The Buccaneers have a lot of position battles brewing but we highlight some that will likely end with someone out of a job. (Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE)

The Buccaneers are gearing up for their second preseason game which means we have some serious cuts ahead of us. Greg Schiano and company are going to have to start trimming the fat off the roster, toning up the final 53-man and all the other cliches. But this is a team that is largely unchanged in terms of core pieces from last year which means, with the new additions made in the offseason, there are some familiar names that are going be out of a job in Tampa. Let’s take a quick look at some position battles that are going to end with someone out of a job.

SS Larry Asante vs. Cody Grimm

This is one is a headliner, so to speak. Both are names we’ve heard in the past but only one is going to stick around. Grimm sort of made a name in 2010 but barely. Asante has been kicked around the safety rotation as well but not very impressively. Neither will be starters in Greg Schiano’s defense since rookie Mark Barron and veteran Ronde Barber will hold down the roles. But it’s always nice to have a semi-solid backup with knowledge of the defense. It’s possible that both could end up on the roster, but that’s true for all these position battles and not everyone is going to end up with both players surviving the cut.

Projected Winner: Cody Grimm

RB Mossis Madu vs. Michael Smith

Neither of these backs have really proven themselves up to this point, and we’ve only really seen Madu in a game situation since he filled in when the going got thin last year at running back. It’s really two guys for one spot when it comes to this battle because the only running back slot available is the third spot on the depth chart. Madu adds speed to the team but he won’t ever really be used with the revolving door of Blount and Martin. Smith isn’t that much better of an option when it comes to a third string back and both look pretty irrelevant on special teams. It’ll come down to the wire on this one: Madu has speed and is famliar with the team, Smith is a draft pick and with Schiano, everyone is as familiar with this team as Smith is. Some are saying both can make the roster but given the offensive weapons already here, only one back will make the cut. Especially when the others special team role can be given to someone who can make an impact.

Projected Winner: Mossis Madu

WR Ed Grant vs. Sammie Stroughter

Stroughter is really down on his luck. He came into last season the slot receiver but thanks to an injury, Preston Parker took over and stole the job away from him. Ed Grant is in a similar position; he was a favorite heading into camp last season but he fell off the map a bit. This is a battle where only one guy, if either, make the roster. The Bucs already have a full house at wide receiver and honestly, neither of these guys have done anything to warrant the Bucs creating a sixth slot. Grant is likely going to get cut and it could come as soon as after the Titans game, and Stroughter may stick around until the last round of cuts. But with Jackson, Williams, Parker, Underwood and Benn on the depth chart,  don’t rush out to buy a jersey of either of these guys any time soon.

Projected Winner: Both will be cut.

LB Najee Goode vs. Jacob Cutrera vs. Rennie Curran

We have our first three-way of training camp. It’s obvious that five linebackers will make the team, but as BucsNation.com states, it’s anyones guess after that. That’s not good news for Najee Goode, Jacob Cutrera and Rennie Curran. The first to get cut will likely be Curran who’s disappeared since camp started and Goode hasn’t been much better. Goode was a draft pick so obviously that’s a bonus for him, but past that (which by the way isn’t enough to earn a roster spot) he hasn’t done anything to convince Schiano and company he deserves a spot. The only guy who’s been worthy is Cutrera but even he’s been barely noticeable. But at least he’s had his name called a few times in game situations like the first preseason game. Like the battle at wide receiver, the Bucs wouldn’t be crippled if all three guys got the boot.

Projected Winner: Jacob Cutrera

CB Myron Lewis vs. Keith Tandy vs.  Leonard Johnson

Here’s another interesting three-way going on at camp, one that is most likely to end up with all three combatants on the roster. The depth at cornerback is dangerously close to the situation that Bucs had at running back last year. Leonard Johnson was an undrafted free agent pickup out of Iowa State an he can be a nice asset in terms of depth, but he hasn’t done much so far to prove that statement has any truth to it. Myron Lewis has had the best preseason of all three of these guys, despite a poor preseason game. But Tandy and Johnson could catch a break of Lewis converted to a safety, which is a real possibility. If he’s not, it’s still possible that all three make the team, but don’t bet on it. There’s really only two cornerback slots available and it’s highly likely that Lewis and Johnson make the cut.

Projected Winners: Myron Lewis and Leonard Johnson

The Buccaneers wrapped their final open practice of training camp, and it was a nice improvement over yesterday. (Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

Ronde Barber sat out the Buccaneers first preseason game with a minor injury but he returned to practice today and head coach Greg Schiano worked him hard.

Barber saw work at what appeared to be every single spot on defense except the frontline as he saw an extra load of reps with the second unit. Roy Cummings of the Tamp Times noted that at one point it appeared Barber was playing linebacker while Dakota Watson slide down to the defensive line.

Interesting defensive look here: Barber at LB, Watson at LDE, Bennett at DT. That could cause a little confusion

— Roy Cummings (@RCummingsTrib) August 14, 2012

As Bucs Nation noted, and I fully agree upon, it’s likely that Barber was the slot corner with run defense responsibilities. But Watson played Michael Bennet played the defensive line a lot last year (well Bennett did because, ya know, that’s where he plays). Bennett played the three-tackle position in this package, something he did a lot last year too.

Ronde also got some regular reps at the slot corner spot as well. While Barber was sort of at home at corner, the safety spot opposite Mark Barron he left vacant was held down by Ahmed Black.

Barron himself was returning from a minor injury. He too, sat out Friday’s preseason opener and is set to make his Bucs debut this Friday against the Titans.

Speaking of safety, Myron Lewis got more first team even though his performance in Friday’s preseason game was less than impressive. Larry Asante and Cody Grimm were both practicing with the second unit and it looked like Grimm was getting reps over Asante. Grimm was also coming off a poor performance on Friday and continued the trend of safeties getting a second sot to prove themselves.

As for the offense, Tiquan Underwood continued to look impressive. But it was Mike Williams who had the best catch of the day, making an amazing catch and converting a 4th and 20 during the two minute drill, at the expense of rookie Mark Barron. Williams pretty much stole the ball away from Barron on the play, one that drew applause from the crowd.

The Bucs wrapped up their final open practice of training camp today and even though the season is just around the corner, there is going to be a lot of changes on this roster before September 9th.

Buccaneers tight end Luke Stocker sat out today's practice with an undisclosed injury. (Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE)

Buccaneers tight end Luke Stocker began the yesterday’s practice in good health but that’s not how it ended for him. As a result, Stocker sat out today’s padded practice in sweltering heat.

Yesterday, Stocker practiced in full, but at some point during the practice, he came up lame and had to walk off the field. Stocker did walk off under his own power, which is encouraging. But he didn’t practice today, lending to the theory that Stocker suffered a significant injury.

Don’t read too much into that and change significant into severe. The bottom line is Stocker sat out practice as a result of an injury he suffered on Monday.

The focus shouldn’t be on today, it should be on the future. Stocker is a guy that the Bucs want as a staple tight end. They drafted him high enough to warrant that sort of expectation. Even with Dallas Clark in town, Stocker is the guy of the future for the Bucs. He still has time to grow into his role with Tampa, and his first years with the team shouldn’t be taken as a true representation of his role or talents.

In fact, one of the reasons that Bucs brought in Clark was to show Stocker the ropes in a way. Stocker is significantly taller than Clark, but Clark still managed to be a top weapon in Peyton manning’s offense for so many years. The hope is that Clark can teach Stocker to be a taller version of himself — something Josh Freeman will very much enjoy.

Greg Schiano is running a new system and he’s implied the whole way through that Stocker will be a part of that. This injury is just a set back but it’s a noteworthy given Stocker’s significance to this offense.