Winners and losers from Week 3 of Buccaneers training camp

We've now hit the crucial portion of NFL training camps where games are actually being played now on a regular basis.

Coaches are able to assess their rosters in relation to their competitors. It brings a new layer of pressure to the players as the guys floating around the edge of the roster must perform to stick around.

Following the conclusion of the Bucs 17-14 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, we now have a better look on where things stand after three weeks of training camp.

So who are the biggest winners and losers from Week 3? Let's find out.

Winners

Tavierre Thomas - DB

Thomas has been outstanding throughout the majority of camp as he has stepped up in the absence of the departed Carlton Davis.

Thomas has 3 interceptions in camp already and this week he was a nuisance for Bucs quarterbacks once again. He looks to be a very confident player which is ideal for a defensive back in the National Football League.

Todd Bowles will be delighted with what he has seen from Thomas who has risen up the depth chart this summer and looks like he could have a prominent role come Week 1 and beyond.

His ability to play the nickel, free safety and strong safety means he can be plugged anywhere the defense calls for him.

Bucs Asistant GM Jon Spytek loves what he is seeing as well:

"He's another kid that's just playing hard and doing the right things a lot, and when you do that, the ball finds you."

Cade Otton - TE

Otton had a solid first few seasons in and he built a good rapport with whoever was under center. He has recorded 42 receptions as a rookie and 47 in 2023.

He is trending in the right direction for his career and coming into camp he wanted to establish himself as a key part of the offense. He has done just that so far.

During practice this week, Baker Mayfield was peppering him with looks and targets, particularly in the middle of the field where he can do his most damage. This connection and belief from Mayfield in his tight-end could go a long way to balancing the offense outside of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

Otton is not Travis Kelce, but he has more than enough tools in the bag to keep getting better and better. This past week was his best yet.

Bucky Irving, RB

While we all know Rachaad White is the presumptive workhorse in the Tampa Bay backfield, the 21-year-old rookie out of Oregon looks like he could be a steal in the fourth round.

He got the early looks on Saturday against the Bengals and ran with confidence and explosion to the tune of 6 carries for 28 yards and a touchdown. He was done in the second quarter but he already did enough to show the coaches just what a weapon he could be behind White.

Irving has been playing well during practice as well while he continues to learn the offense and get comfortable with the pro game.

His very good outing on Saturday put a nice bow on the week and his confidence should be sky-high.

Losers

Buccaneers crunch time Execution

There have still been discipline issues at practice in terms of penalties and 2-minute drill fine tuning. This was an issue against the Bengals as well as the Bucs had multiple end of half gaffs that Bowles will want to see cleaned up sooner than later.

We know that some of these concerns are nothing new stemming from last season, but the fact they have not been addressed this deep into camp is a problem.

This week of practice, execution in critical moments MUST be a priority as the Bucs cannot let games and leads slip away in last second scenarios.

This will be heavily watched the rest of the preseason.

Bucs wide receiver depth beyond Jalen McMillan and Trey Palmer

While the likes of Evans and Godwin watched the game from the sideline, there was a hope that you would see a new face step up on gameday.

As it were, while several wideouts got their hands on a few footballs, nobody distinguished themselves from the rest. Rakim Jarrett is a name we are familiar with and he has shown flahes but there wasn't a lot of work to be had.

During the week it is expected to see the stars dominate and make headlines, but offensive coordinator Liam Coen will want to see more guys making plays on the practice field and in games.

Fingers are crossed for no injuries, but if they occur, Tampa wants to know the depth they have can rise to the occasion.

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