By Buccaneers Roster Decisions: These Players Did Enough to Make the Final 53
By Ken Filler | Tampa Bay Sports Journal
TAMPA — The preseason is over.
Now comes the hard part.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished the preseason 2-1 after an ugly 19-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars Friday night, and now Todd Bowles, Jason Licht, and the rest of the Buccaneers’ front office have to decide which players did enough over the last month to earn a place on the 53-man roster.
Friday night certainly didn’t make every decision easier.
The Buccaneers managed just 87 yards of total offense, went 2-for-12 on third down, and were shut out in a preseason game for the first time since 1989. Todd Bowles summed it up pretty well afterward.
“Not good enough,” Bowles said. “I didn’t think we protected the quarterback enough. We couldn’t run the ball. We gave up a special teams touchdown.”
But roster decisions shouldn’t be made on one game.
After watching all three preseason games, there are several Buccaneers who I believe did enough to make this football team, and at least one former high draft pick who didn’t.
Jack Pyburn Belongs on This Roster
If Jack Pyburn didn’t earn himself a roster spot during this preseason, I’m not sure what else the Buccaneers could have asked him to do.
The undrafted rookie outside linebacker finished the preseason with four sacks, including two against Jacksonville Friday night. He also had a tackle for loss and finished the finale with four tackles.
More importantly, Pyburn consistently showed the energy and effort that Bowles wants from his defensive players.
There is always room on an NFL roster for a young edge rusher who gets to the quarterback, plays with a high motor, and can contribute on special teams.
Pyburn did enough. Put him on the 53.
Kam Johnson’s Versatility Should Win Him a Job
Kam Johnson gives the Buccaneers something that becomes extremely valuable when you’re trying to squeeze 90 players down to 53.
He can do more than one thing.
Johnson has shown ability as a wide receiver, but his biggest value may come in the return game.
The bottom of an NFL roster isn’t necessarily about keeping the sixth-best receiver. It’s about keeping players who can fill multiple roles on game day.
Johnson can provide depth at receiver while also giving Tampa Bay a weapon on special teams.
For me, that’s too much versatility to leave off the roster.
Sean Tucker Should Be RB3
The Buccaneers already know who their top two running backs are.
Bucky Irving is the starter, and Kenneth Gainwell gives Tampa Bay an experienced option behind him.
Sean Tucker should get the third spot.
Tucker has already shown during his time in Tampa that he can produce when given opportunities, and he provides the Buccaneers with another explosive option in the backfield.
There may be a temptation to keep four running backs, but if Tampa Bay keeps only three, I choose Tucker.
That probably leaves Josh Williams headed for the practice squad again.
Williams led Tampa Bay with 21 rushing yards on eight carries against Jacksonville, but there may not be enough room on the 53-man roster to carry four running backs.
If the Buccaneers decide to keep four backs, Williams deserves consideration. Otherwise, getting him back on the practice squad makes sense.
Jalon Daniels Should Be QB2
Neither Jalon Daniels nor Jake Browning did much to win the backup quarterback job Friday night.
Daniels completed 8 of 15 passes for 57 yards and was sacked three times. Browning wasn’t any better, completing 2 of 4 passes for just two yards.
It was ugly.
But I’m not making this decision based solely on Friday night.
I’m looking at all three preseason games.
And based on what I saw, Jalon Daniels should be Baker Mayfield’s backup.
Daniels directed five scoring drives during Tampa Bay’s first two preseason games and provided a spark when the Buccaneers offense needed one.
He gives Tampa Bay something Browning doesn’t: the ability to change a game with his legs.
There are things Daniels has to clean up, and the quarterback-center exchange is at the top of the list.
Daniels was involved in another botched exchange Friday, continuing an issue we’ve seen multiple times during the preseason.
That can’t continue.
But you’re talking about a rookie quarterback. There are going to be mistakes.
Bowles said Tampa Bay deliberately gave Daniels an extended opportunity against better competition Friday
.
“We wanted him to play against the twos as opposed to the threes and fours, get him in there and see how he operated,” Bowles said.
Daniels didn’t take advantage of that opportunity Friday.
But he showed me enough over three games. If I’m making the decision, Daniels is QB2.
Anthony Nelson Made His Case
Anthony Nelson may not generate the excitement of some of Tampa Bay’s younger pass rushers, but all he does is continue to produce.
Nelson recorded another sack against Jacksonville, bringing his preseason total to 2.5 sacks.
On a defense desperately searching for consistent pressure off the edge, that’s significant.
Nelson has experience, understands Bowles’ defense, and showed throughout the preseason that he can still get to the quarterback.
He belongs on this football team.
When you combine what Nelson did with the emergence of Pyburn, suddenly Tampa Bay has some interesting decisions to make at outside linebacker.
Which brings us to Chris Braswell.
Chris Braswell Didn’t Do Enough
This may be the toughest decision because of where Chris Braswell was drafted.
The Buccaneers selected Braswell in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
At some point, however, draft position has to stop mattering.
Braswell appeared in the first two preseason games against the Jets and Chiefs and did not record a tackle or sack. He did not play against Jacksonville.
Official NFL preseason logs show no tackles or sacks for Braswell in either appearance.
Meanwhile, Pyburn was making plays. Nelson was making plays.
Other edge rushers were making their presence felt.
Braswell wasn’t.
NFL roster decisions can’t be made because of where a player was drafted two years ago. They have to be based on what that player is doing now.
Based on what I saw during the preseason, Braswell didn’t do enough to make the 53-man roster.
And I wouldn’t automatically give him a practice-squad spot either. I’d cut him. Maybe he needs a change of scenery to realize his potential.
The Bottom Line
Preseason statistics don’t tell the entire story. Coaches have weeks of practice tape, meeting-room evaluations, and special-teams work that we don’t see.
But games still matter.
And when the lights came on this preseason, some Buccaneers took advantage of their opportunities.
Jack Pyburn, Kam Johnson, Sean Tucker, and Anthony Nelson did.
And despite a poor final game in Jacksonville, I believe Jalon Daniels did enough over the entire preseason to be Tampa Bay’s No. 2 quarterback.
Now it’s up to Bowles and Licht.
The Buccaneers have to cut to 53 players by Sunday, and some difficult conversations are coming.
But if Tampa Bay is serious about keeping the players who performed when given an opportunity, Pyburn, Johnson, Tucker, Nelson, and Daniels should all be in the locker room when the regular season begins.
