Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Breaking down depth at safety position
By Cory Kinnan
![TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 29: Justin Evans #21 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after defending a pass in the second quarter of a game against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on October 29, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 29: Justin Evans #21 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after defending a pass in the second quarter of a game against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on October 29, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/c41e42b21e1d4e628b63eb300f628c9dc288922c399b3ddfcaac5d3b13056883.jpg)
The Rookies:
Third round pick Mike Edwards is all the talk at camp right now as he has picked up the playbook quickly and was being used in a variety of ways on the Buccaneers’ defense during mini-camps. When speaking with The Athletic’s Greg Auman, he had this to say about the former Kentucky Wildcat:
"“[Edwards] can do a lot for this team. He could be the starting safety, he could be a part of the nickel package… Mike is a really smart guy who understands the defense” (Auman via The Pewter Plank)."
Again, Bowles deploys a variety of packages featuring multiple defensive backs, and Edwards looks to be a key contributor in those disguises as well as having a chance to beat out Whitehead and Brice for the starting job opposite Evans. While the pick was questionable on day-two of the draft, it is already paying dividends for Tampa Bay early on.
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The Buccaneers also signed two undrafted free agents in Lukas Denis and D’Cota Dixon this offseason to potentially compete for a roster spot. Both went undrafted, and it is a deep room, so these two will have to show a ton of versatility and willingness to play special teams if they want to hang around in Tampa Bay.