Just because the NFL Draft is in the rearview doesn't mean the work is done. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it's all about figuring out how to put the pieces they have on the board correctly -- and which of those pieces are no longer needed.
That's the big question heading into this upcoming offseason lull. The Bucs went home with six fantastic prospects in this year's draft, and added over a dozen more during the UDFA gold rush. The talent is really all over the place, with wide receiver Emeka Egbuka being the team's first-round pick and safety Shilo Sanders being among the undrafted signings.
We have a pretty good idea of whose job is safe, but as OTAs and training camp approach, it's safe to say the heat has been turned up on a few specific players.
Buccaneers players now in serious danger of losing their roster spot after NFL Draft
Trey Palmer, WR
Things went from bad-to-worse for Trey Palmer over the course of the weekend, and things weren't particularly good to begin with. He had already been forced out of the WR3 role by Jalen McMillan and the arrival of Emeka Egbuka pushed him even further down the depth chart.
If the room wasn't already crowded, the Bucs finished the weekend off by drafting Oregon's speedy wideout Tez Johnson. He was Bo Nix's best friend and helped make Dillon Gabriel into a Heisman Trophy finalist last year, and now he's in Tampa Bay.
Palmer was already starting to feel like the odd man out in a crowded wide receiver room before, but now he has competition on multiple levels. Egbuka and McMillan will battle for the WR3 role, meaning the next realistic spot on the depth chart for Palmer is WR5. There, he will have to fend off Sterling Shepard, Kam Johnson, and now Tez Johnson to ensure he isn't pushed all the way off the roster.
Josh Hayes, CB
Even though cornerback has been both a position of need, and one that has presented opportunities for young players to shine, Hayes hasn't found a way to stand out. That's troubling, especially now that he has perhaps the most competition of anyone on defense.
Tampa Bay doubled up on cornerbacks, using premium Day 2 picks on Notre Dame's Benjamin Morrison and Kansas State's Jacob Parrish. The former has first-round talent while the latter has been deemed a 'slot demon'; already they feel more notable than Hayes and neither is even officially on the roster yet.
Zyon McCollum and Jamel Dean are the only two reliable cornerbacks the team has, but Tampa Bay already seemingly has eight defensive back roster spots locked up. Last year the team carried 11 into the regular season which means Hayes has to find a way to stand out positively in training camp this year, or he might not be in Tampa much longer.
Keavon Merriweather, S
Back in 2023 the Bucs put together a truly impressive class of UDFAs, which included Iowa standout Kaevon Merriweather. Three years later he finds himself in a position to potentially lose his spot on the roster to another UDFA who might beat him out.
It's not just Shilo Sanders who will be hungry to earn a roster spot, although he's the most notable name gunning for Merriweather's spot. Sanders is more of a name-brand at the moment but he has a chance to prove he's truly a football player in training camp and the Bucs want to give him that shot.
JJ Russell out of Marshall is the real sleeper to watch. He's a real threat to replace Merriweather and have a rise not unlike what we've seen certain players do over the last two years. Injuries plagued Merriweather and his play wasn't always what it needed to be, and now he's likely going to be fighting his way off the roster bubble in August.
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