The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are just hours away from kickoff for their final preseason game.
Sunday’s deadline for teams to finalize their 53-man rosters is fast approaching, and tonight is the final opportunity for players on the bubble to make their case for a roster spot.
Several players are on the outside looking in and could find themselves on the chopping block if they can’t put together a standout performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
6 players fighting to save their Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster spots
QB Jake Browning
It was once a foregone conclusion that Jake Browning would be the backup quarterback in Tampa Bay, but the performance of undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels has put the veteran on notice.
Daniels has been one of the team’s most impressive players throughout the preseason, and the coaching staff chose to give him the start tonight against the Jaguars.
Browning still has experience on his side, and while he’s lost momentum in the QB2 battle, he hasn’t lost it just yet. Browning needs a standout performance in the preseason finale or he could find himself as a cut candidate, as Tampa Bay hasn’t kept three quarterbacks on the roster since 2022
RBs Sean Tucker and Josh Williams
Nobody would have guessed that Tucker’s roster spot could be in danger entering the preseason, as he was seemingly locked into the RB3 spot.
But last week against the Chiefs, Tampa Bay gave Josh Williams the RB2 reps before Tucker finished out the game as the RB3.
The Buccaneers could ultimately decide to keep four running backs, but if they decide to keep only three, Williams is surprisingly giving Tucker a real run for his money.
Both backs have a lot at stake in the preseason finale as they close out their competition for the third running back spot.
TE Devin Culp
Culp’s roster spot has been in danger ever since the team drafted Bauer Sharp in the sixth round of the NFL Draft.
He hasn’t done much of anything to boost his stock or solidify his job security.
The Bucs’ other backup tight ends, Payne Durham and Ko Kieft are both better blockers than Culp. While Culp may be the best pure receiver of the group, his six catches through two seasons won’t justify a roster spot. He’ll have to deliver one of the best performances of his career against the Jaguars, or his time in Tampa Bay is likely coming to an end.
OLB Chris Braswell
Braswell would need a miracle at this point to make the roster. The former second-round pick has just 2.5 sacks in two seasons.
The outside linebacker room is suddenly crowded due to a flurry of offseason additions. Braswell is, at best, the OLB6 behind Yaya Diaby, Rueben Bain Jr., Al-Quadin Muhammad, David Walker, and Anthony Nelson.
To make matters worse, it’s still unknown whether Braswell is even playing tonight. He didn’t travel with the team to Jacksonville for joint practice this week due to an injury, and if he can’t even get on the field tonight, he’ll be one of Jason Licht’s easiest roster cut decisions.
CB Josh Hayes
Like Braswell, it’s unknown whether Hayes will take the field tonight after missing practice this week with an injury. It would be devastating to his roster chances to miss such a crucial game.
Hayes has maintained a role with the team in recent years thanks to his strong special teams play.
He led the NFL in special teams tackles during the 2023 season and has remained a standout as the gunner.
But with Ayden Garnes and Demarion “Pepe” Williams making strong cases for roster spots as depth cornerbacks, the team will have to decide if Hayes’ special teams excellence is enough to keep him around despite being a liability defensively.
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