The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have completed eight training camp practices, and some players are starting to separate themselves as standouts, while others are falling behind.
As the team prepares to hit the road for a week of joint practices with the New York Jets ahead of the preseason opener next Friday, whose stock is rising, and whose is dropping, as roster battles begin to take shape?
Which Tampa Bay Buccaneers players are dominating training camp and who is fading?
David Walker, OLB - Dominating
Walker has been by far the biggest standout of Buccaneers training camp.
He’s recorded eight sacks through eight practices, and even recorded a strip-sack on Jake Browning to end practice earlier in the week.
Walker was a standout throughout last year’s training camp before a torn ACL ended his rookie year before it began, but he has picked up right where he left off. Walker is making a serious case for the OLB3 spot.
Rueben Bain Jr., OLB - Dominating
Bain enters his rookie season with lofty expectations as the team’s first-round draft choice at a major position of need.
He’s made an incredible first impression, and had his most impressive rep yet, putting a nasty move on right tackle Luke Goedeke to get past him in 1-on-1 drills.
Hello, rookie 😳
— Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) August 4, 2026
Rueben Bain Jr. puts a nasty move on Luke Goedeke. pic.twitter.com/tHGPmfdQfq
Bain looks the part of a dominant, disruptive pass rusher that will waste no time making an impact during his rookie season.
Benjamin Morrison, CB - Fading
Morrison has remained sidelined with a nagging hamstring injury throughout the entirety of training camp, and also missed time during mandatory minicamp earlier this offseason.
He’s been working on individual drills, and the team holding him out of full team sessions is thought to be precautionary, but it’s still a cause for concern.
Morrison is supposed to be competing with Jacob Parrish for the starting outside cornerback job opposite Zyon McCollum, but his inability to get on the field is seeing him fall behind.
Morrison already missed seven games due to injuries as a rookie, and seeing the trend continue into his second season is less than ideal.
Josiah Trotter, LB - Dominating
Trotter is making his presence felt at training camp. He’s been living in the backfield with TFLs, and even recorded a sack on Baker Mayfield. Teammates and coaches have been impressed early with the rookie linebacker.
The downhill thumper is an effective blitzer and looks ready to make an immediate impact in his first NFL season.
An underrated quality he’s brought to the team, in addition to his physicality, is his attitude. Trotter has been constantly chirping at the offense and was even in the center of a scuffle that broke out earlier in the week.
Tampa Bay was seeking a culture shift on defense this offseason, and Trotter is going to be a big part in ushering in a nastier Bucs defense.
Devin Culp, TE - Fading
Culp hasn’t done much to stand out during camp so far, and his most notable play was dropping a catchable pass.
Culp is on the roster bubble after the team drafted Bauer Sharp in the sixth round, and the rookie is having an impressive offseason.
He needs to take advantage of every opportunity that comes his way and start to stand out throughout training camp and preseason, or he could be approaching the end of his time in Tampa Bay.
Ayden Garnes, CB - Dominating
Garnes has been one of the most pleasant surprises of training camp so far.
With Benjamin Morrison yet to see the field, and Jacob Parrish being held out the last few practices due to soreness, there have been more opportunities for other cornerbacks on the roster to make their case.
The undrafted rookie out of Arizona has gotten to play a significant amount of reps, and turned heads with an impressive PBU in coverage against Emeka Egbuka.
Todd Bowles said the coaching staff is aware of his athleticism and coverage skills, and that Garnes has taken advantage of the increased playing time. If he continues to build on this momentum, Garnes looks like a real candidate to earn a 53-man roster spot.
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