Buccaneers-Titans: 3 things to keep an eye on

Dealing with injuries to the defensive line

Unfortunately, the Bucs will be thin along the defensive front against the Titans. With Vita Vea and Mitch Unrein likely out, a few players will be pulled out of position to man the defensive tackle position.

While Jason Pierre-Paul and Vinny Curry are capable of moving to tackle in a pinch, the coaching staff won’t risk their health in the preseason. It will be up to the backups to step up and show the coaching staff how versatile they can be.

Last week, William Gholston was forced to move inside to help matters and he may have to play out of position again. Gerald McCoy and Beau Allen will open the game, but they will only see the field for a series or two.

As the game moves along, issues will arise for the Tampa Bay defense. Like Gholston, players like Patrick O’Connor and Demone Harris may need to move to the interior with no other options available.

Players on the outside looking in can use this as an opportunity to stand out. A strong performance when the team is in need of a minor miracle could be the difference in being sent to the practice squad, and suiting up on Sundays.