3 Bucs players who are in danger of losing their job after NFL Draft

Who takes his roster spot: Trey Palmer

There’s an argument to be made that Russell Gage deserves to be mentioned here as well, but it’s harder to see him losing his job without a few things going wrong for him. Instead, the guy behind him on the depth chart is in the crosshairs first, as rookie Trey Palmer is going to put pressure on Deven Thompson.

Palmer was taken in the sixth round by the Buccaneers, but joins a wide receiver room with only two figureheads firmly in place and the rest of the spots pretty much up for grabs. Gage can be penciled in as the WR3, but Palmer could work his way into that spot of things go well for him.

He’ll have to unseat Thompson first, which seems like one of the more interesting training camp battles to watch. The Bucs didn’t dip into the skill position pool this year, taking Palmer and tight end Payne Durham out of Purdue. Those two guys were the only pass catchers Tampa Bay drafted, and Palmer has the chance to be far and away the better of the two picks.

Palmer ran the fourth-fastest 40-yard dash time at the combine, so he brings some serious speed to the receiving corps. The Bucs have shown in the past they like fast guys to break out of routes and get downfield fast, and that’s Palmer’s style. He’s a vertical threat who the NFL Network crew hastily compared to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin; he won’t replace either of them but it makes sense that he could fill in as the third part of a great receiving trio.

Gage needs to be on notice with this pick, but it’s Thompson that might end up being the one who loses the most from the Bucs drafting Palmer.