Final Bucs 53-Man Roster Prediction

INTRO: The Bucs will play their 2025 preseason finale at home against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night. Prior to the start of each regular season, I make my final Bucs 53-man roster prediction based on what I’ve seen from training camp and the first two preseason games. Enjoy!

FAB 1. Bucs 53-Man Roster Prediction: Offensive Skill Players

Even though they are down a few key wide receivers in Chris Godwin Jr. (ankle) and Jalen McMillan (neck), the Bucs are still loaded with talent at the skill positions. The running back room is truly three-deep and the wide receiving corps may be the envy of the league, especially once Godwin and McMillan return later this year. It all starts with Baker Mayfield at quarterback, as he became the first two-time Pro Bowl quarterback in Tampa Bay history, and Mike Evans who has become a first-ballot Hall of Fame wide receiver.

QUARTERBACKS – 2

QB Baker Mayfield
QB Kyle Trask

ANALYSIS: Baker Mayfield is entering the second year of a three-year, $100 million contract in Tampa Bay. He’s looking to build on a record season in which he threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, which was the second most in team history while completing a franchise-best 71.4% of his passes. Cutting down on his 16 interceptions, which were tied for the NFL lead, is the goal in 2025, in addition to advancing past the Wild Card round in the playoffs – well past. Mayfield is the heartbeat of the Bucs with his leadership, swagger and energy.

Kyle Trask returns as Mayfield’s primary backup. He knows the offense, and perhaps just as important, knows the offensive linemen, tight ends, receivers and running backs and has developed chemistry with them over his five seasons in red and pewter. He will likely get the nod as Mayfield’s backup initially while veteran Teddy Bridgewater will start the year on the practice squad.

Because Bridgewater is a vested veteran, if he’s on the 53-man roster on Week 1 his 2025 base salary is fully guaranteed. So he’ll start on the practice squad and can be elevated during the season if needed. I think the team trusts Trask to get the Bucs out of a game if Mayfield gets injured. But if Mayfield misses multiple games, the team might turn to Bridgewater due to his extensive starting experience. Also, having to carry both Tristan Wirfs and Chris Godwin Jr. on the active roster while injured means the Bucs don’t have the roster room to carry three quarterbacks.

RUNNING BACKS – 4

RB Bucky Irving
RB Rachaad White
RB Sean Tucker
RB Josh Williams

ANALYSIS: Bucky Irving is the starter after his breakout 1,122-yard season last year as a rookie, but Rachaad White will see plenty of playing time. Offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard believes in a two-back system, and at 195 pounds, Irving can’t handle 25 touches per game over a 17-game season. Irving might get about 50 percent of the touches while White, who has tremendous value on third downs due to his elite pass protection skills and receiving ability, figures to get around 40 percent. White is in a contract year and is focused on maximizing his touches.

Sean Tucker is deserving of more carries and catches in 2025 as he enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2024 and led all Bucs running backs with a 6.2-yard average. The team likes Josh Williams, an undrafted free agent out of LSU, and he has a chance of making the roster due to his natural ability as a runner if the Bucs can find a roster spot for him. If not, look for Williams, who missed the preseason opener due to a hamstring injury, to definitely make the practice squad.

WIDE RECEIVERS – 6

WR Mike Evans
WR Emeka Egbuka
WR Tez Johnson
WR Ryan Miller
WR Garrett Greene
WR Chris Godwin Jr. (injured, but on the 53-man roster)
*WR Jalen McMillan (Injured Reserve)

ANALYSIS: Mike Evans had the best training camp of any player on offense this year. He just turned 32 but plays like he’s 22 and shows no signs of slowing down. Emeka Egbuka probably had the second-best training camp on offense and will start the season in place of the injured Chris Godwin Jr., who begins the season on the 53-man roster, but likely won’t start practicing until Week 2.

The reason why Godwin will be on the 53-man roster rather than the PUP list is that on the PUP list he can’t practice with the team. Godwin needs to not only get back into football shape, but also needs to get his timing down with Baker Mayfield and learn the new plays Josh Grizzard has installed this year.

The Bucs will place Jalen McMillan on injured reserve, but he can return later in the year. Tampa Bay would be down to five receivers to start the season with Evans, Egbuka, Tez Johnson, Ryan Miller and Garrett Greene, who could be the backup punt returner, as well. Don’t be surprised if Sterling Shepard makes the practice squad again and then is elevated to the active roster after Week 1 when his 2025 salary won’t be fully guaranteed because he’s a vested veteran.

Egbuka will replace Godwin as the starting slot receiver while Shepard and Johnson play the Z receiver (flanker) position in place of McMillan. Johnson beats out Kam Johnson and Trey Palmer, neither of whom can stay healthy, and likely emerges as the team’s punt returner.

TIGHT ENDS – 4

TE Cade Otton
TE Payne Durham
TE Devin Culp
TE Ko Kieft

ANALYSIS: The Bucs will run enough 12 personnel, which are two-tight end sets, to where they will want to carry four tight ends. Cade Otton returns as a starter in his contract year. He’s missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury, which has allowed Payne Durham and Devin Culp more reps to grow.

Durham is entrenched as TE2 due to his ability to block and catch, while Culp will try to prove this season that he’s ready for more reps due to his speed and receiving ability. Ko Kieft adds value as a core special teamer and blocker as TE4.

FAB 2. Bucs 53-Man Roster Prediction: The Trenches

Bucs general manager Jason Licht believes in building through the trenches with strong offensive and defensive lines. There’s plenty of evidence in the fact that Licht has spent two first-round picks (left tackle Tristan Wirfs and center Graham Barton) along the offensive line and two first-round picks along the defensive line (Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea). Not to mention spending second-round picks in defensive tackle Logan Hall, offensive tackle Luke Goedeke and right guard Cody Mauch. There is a ton of talent in Tampa Bay’s trenches.

OFFENSIVE LINE – 10

LT Charlie Heck
LG Ben Bredeson
C Graham Barton
RG Cody Mauch
RT Luke Goedeke
OT Charlie Heck
C-G Elijah Klein
OT Ben Chukwuma
G-T Luke Haggard
LT Tristan Wirfs (injured, but on the 53)

ANALYSIS: As I predicted, All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs is going to avoid being placed on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list, which would have sidelined him for the first four games of the season, and will be on the 53-man roster. He may not be ready for Week 1, but he might be able to suit up in Week 3 or 4 and the team wants to have the flexibility to do that if he continues to make progress rehabbing his knee.

Charlie Heck has been groomed to be the short-term, fill-in starter at left tackle until Wirfs returns. The rest of the starters – left guard Ben Bredeson, center Graham Barton, right guard Cody Mauch and right tackle Luke Goedeke – are all back for another season together and should make up one of the league’s best offensive lines. Barton, Mauch and Goedeke, who is entering a contract year, all have Pro Bowl potential.

Tampa Bay loves Elijah Klein’s flexibility and he’s become Robert Hainsey’s replacement as a backup center-guard this offseason. Undrafted free agent left tackle Ben Chukwuma has all the physical tools and athleticism. He just needs experience after only playing two seasons of football in his entire life, which happened at Georgia State.

Luke Haggard beats out rookie Jake Majors for the final roster spot. Haggard provides depth at guard and tackle and was on the practice squad last year where he learned the offensive system. With Wirfs being on the roster but likely inactive for the first couple of games, Tampa Bay needs another lineman who can play tackle. Haggard is better than newcomer Michael Jordan.

DEFENSIVE LINE – 6

DT Calijah Kancey
DT Vita Vea
DT Logan Hall
DT Greg Gaines
DT Elijah Roberts
DT C.J. Brewer
DT Desmond Watson (NFI – Non-Football Illness)

ANALYSIS: Calijah Kancey and Pro Bowler Vita Vea are each capable of a 10-sack season in 2025, as they are the most talented players along the Bucs defensive front. Those two will see plenty of work on all three downs. Logan Hall plays the 4i technique and is a starter in Todd Bowles’ base 3-4 defense. He had a career-high 5.5 sacks last year mostly on early downs as he’s not in third downs that often. Now Hall enters a contract year and is in the best shape of his career.

Greg Gaines returns as Vea’s backup at nose tackle, while the team likes the promise and potential of Elijah Roberts, this year’s fifth-round pick. Roberts will back up Hall at 4i and is making the transition from defensive end where he was a dominant pass rusher at SMU to defensive tackle in Tampa Bay. C.J. Brewer, who had his first two NFL sacks against Atlanta last year, beats out the rest of the competition for the sixth and final defensive tackle position.

Rookie Desmond Watson will remain on the NFI list and essentially redshirt this season as he continues to battle his weight and work on his conditioning to try to factor into the team’s plans in 2026.

FAB 3. Bucs 53-Man Roster Prediction: Linebackers

Head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht have brought in some needed veteran experience at both inside and outside linebacker this offseason. Anthony Walker Jr. and Deion Jones replace K.J. Britt and J.J. Russell as depth pieces at inside linebacker, while Haason Reddick, who has four double-digit sack seasons, signed a one-year, prove-it deal to start opposite Yaya Diaby and bring some speed off the edge.

INSIDE LINEBACKERS – 4

ILB SirVocea Dennis
ILB Lavonte David
ILB Deion Jones
ILB Nick Jackson
ILB Anthony Walker Jr. (NFI – Non-Football Injury)

ANALYSIS: The Bucs will likely only keep four inside linebackers with SirVocea Dennis and Lavonte David as the starters and veterans Anthony Walker Jr. and Deion Jones as the experienced backups. Dennis has had a great camp and his shoulder has been surgically repaired. David returns for his 13th season at age 35 and brings experience, leadership and playmaking ability.

Walker has missed all of training camp and the preseason and will remain on the NFI (non-football injury) list to start the season. But the team is excited about his energy, leadership and experience. Jones is an athletic playmaker with plenty of leadership and he’s a great fit in Todd Bowles’ scheme. He’ll be the first linebacker off the bench to sub in for Dennis or David while Walker rehabs.

Nick Jackson, an undrafted free agent out of Iowa, makes the roster due to his playmaking ability on defense and special teams and special teams prowess. His athleticism gives him the edge over fellow undrafted free agent linebacker John Bullock.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS – 4

OLB Haason Reddick
OLB Yaya Diaby
OLB Chris Braswell
OLB Anthony Nelson

ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay has a nice 1-2 punch in newcomer Haason Reddick, a two-time Pro Bowler, and Yaya Diaby, who enters his third season in Tampa Bay. Each of whom is capable of reaching double digit sacks this season. The Bucs are counting on Chris Braswell to step up in his second season, especially as a pass rusher. Braswell has been playing faster and with more confidence in camp. Veteran Anthony Nelson is back for his sixth season in red and pewter and Todd Bowles loves his length, dependability and experience.

Bowles typically keeps five outside linebackers on the 53-man roster, and rookie David Walker, who was the team’s fourth-round pick, was supposed to be that fifth edge rusher. But a torn ACL has robbed Walker of his rookie season.

Neither Markees Watts, Jose Ramirez nor Warren Peeples Jr. has stepped enough in training camp to warrant a spot on the 53-man roster yet. Perhaps the preseason finale will change that. Watts is the better special teams contributor and the better athlete and has the better chance to make the 53-man roster with that angle.

FAB 4. Bucs 53-Man Roster Prediction: Secondary

No position was bit harder by the injury bug than Tampa Bay’s secondary in 2024. The team bolstered the depth with talent upgrades and increased the level of competition this offseason with a flurry of newcomers. All of a sudden, the Bucs are much more competitive in the secondary and more plays are being made on the ball as a result. Look for tighter coverage, especially from the cornerback position, as Tampa Bay had a woeful seven interceptions on defense last year, including just six picks from the secondary.

CORNERBACKS – 6

CB Zyon McCollum
CB Jamel Dean
CB Benjamin Morrison
CB Jacob Parrish
CB Kindle Vildor
CB Josh Hayes

ANALYSIS: The Bucs secondary was hit hard with injuries last year as starter Jamel Dean missed five games and the second halves of two others, including the playoff loss to the Commanders. Bryce Hall broke his leg in the season opener versus the Commanders and was lost for the year. So keeping six cornerbacks make sense as the Bucs have a legit chance of becoming a Super Bowl team.

Zyon McCollum enters his contract year as one starter and is the best corner on the team, while second-round pick Benjamin Morrison is vying with Dean to become the other starter, but needs to overcome a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the preseason first. Dean will start the season opposite McCollum, but Morrison will also play once healthy.

Jacob Parrish, the team’s third-rounder, appears poised to win the nickelback job and plays with confidence and sound technique. He doesn’t look like a rookie and is a sound tackler. Kindle Vildor, who is 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, is a feisty defender and wins a reserve spot over Bryce Hall. Josh Hayes will make the team due to his excellent special teams play as the team’s primary gunner on punt coverage.

SAFETIES – 4

S Antoine Winfield Jr.
S Tykee Smith
S Christian Izien
S Kaevon Merriweather

ANALYSIS: Like the cornerback position, the safety position was rocked with injuries last year, too. Antoine Winfield Jr. didn’t make the Pro Bowl or the All-Pro team last year because foot and knee injuries robbed him of his playmaking ability, as well as eight games in the regular season.

The Bucs moved on from Jordan Whitehead after a terrible season in 2024 and have moved Tykee Smith from nickelback to strong safety to replace him. Both Winfield and Smith are big-time playmakers when healthy.

Christian Izien and Kaevon Merriweather return as experienced safeties in Todd Bowles’ scheme. Izien has had phenomenal camp and also the versatility to play nickelback in the slot. Merriweather is more of a strong safety and is a hard hitter with size. J.J. Roberts, an undrafted free agent on injured reserve with a knee injury, would’ve made the team as either the fifth safety or would have replaced Merriweather if Tampa Bay only keeps four safeties.

FAB 5. Bucs 53-Man Roster Prediction: Specialists

The Bucs special teams were only somewhat special last year. Kicker Chase McLaughlin and the kick return game shined, but punting the ball was problematic and the punt return game was sub-par. A new punter in Riley Dixon and a slew of more talented punt return candidates should help in that area.

SPECIALISTS – 3

K Chase McLaughlin
P Riley Dixon
LS Eric Deckers

ANALYSIS: Chase McLaughlin is coming off a career-high and franchise-record season with a 93.8% accuracy mark on field goals. He’s one of the best kickers in the league and has Pro Bowl potential. Newcomer Riley Dixon has won the punting duties and brings experience and stability to what was a turbulent position last year. Tampa Bay went through three punters in 2024. Eric Deckers returns as the reliable long snapper.

Bucs’ Projected 16-Man Practice Squad

QB Teddy Bridgewater
RB Owen Wright
WR Sterling Shepard
WR Jacob Harris
WR Dennis Houston
TE Tanner Taula
OG Sua Opeta
G-C Jake Majors
DL Adam Gotsis
ILB John Bullock
OLB Markees Watts
OLB Warren Peeples Jr.
CB Roman Parodie
CB Jay’Vian Farr
S Rashad Wisdom
S Shilo Sanders
OT Lorenz Metz (roster exemption for international player)

Bucs Coordinators Were Interviewed On The Pewter Report Podcast

We were excited to host two of the Bucs coordinators on the Pewter Report Podcast on our PewterReportTV YouTube channel this week. On Wednesday night we were joined by offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, who shared some insight about personnel and plays. And on Thursday night, Bucs run game coordinator and outside linebackers coach Larry Foote joined the Pewter Report Podcast to talk about Haason Reddick, Yaya Diaby, SirVocea Dennis and even former Bucs inside linebacker Devin White.

Check these two episodes out if you missed them by clicking on the links below.