The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were an exciting team to watch in 2019 simply because we had no clue what would happen with Jameis Winston. That type of unpredictability at quarterback is what led the Buccaneers to a 7-9 record in 2019. Now with the addition of Tom Brady, both the Buccaneers and their fans are hoping for a playoff birth and potentially a Super Bowl. The chances of that are very slim, yet not impossible. Let’s take a look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2020 Training Camp Preview.
3 Position Battles To Watch:
Cornerback: Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean, M.J Stewart
The Buccaneers had a sneaky good defense in 2019. They had the number 1 rushing defense but the 3rd WORST pass defense. Shaquil Barrett had 19.5 sacks so the pass rush isn’t the issue. It’s the secondary that really needs improvement. Sean Murphy-Bunting played well as a rookie, collecting 3 interceptions and 1 of them for a pick-six. He can play, it’s the other corners that are a little worrying. Carlton Davis hasn’t played a full season in his career and only has 1 interception to his name. It should be noted that he had 19 pass deflections in 2019 so the potential is there. Securing the secondary is what’s key to any Tampa Bay success in 2020, don’t expect Brady to win shootouts.
Right Guard: Alex Cappa, Aaron Stinnie, John Molchon
With the addition of Tom Brady comes new expectations for the Tampa Bay offense. However, it’s the offensive line that must be looked at. Jameis Winston was sacked a whopping 47 times last year. Tom Brady was sacked a combined 48 times in 2018 and 2019. Brady’s body isn’t built to take the Bruce Arians’ offense type of pummeling. Brady is not a mobile quarterback by any means, he manipulates the pocket and buys time by shuffling and stepping up into the pocket. What needs to be good for that? The guard-center-guard combo. The Buccaneers have Ali Marpet to hold down left guard and Ryan Jensen at center. So the right guard battle between Alex Cappa, Aaron Stinnie, John Molchon and Nick Leverett is crucial. Alex Cappa was a 3rd round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Aaron Stinnie was an undrafted free agent in 2018 who spent 1 year with the Titans before being claimed by the Buccaneers. John Molchon was signed as an undrafted free agent from the 2020 NFL Draft. This Buccaneers training camp battle is worth looking out for even though there aren’t any big names involved. The big guys matter a lot especially to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tom Brady’s success is dependent on it.
Wide Receiver: Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have 2 elite wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin but what about the all important 3rd wide receiver? We all know that Brady loves throwing short to the slot wide receiver over the middle, that position is going to be very important for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to have any success. Scotty Miller has elite speed and fits what Tom Brady looks for in a slot wide receiver. It’s Miller’s job to lose, he’s currently listed as their wide receiver 3.
Ready To Breakout: Devin White
Devin White played well as a rookie. In 2019 he had 88 total tackles, 3 pass deflections, 1 interception, 3 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries and 1 defensive touchdown. All in 13 games. White has elite speed and he utilized it to make plays in 2019. While he wasn’t perfect, almost no rookie is perfect. Every player has learning curves regardless of their talent when they enter the league. Great players accept that they still have a lot to learn and work hard. Devin White is ready to make the next step to becoming a great linebacker in the NFL.
Rookie To Watch: Ke’Shawn Vaughn
We’ve been saying this for awhile and we will keep saying this. Ke’Shawn Vaughn has the potential to be amazing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has Ronald Jones ahead of him on the depth chart and he’s nothing to write home about. The Buccaneers can cut Ronald Jones for a minimal cap hit after the 2020 season, having Ke’Shawn Vaughn get some snaps and begin the process of integrating him into this offense would help the Buccaneers in the long run and it’d be the smartest move.
Fantasy Sleeper: Scotty Miller
If you play fantasy football, or if you know someone who does, remember the name Scotty Miller. I’ve talked extensively about Scotty Miller’s fantasy potential because he fits Brady. Brady has made slot wide receivers like Wes Welker and Julian Edelman house hold names. Brady is why people know who Welker and Edelman are, Scotty Miller can very easily be the next slot receiver that Brady raises to stardom. Miller has 4.30 speed, he’s a no name out of Bowling Green and he’s listed as the wide receiver 3 on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ depth chart. That’s perfect for a fantasy sleeper.
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