The Bucs won’t solely use the 2024 offseason program to work on the gamers getting greater and stronger within the weight room in addition to getting quicker, but in addition to enhance in sure areas. Whereas head coach Todd Bowles might be putting in some new wrinkles on protection and new offensive coordinator Liam Coen and his new assistants might be putting in a brand new playbook, every Bucs participant might be tasked with honing their expertise and dealing on some particular person weaknesses.
With enter from the Bucs coaches and entrance workplace members, in addition to my very own evaluation and observations, I’ve give you one particular space for every participant to work on heading into coaching camp and the 2024 season. I’m solely evaluating gamers that noticed true taking part in time final 12 months in Tampa Bay, and leaving rookies and newly acquired free brokers that performed elsewhere out of the equation.
That is the second of a seven-part collection that can study a place group or two of Bucs gamers. In the present day, it’s Tampa Bay’s large receivers and the staff’s tight ends. Subsequent up would be the Bucs offensive line.
The place Every Bucs Participant Can Enhance: WRs And TEs
WR Mike Evans – Restrict Wasted TD Alternatives
Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
By way of landing manufacturing, Evans rebounded from a down 12 months in 2022 (when he scored simply six TDs) with 13 final season. However it might have been extra. Evans had dropped touchdowns in opposition to the Eagles and the Titans and was tackled on the 1-yard line in video games at Indianapolis and at Houston.
Evans, who’s counted on annually to be the offense’s high landing producer, set the franchise file for single-season receiving touchdowns as a rookie with 12 again in 2014. He topped that mark in 2020 with 13 after which set a brand new file with 14 scores in 2021.
Evans had a reputable likelihood to shatter that mark with 17 scores final season had he wound up in the long run zone on these shut calls. With the rapport he has with Baker Mayfield, there’s no motive Evans can’t catch 15 TDs or extra in 2024.
WR Chris Godwin – Thrive In The Acquainted, However Discover The Finish Zone
Godwin is coming into a important contract 12 months in 2024 and the Bucs are going to make him play out the season earlier than speaking about an extension – similar to the staff did final season with Mike Evans. After Godwin spent extra time as an out of doors receiver in Dave Canales’ offense in 2023, Liam Coen plans to make use of him way more usually as a slot receiver. That’s an space the place Godwin thrived, particularly from 2019-2022 in Bruce Arians’ offense the place he produced three 1,000-yard seasons throughout that span, together with his lone Professional Bowl season in 2019.
Godwin ought to thrive in a well-recognized function and might want to in an effort to justify his $20 million wage and earn that (or extra) subsequent 12 months in Tampa Bay or elsewhere. However to ensure that him to command that a lot cash, he’s must change into extra of a degree producer in what might be his last season in purple and pewter. Godwin’s landing manufacturing has fallen from 9 TDs in 2019 to seven TDs in 2020 to 5 scores in 2021 to 3 in 2022 to only a pair of TDs final 12 months. Godwin wants some additional purple zone work with Baker Mayfield this offseason to show he could be a go-to man for factors – not simply Mike Evans.
WR Trey Palmer – Work On These Fingers
Bucs WR Trey Palmer – Photograph by: USA In the present day
Palmer was thrust into the WR3 function as a rookie with Russell Gage happening for the season with an ACL harm in coaching camp. Whereas he scored two touchdowns within the Bucs’ first 4 video games of the 12 months, his rookie season was full of some ups and downs – notably three fumbles and some dropped passes. Palmer must be a extra constant receiver and hold on to the ball as soon as he’s caught it.
Tampa Bay loves Palmer’s aggressiveness within the working recreation. He’s an impressive perimeter blocker and he’s bodily whereas engaged with the defender he’s blocking. However Palmer had a penchant for getting his fingers out too large at instances and was flagged for holding thrice, which value the Bucs some dashing yardage consequently. That’s one other facet of his fingers the place he wants some work this offseason.
WR Rakim Jarrett – It’s Time To Splash
The Bucs coaches and personnel members love Jarrett. Everybody speaks extremely of him, and he’s in all probability penciled in as WR5 or WR6 on the depth chart relying on how the roster shakes out by way of particular groups. He’s a tricky, speedy receiver with good dimension at 6-foot, 192 kilos. That toughness was put to the take a look at final 12 months when he tore his quad muscle at San Francisco on a 41-yard catch, however he continued to play in that recreation earlier than happening injured reserve for 4 weeks the following day.
Jarrett returned to motion late final 12 months after diligently rehabbing the harm, which the coaches appreciated. However now it’s time to provide. Jarrett had simply 4 catches for 60 yards final 12 months and he must make some extra splash performs in OTA practices, coaching camp and the preseason to not solely safe his roster spot, however see extra taking part in time. Whether or not it’s factoring in as a return man or a large receiver, Jarrett must make extra performs, and Liam Coen’s offense appears to be an excellent match for his YAC (yards after catch) taking part in type.
WR Deven Thompkins – Excel As A Returner
Bucs WR Deven Thompkins – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
At 5-foot-8, 155 kilos, Thompkins faces much more of an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster this 12 months with the drafting of large receiver Jalen McMillan within the third spherical. McMillan is the second receiver the Bucs have drafted during the last two years, so Thompkins should concentrate on being the staff’s main returner for the second straight 12 months.
Thompkins was used totally on finish arounds final 12 months and ran for 56 yards on eight carries, averaging 7.0 yards per carry. However given his small fingers and small body, he fumbled the ball thrice with a type of leading to a turnover. Thompkins did have 17 catches for 83 yards and a landing, however solely averaged a woeful 4.9 yards per catch. It’s loopy that he averaged extra yards working the ball than he did catching it. Thompkins higher shine on kick returns and punt returns to have an opportunity to stay in Tampa Bay once more.
TE Cade Otton – Enhance (Mightily) As A Blocker
Otton was the iron man on offense final 12 months, taking part in 98% of the staff’s snaps on offense and barely coming off the sector. That undoubtedly brought about a lower in his stamina as video games went on, and sure negatively affected his means to run block. Otton’s run blocking grade per Professional Soccer Focus slid from 58.2 as a rookie to 56.8 final 12 months, and his move blocking grade fell from 79.3 in 2022 to 47.4 final season.
Otton fared effectively as a receiver, particularly within the postseason the place he led all Bucs gamers with 13 catches for 154 yards (11.8 avg.) and a landing. However in an effort to be extra of an entire tight finish, he should not be a legal responsibility as a blocker. The poor blocking from your complete tight finish unit was one of many the explanation why the Bucs employed new place coach Justin Peelle to enhance the blocking method.
TE Payne Durham – Acquire A Step In The Velocity & Agility Program
Bucs TE Payne Durham – Photograph by: USA In the present day
At 6-foot-5, 255 kilos, Durham is a giant goal who caught 15 touchdowns at Purdue, however has but to haul in his first NFL rating. He’s spent the offseason hitting the burden room and getting greater and stronger to change into a greater all-around tight finish in his second 12 months in Tampa Bay. However the space of the offseason program he must work on his velocity.
Whereas he had a good 1.61 time within the 10-yard cut up on the NFL Scouting Mix, Durham ran a 4.87 within the 40-yard sprint, and that brought about him to fall to the fifth spherical within the draft. It’s not like Durham must problem newcomer Devin Culp in any footraces, however he might stand to get a bit quicker out and in of his breaks as a receiving tight finish. That may solely assist him create separation and current himself as a extra open goal for Baker Mayfield this season.
TE Ko Kieft – Develop into A Blocking Beast
The addition of latest tight finish Devin Culp will threaten Kieft’s possibilities of making the 53-man roster. It looks like Cade Otton, Payne Durham and Culp have secured roster spots and the Bucs might solely preserve three tight ends in favor of six receivers in Liam Coen’s large receiver-heavy personnel utilization. If that’s the case, Kieft stands out as the odd-man out. Kieft is called Tampa Bay’s blocking tight finish, however he’s not superb in that function.
The most important tight finish on the roster at 6-foot-5, 265 kilos, Kieft is a comparatively good move protector with a 68.2 PFF grade in that space. However his run blocking grade regressed from 65 as a rookie to 60.9 final 12 months. If Kieft goes to be the first blocking tight finish, he wants to do this in a dominant trend. Whereas he brings nothing to the desk as a receiver, Kieft does stand out on particular groups. However enhancing as a blocker this offseason will certainly assist his trigger.
TE David Wells – Make A Good First Impression
Bucs TE David Wells and RB Chase Edmonds – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Wells was a shock No. 2 at tight finish in coaching camp, the place he actually stunned the coaches and workers as a receiving weapon. The journeyman tight finish is a giant goal at 6-foot-6, 260, however as soon as he secured the TE2 job after the preseason, he grew to become the invisible man at first of the season outdoors of a fumble in opposition to Chicago which nearly led to a turnover. That play led to an embarrassing stat line of simply two catches for minus-10 yards. After the bye, Wells solely performed in a single recreation down the stretch, which was in opposition to New Orleans in Week 17.
The most effective factor Wells can do is to make use of a clear slate with a brand new tight ends coach in Justin Peelle and a brand new offensive coordinator in Liam Coen to his benefit. Making an excellent first impression might be enormous for the 29-year outdated tight finish. Whereas he has scant taking part in time within the NFL after spending many a season across the league on apply squads, Wells is the oldest tight finish within the room and that have might assist his possibilities of sticking round.
