3 Buccaneers on the hot seat after the preseason opener
By Rob Leeds
The Buccaneers need their receiver at a high level
Tyler Johnson isn’t in danger of losing his roster spot, but his career can take a very different course over the next month or so if he doesn’t turn his play around.
The Bucs already have five starting-caliber receivers on their roster. From Mike Evans to newcomer Jaelon Darden, the Buccaneers can switch up their starting rotation on a game-by-game basis without much drop-off in production.
Unfortunately for Johnson, he hasn’t met the same standard as his teammates so far during camp and the lone preseason game. In a game where Johnson could’ve easily tallied five or six catches for over 50 yards, Johnson only came down with a single catch for 11 yards.
One preseason game shouldn’t make or break Johnson’s career, but it could be enough to make the coaching staff ask some questions about the future. Does Jaydon Mickens bring more to the lineup as a receiver and as a return man? Should the Bucs keep Johnson but make him one of the players that don’t dress on game day?
No one wants to be in this position with a player as talented as Johnson after the rookie season he just had, but he does have to turn the corner soon if he wants to leave a similar impact on the 2021 season.