We're still over a month away from the first real football game of the 2025 NFL season, but training camp can still scratch the itch fans have been left with since February.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are only about a week into camp, but news has already emerged about who is taking advantage of their opportunities and who is falling behind.
Biggest winners and losers of Buccaneers training camp so far
Winner: Shilo Sanders
If nothing else, Shilo Sanders is a winner because of the presence his father brought to training camp. Deion Sanders showed up to camp last week to watch his son fight to make the Bucs' roster. While many fans might roll their eyes at the media frenzy Deion brought with him, it's a show of support for a young player who deserves it.
But Shilo was showing out on the field, too. According to Buccaneers insider Jenna Laine, Sanders had fans chanting his name after a batted pass. He has more work to do to make Tampa Bay's final roster, but Shilo Sanders is off to a good start.
Loser: Desmond Watson
Signing undrafted free agent Desmond Watson was always going to be a gamble. At 449 pounds, he's not your typical NFL defensive tackle.
Watson was placed on the non-football injury list last week. Todd Bowles let the media know that he wants Watson to be healthier before practicing. Practice time is crucial for any rookie. Every day that Watson is not on the field with his teammates, he's falling behind in his adjustment to the NFL game.
If Watson can't get in playing shape quickly, he may not even make the final roster.
Winner: Jason Licht
The biggest takeaway from the first week of Buccaneers training camp is that general manager Jason Licht has pulled off another masterful offseason. He put together another competitive roster, keeping the core of the team together while adding talented pieces at key positions.
While other teams around the league deal with player holdouts and other distractions, Licht's team has been able to focus on football. Even with an injury to one of his best players in Tristan Wirfs, Licht has put together a roster that is ready to defend their division title streak and push for a Super Bowl.
As we move futher into training camp, we'll see who rises to the top as true winners.