Buccaneers: Five players to watch versus Washington

CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 11: Jeremy McNichols of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs the ball ahead of Jordan Willis of the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth quarter of a preseason game at Paul Brown Stadium on August 11, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 11: Jeremy McNichols of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs the ball ahead of Jordan Willis of the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth quarter of a preseason game at Paul Brown Stadium on August 11, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 11: Mike Smith, defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, stands on the field during pregame warmups prior to facing the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome on September 11, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 11: Mike Smith, defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, stands on the field during pregame warmups prior to facing the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome on September 11, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

DT-Stevie Tu’ikolovatu

The 2017 seventh round pick makes this list due to the fact he may be battling for a job in tonight’s game. The mammoth of defensive tackling standing around 6’1″ 320 pounds has shown his strength through the off-season camp and pre-season contests, but his speed has yet to adjust to the game.

Whether this be the rookie curve or Stevie’s athleticism in general, to make the roster there needs to be a shown progression.

After battling it out with his friend and fellow defensive tackle Sealver Siliga, the Bucs will need to make a decision on who will be their fourth/final defensive tackle.

Siliga, who is just a year older than the rookie at 27, has seen a majority of his playing time before Stevie. Whether this has significance or not, big Stevie T will have a good deal of snaps in tonight’s game so he can finally log his first NFL stat.

Next: Buccaneers: What Ryan Griffin’s extension means going forward

What do you say Buc fans? Sound off in the comments below and take a second to follow me on Twitter to keep up with all things Bucs #SiegeTheDay #StickCarriers
What do you say Buc fans? Sound off in the comments below and take a second to follow me on Twitter to keep up with all things Bucs #SiegeTheDay #StickCarriers