Predictions for every Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp battle

Safety

By far the most crowded group on the roster is the safety group in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers have starters Justin Evans and Jordan Whitehead returning from a year ago, but Evans has yet to practice this offseason and there have been no recent updates on his health. Rookie Mike Edwards fits the hair-on-fire mold that Bowles loves to utilize, while the Buccaneers also moved M.J. Stewart to safety this year and signed former Green Bay Packer Kentrell Brice.

Bowles loves safeties more than any other position group on the defense and has deployed them in a variety of looks throughout his career as a defensive coordinator and will do the same in Tampa Bay. However, who will be the primary starters? The answer to this question comes down to health; if Evans is healthy, he will be penciled into the starting lineup.

The question remains: who starts next to Evans? While Whitehead and Brice both have starting experience in the NFL, they both struggled mightily for the Bucs and Packers respectively last year. While they will both more than likely make the roster, Whitehead will have the advantage but do not count out Edwards to beat them both out.

Prediction: Evans and Edwards land the starting safety gigs, but when the Buccaneers run their big nickel package with three safeties, Edwards will move down to the slot and Whitehead will come onto the field.