Devin Culp
Cade Otton took a step forward in his development last season, and he is back as Mayfield's security blanket. Ko Kieft is the blocking tight end, and Payne Durham is a big-bodied jump-ball threat. Devin Culp is certainly on the edge of the roster and fitting for a spot among the top 53 players. He gets the final roster spot here over cornerback Kindle Vildor.
Offensive line (10):
Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, Graham Barton, Luke Goedeke, Cody Mauch, Mike Jordan, Charlie Heck, Jake Majors, Elijah Klein, Luke Haggard
The Buccaneers have been ravaged by injuries before the regular season has even started. Like Godwin, Tristan Wirfs has been activated from the PUP, but he could still miss time early on in the season. Wirfs is one of the best tackles in football, but he had surgery late in the offseason.
Ben Bredeson, Graham Barton, Luke Goedeke, and Cody Mauch are the other starters in the trenches. There are some really promising undrafted rookies on the offensive line, too, including Jake Majors, Ben Scott, and Benjamin Chukwuma. Majors does get the 53-man nod here.
Defensive line (7):
Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey, Logan Hall, Adam Gotsis, Elijah Roberts, Greg Gaines, C.J. Brewer
Considering the Buccaneers run a base 3-4 defense and utilize plenty of nickel packages, keeping seven defensive linemen won't be easy to justify. There are too many good players at this position group to make a surprise cut, though. Vita Vea is a monster who clogs running lanes and can get after the quarterback better than most players his size.
Calijah Kancey led the team in sacks (7.5) last season, and Logan Hall, Adam Gotsis, Elijah Roberts, Greg Gaines, and C.J. Brewer will all contribute to the defensive line rotation.
A notable player who was already let go is Desmond Watson, the defensive tackle who weighed 464 pounds coming out of Florida. Watson hasn't met his weight goals yet, which prevented him from suiting up on the field. Perhaps the team will bring him back on the practice squad.
Linebacker (8):
Haason Reddick, Lavonte David, SirVocea Dennis, Yaya Diaby, Anthony Walker, Chris Braswell, Deion Jones, Anthony Nelson
Lavonte David is still hanging around and playing middle linebacker at a high level. He has been with the team since 2012. Haason Reddick will also be playing for the Buccaneers this season. The edge rusher had an ugly contract holdout last season, and he struggled on the field for the New York Jets upon his return. The Buccaneers are hoping for a big comeback season for the former perennial double-digit sack artist. After all, Tampa Bay desperately needs more pass-rushing production this season.
As stated time and time again, the Buccaneers have had some bad injury luck so far this year. David Walker is the linebacker who is already stuck on the injured reserve, and Anthony Walker is dealing with a leg injury. The non-football injury list is a possibility for Walker, but the team may end up carrying him on the 53-man roster right away.
Cornerback (6):
Jamel Dean, Benjamin Morrison, Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish, Bryce Hall, Josh Hayes
The Buccaneers invested heavily in the cornerback position with second- and third-round picks going to Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish, the latter of whom won the starting nickel cornerback job. Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum are the other starters. Josh Hayes is a special-teams ace.
Bryce Hall was hurt in his lone game last season, but he could bounce back this season. Hall was a former starter for the Jets. Vildor has impressed during the preseason, but the numbers game gets the best of him here.
Safety (4):
Antoine Winfield, Tykee Smith, Kaevon Merriweather, Christian Izien
The Buccaneers' safety room was heavily talked about after Shilo Sanders, the son of Deion Sanders, was waived. Sanders threw his chance at a roster spot away when he was ejected from a preseason game for throwing a punch. Kerby Joseph just surpassed Antoine Winfield as the highest-paid safety in football, but the Buccaneers star is still one of the best in the business.
Tykee Smith will be the other starter at safety. Christian Izien can play safety or nickel corner. J.J. Roberts was well on his way towards playing himself onto the roster, but the undrafted rookie suffered a season-ending injury and will be stuck on the IR.
Specialists (3):
Riley Dixon, Chase McLaughlin, Evan Deckers
Riley Dixon provides a little flash at punter. The Syracuse product is capable of running a trick play if the Buccaneers ever feel like getting fancy. Chase McLaughlin had the best season of his career last year as Tampa Bay's kicker, and both he and Nixon will rely on steady long snapping out of Evan Deckers.
