3 Bucs who should be cut, and 2 who earned a roster spot in preseason Week 2 win over Jets
By Josh Hill
Keep: Sean Tucker
The flip side to the running back discussion is Sean Tucker, who seems to be an elixir to both bad performances by Ke’Shawn Vaughn and an overall ‘meh’ rushing attack so far this preseason.
Much like Rachaad White did last season, Tucker is making the most of being handed very little which is something he put on display Saturday night in New Jersey. He finished as the Bucs leading rusher, tallying 37 yards on seven carries — which stands in stark contrast to what Vaughn did with seven carries in the preseason opener.
It seems unfair to compare Vaughn and Tucker in different games, but that’s exactly what Bucs coaches are doing as they evaluate who will fill out the running back room. Tucker came to camp as an undrafted rookie and has lived up to some early praise heaped on him by White and offensive coordinator Dave Canales. He might not have officially locked up a roster spot, but it feels like only a matter of time before Tucker hears that he made the cut.
Cut: Rodrigo Blankenship
It was a tough night for Rodrigo Blankenship, one that might seal his fate with the Buccaneers.
Chase McLaughlin made his only field goal attempt of the night, while Blankenship went 1-for-3 including a miss from 55-yards. That’s a perfect storm of bad things for the former Georgia standout, as he’s proving to not be accurate and unable to hit long distance kicks.
Missing that bomb from 55-yards might have been worse than missing two field goals outright. If there was one thing Blankenship might have had going for him it was his ability to hit kicks from beyond 50-yards. The lack of that last year is partially what made the Bucs moving on from Ryan Succop an easier decision, and it was billed as something that might help Blankenship get an edge in the kicking competition.
Instead, after finishing Saturday with a 33 percent hit rate, Blankenship might have buried his chances of winning a roster spot.