SR’s Fab 5: The 2023 Bucs Are Full Of Big Questions

Welcome to SR’s Fab 5 – my weekly insider column on the Bucs that options 5 issues which might be on my thoughts. SR’s Fab 5 is now a faster learn, however nonetheless packs a punch. Get pleasure from!

FAB 1. Bucs Key Questions At The Talent Positions

This SR’s Fab 5 is moderately distinctive. Normally I come to my weekly column with the solutions to questions, or at the least my knowledgeable opinions to raised educate you about your favourite workforce – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However there are such a lot of questions on this 12 months’s Bucs workforce, which may simply as simply win the division once more with a fair higher report if every little thing goes proper, or decide contained in the Prime 10 in subsequent 12 months’s draft if every little thing goes unsuitable.

So earlier than you begin studying this week’s SR’s Fab 5, these are the questions I’ve concerning the Bucs heading into coaching camp and the preseason and I needed to share my thought course of with you. Sadly I don’t have the solutions – at the least not but. I’m afraid we’ll have to attend till August at the least earlier than that occurs.

This version of SR’s Fab 5 is meant to be thought-provoking and to get you considering like a Pewter Reporter as we put together to observe coaching camp in lower than a month. So let’s get to the important thing questions for each projected starter on the workforce, in addition to some key reserves – beginning with the offensive talent place gamers.

Gone is famous quarterback Tom Brady and veteran operating again Leonard Fournette. The Bucs will characteristic a brand new beginning quarterback and a brand new starter at operating again in addition to a reshuffled offensive line with a pair of newcomers, and naturally a brand new offensive coordinator in Dave Canales. There are such a lot of questions on this unit, so let’s dive proper in.

QB Baker Mayfield: Can Mayfield avoid interceptions and play inside Dave Canales’ offensive construction to emerge because the starter and resuscitate his NFL profession? Or is he destined to affix different extremely drafted quarterbacks like Andy Dalton, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota as a journeyman?

QB Kyle Trask: Can Trask rise to the event and stay as much as his draft billing and beat out Mayfield for the beginning job by avoiding turnovers? Or did the Bucs blow a second-round decide on a backup quarterback?

RB Rachaad White: Can White shoulder the load and develop into a 1,000-yard characteristic again in Canales’ run-heavy offense? Or is White extra of a complementary again within the NFL greatest fitted to third downs?

RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn: Can Vaughn, who enters camp because the No. 2 again on the depth chart beat out Chase Edmonds to be White’s backup this season? Or will Vaughn go down as a wasted third-round decide who was drafted too excessive?

RB Chase Edmonds: Will Edmonds’ pace be sufficient to get him into the operating again rotation and maybe unseat Vaughn for White’s backup function? Or is Edmonds only a youthful model of Giovanni Bernard, who seldom performed on offense?

WR Mike Evans: Can Evans publish one other 1,000-yard season for a tenth straight 12 months at age 30? And maybe extra importantly, will he as soon as once more be featured as a purple zone weapon and get again to reaching double-digits in touchdowns?

WR Chris Godwin: Will Godwin make all of it the way in which again to his pre-ACL damage days as a extra explosive receiver? Can he nonetheless thrive outdoors as a receiver operating vertical routes and profitable 1-on-1 after spending a lot of the final 4 years enjoying inside as a slot receiver?

WR Russell Gage: Can Gage lastly get wholesome and keep wholesome sufficient to make use of his quickness to generate yards after the catch and maintain his spot because the Bucs’ No. 3 receiver? Or will Gage go down as a free agent bust and be minimize throughout or after the 2023 season?

WR Trey Palmer: Will the rookie receiver proceed to stay up the hype and make the workforce because the No. 4 receiver on account of his deep pace and talent to trace the ball? And may Palmer make sufficient of an impression together with his manufacturing to the place he can unseat Gage as Tampa Bay’s No. 3 receiver?

TE Cade Otton: Can Otton ascend to the function of an every-down starting-caliber tight finish in his second season, able to being an in-line blocker and a weapon within the passing recreation? Or is Otton simply an above common tight finish within the mould of  a Cam Brate-type participant?

TE Payne Durham: Will Durham be ok as a rookie and a goal within the passing recreation for the Bucs to make use of a wholesome dose of 12 personnel (one again, two tight ends, two receivers)? Or will his lack of pace forestall him from getting open and he’s relegated to being a No. 3 tight finish?

TE Ko Kieft: Can Kieft be something greater than a blocking tight finish in Dave Canales’ new offense? Or will his utilization on to the sector proceed to tip opposing defenses off that the Bucs will solely be operating the ball?

FAB 2. Bucs Key Questions In The Trenches

Tampa Bay has revamped its offensive line this offseason. Did the coaches make the suitable changes and put the suitable gamers in the suitable positions? The Bucs line of defense is quicker, faster and extra athletic with younger starters like Logan Corridor and Calijah Kancey. However is the unit too younger and inexperienced? There are many questions within the Bucs trenches, so let’s get to them.

LT Tristan Wirfs: How rapidly can Wirfs assert himself as a Professional Bowl-caliber left sort out? Is that this the 12 months that Wirfs earns a “C” on his chest and turns into a workforce captain and the chief of the offensive line?

LG Matt Feiler: Will a change of surroundings result in a bounce-back season for Feiler, who struggled final 12 months with the Chargers? Is Feiler greatest suited to play left guard or proper sort out in Tampa Bay?

C Ryan Jensen: Is Jensen totally recovered from the torn knee ligaments he suffered final 12 months and wholesome sufficient to play a 17-game season? If Jensen can final the season at age 32, can he regain his Professional Bowl type in 2023?

RG Cody Mauch: Is the change from left sort out to proper guard and the soar from North Dakota State to the NFL going to be too overwhelming for Mauch throughout his rookie season? Can he make the required strides together with his approach that Mauch gained’t be a legal responsibility in cross safety?

RT Luke Goedeke: Can Goedeke discover success again at his extra pure place at proper sort out than he did at left guard final 12 months throughout his rookie season? Can Goedeke develop in his second season or is the previous second-rounder destined to be a bust within the NFL?

OL Robert Hainsey: Did Hainsey present sufficient final 12 months as a 17-game starter at heart to even be in consideration to problem both Feiler or Mauch for a beginning guard job? Or do the Bucs need him to primarily concentrate on enjoying heart and being Jensen’s backup?

NT Vita Vea: Can Vea construct upon final 12 months’s career-high 6.5 sacks and proceed to ascend as a cross rusher? Or will the transfer from enjoying extra within the B hole as a 3 approach defensive sort out final 12 months again to nostril sort out this season stymie his sack manufacturing?

DT Logan Corridor: Has Corridor, who’s just below 300 kilos, gained sufficient dimension and energy this offseason to carry up as an every-down starter at defensive sort out? Can he develop into equally adept at stopping the run – like Will Gholston was – as he’s as an enhancing cross rusher?

DT Calijah Kancey: Will the 6-foot, 286-pound rookie defensive sort out develop into a goal within the run recreation and finally a legal responsibility up entrance? Can Kancey’s quickness present a jolt to Tampa Bay’s inside cross rush to the place he logs greater than three sacks as a first-year defensive sort out?

NT Greg Gaines: Can Gaines ship extra of a cross rush than former run-stuffing reserve Rakeem Nunez-Roches did, because the workforce expects? Will Gaines finally see some motion within the beginning lineup alongside Vea if he outperforms both Corridor or Kancey in coaching camp and the preseason?

FAB 3. Bucs Key Questions At Linebacker

The Bucs protection has a whole lot of star energy at each inside and outdoors linebacker. However these models aren’t with out their very own questions.

OLB Shaq Barrett: Can Barrett get well bodily from a torn Achilles tendon and get again to develop into an efficient, double-digit sacker as he turns 31 this season? Will Barrett use the tragic demise of his daughter this offseason to inspire him to an awesome season in her honor, or will the comprehensible grief be an excessive amount of to beat?

OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka: Can new outdoors linebackers coach George Edwards assist unleash Tryon-Shoyinka’s athletic abilities and get him to give you a greater rush plan and end sacks? Or is JTS only a nice athlete that lacks the required soccer instincts to finally stay as much as his first-round billing?

OLB Anthony Nelson: Did Nelson take a giant step in his growth final 12 months with a career-high 5.5 sacks and team-leading three compelled fumbles? Or did the 6-foot-7 edge defender truly attain his ceiling to the place he’s nothing greater than a top quality reserve outdoors linebacker within the mould of Carl Nassib?

OLB YaYa Diaby: Can Diaby make a splash as a rookie cross rusher and really problem JTS for enjoying time and maybe his beginning job? Or will the sluggish climb to his 9.5-sack senior season at Louisville make him extra of a developmental undertaking in Tampa Bay with an analogous path?

OLB Jose Ramirez: Will there be a giant studying curve from Japanese Michigan to the NFL for the undersized cross rusher? And may Ramirez make sufficient of an affect on particular groups to make the 53-man roster because the fifth outdoors linebacker, beating out the likes of veteran Cam Gill and fellow rookie Markees Watts?

ILB Lavonte David: Will David as soon as once more efficiently fend off Father Time and keep wholesome to proceed to play at a excessive stage at age 33? Can the longer term Bucs Ring of Honor member return to his play-making methods with extra interceptions, compelled fumbles and sacks in 2023?

ILB Devin White: Will White use his displeasure over his contract scenario with Bucs to gas him to an awesome season or will it show to be a distraction for the fifth-year linebacker? Can White lastly develop into a constant playmaker to the purpose the place Tampa Bay would even need to reward him with a giant contract extension?

ILB SirVocea Dennis: Can Dennis have an impactful rookie to season to the place he positions himself as a future starter to switch both David or White in 2023? Will Dennis have the ability to unseat Ok.J. Britt because the workforce’s third linebacker on the depth chart?

ILB Ok.J. Britt: Will Britt have the ability to fend off Dennis by turning into higher in protection throughout coaching camp and the preseason? Is he in jeopardy of even not making the roster at ILB4 except he shines on particular groups once more?

FAB 4. Bucs Key Questions In The Secondary

Tampa Bay’s younger depth has loads of questions behind a top quality quartet of starters within the secondary. However even the starters enter the 2023 season with query marks of their very own.

CB Carlton Davis III: Can Davis, who has missed a mixed 10 video games out of the final two seasons, keep wholesome for a whole 12 months? Can he develop into a extra dependable interceptor and get again to a four-INT season like had in 2020?

CB Jamel Dean: Will Dean maintain on to the interceptions he usually drops to the purpose the place he may get Professional Bowl consideration this season? Dean has already develop into the most effective cowl nook in Tampa Bay, however how excessive is his ceiling as he continues to realize expertise?

CB Zyon McCollum: Can McCollum, who was a legal responsibility within the operating recreation, develop into a greater tackler in 2023 and cut back his variety of missed tackles? Will he start to take extra possibilities to make performs on the ball and never be so gun-shy in protection?

CB Dee Delaney: Can Delaney develop into the shock starter at nickel cornerback and substitute Antoine Winfield Jr. on account of his expertise? Or will Delaney’s lack of elite traits enable one of many workforce’s rookies to surpass him on the depth chart and relegate him to a backup function as soon as once more?

CB Josh Hayes: After enjoying slot and security final 12 months at Kansas State, can Hayes make a easy transition again to cornerback the place he performed at North Dakota State earlier in his profession? Can Hayes make a fast transition to the NFL to the purpose the place he can unseat Delaney for the beginning nickelback function?

S Antoine Winfield Jr.: Will sticking to free security end in extra interceptions for Winfield and the Bucs protection? Can Winfield pile up sufficient picks and sacks and power sufficient fumbles to make it again to the Professional Bowl in 2023?

S Ryan Neal: Is Neal actually an ascending security within the league, or did final 12 months in Seattle make him a one-hit surprise? Can Neal rapidly grasp Todd Bowles’ advanced defensive scheme, which asks a whole lot of its safeties, to the place he can keep away from a prolonged studying curve and make an immediate affect in Tampa Bay?

S Kaevon Merriweather: Will Weatherspoon showcase his physicality and shine when the pads come on, because the coaches and scouts count on? Is he athletic sufficient to be thought-about a future starter or is simply destined to be a reserve and a core particular teamer?

S Chris Izien: Can the undersized Izien present sufficient on protection and particular groups in camp and the preseason to unseat Nolan Turner because the fourth security in Tampa Bay? Will he make sufficient performs with out making many errors to say the open beginning nickelback function as a rookie?

FAB 5. Bucs Key Questions On Particular Groups And Teaching

Let’s spherical out this week’s SR’s Fab column by highlighting a number of the massive questions on particular groups and with the workforce’s coordinators and play-callers.

Ok Chase McLaughlin: Can the strong-legged McLaughlin be correct sufficient to switch Ryan Succop because the workforce’s kicker this season? Will he have the ability to deal with the stress of the kicking competitors the Bucs created after they signed Rodrigo Blankenship after the mini-camp?

Ok Rodrigo Blankenship: Will Blankenship rebound from an injury-plagued 2022 season and stick in Tampa Bay by beating out McLaughlin? Does Blankenship have a sufficiently big leg to drill the 50-yard-plus discipline objectives that Todd Bowles is on the lookout for in his kicker?

P Jake Camarda: Can Camarda construct on a powerful rookie season and ascend to the extent of a Professional Bowl punter in his second 12 months in Tampa Bay? Will Camarda grasp the artwork of directional punting and develop into a coffin nook weapon particular groups?

HC/DC Todd Bowles: Will Bowles proceed to name performs on protection or will he flip over the play-calling duties to both Kacy Rodgers or Larry Foote? Can Bowles develop into a greater in-game supervisor in terms of situational soccer on recreation days and develop into a much less risk-adverse head coach?

OC Dave Canales: Does Canales have what it takes to not solely be play-caller on recreation days, however a strategic thoughts in terms of constructing an efficient recreation plan through the week? Can Canales make the required changes on the sidelines quick sufficient on recreation days?

ST Keith Armstrong: Can Armstrong discover the suitable return specialist and really put collectively a succesful return recreation so it may be a weapon as an alternative of a legal responsibility for the Bucs? With so many rookies and new faces on particular groups this 12 months, can Armstrong forestall the Bucs protection models from faltering in 2023?

Watch Dave Canales On The Pewter Report Podcast

For extra on the Bucs’ new offensive play-caller, try the latest Pewter Report Podcast with Particular Visitor: Bucs OC Dave Canales by clicking the hyperlink under.