Which Bucs Bubble Player NEEDS To Make The Roster?

A new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts every Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Each week, the Pewter Reporters tackle another tough Bucs question. This week’s prompt: Which Bucs bubble player NEEDS to make the final 53-man roster? In other words, who are you standing on the table for to keep them in Tampa Bay?

Scott Reynolds: The Bucs Need ILB Nick Jackson On The 53-Man Roster

Tampa Bay’s undrafted free agent linebacker Nick Jackson didn’t have a great night against Buffalo. Despite his six-tackle effort, Saturday night might have been Jackson’s least impressive preseason game out of the three. Still, he wound up leading the team with 14 tackles in the preseason, in addition to two sacks, an interception and a pass breakup. And for a defense that could be without veteran reserve Anthony Walker Jr. at the start of the season, Todd Bowles needs an extra linebacker on the 53-man roster. Jackson should be that guy at ILB4, assuming Walker will continue on the NFI (non-football injury) list.

Even if Walker transitions from the NFI list to the active roster after missing all of training camp and the preseason and begins to practice, the Bucs should find a way to keep Jackson on the 53-man roster. He’s dazzled enough in August to where I don’t think he clears waivers and makes it to Tampa Bay’s practice squad at this point.

Jackson wins the head-to-head duel for a roster spot with fellow undrafted linebacker John Bullock, who should be signed to the practice squad after leading the team with five special teams tackles, including three versus Buffalo. Jackson proved to be better on defense and is slightly more athletic, in addition to posting a special teams tackle in the preseason.

While Bullock wound up being the better special teams player in August, and that usually is the difference for depth spots on the roster, the Bucs need to look at the big picture at inside linebacker. Lavonte David is 35 and may be in his final season. Walker and backup inside linebacker Deion Jones are both 30, and neither serves a long-term purpose. Tampa Bay will need a young linebacker to eventually pair with SirVocea Dennis in the starting lineup in the near future and the play-making Jackson could be that player with continued development.

Matt Matera: Versatile DB Rashad Wisdom Should Get A Role

It came down to a three-player competition at safety for potentially one last spot behind starters Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith and top reserve Christian Izien between Kaevon Merriweather, Rashad Wisdom and Shilo Sanders. This was because promising rookie J.J. Roberts was put on injured reserve and is out for the season. While the Merriweather, a three-year veteran who finished with six tackles against Buffalo, has the best shot, there’s a case to be made that Wisdom should be make the 53-man roster because of his versatility.

Another injury to keep in mind in this whole situation is Izien, who might miss the beginning of the regular season with an oblique strain. The Bucs have rookie Jacob Parrish as the starting nickel cornerback, but Izien can be put in that role if needed while also backing up at safety. With Izien missing games, it was Wisdom that was taking reps in multiple spots for the Bucs in the secondary at nickelback and the traditional safety positions along with work on special teams.

Wisdom’s ability to play in all spots makes him valuable to head coach Todd Bowles. He’s also had a pretty good preseason making 12 tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Wisdom, who spent his entire rookie season on the practice squad last year, has earned the right to make this team out of training camp with the other injuries in the secondary that Tampa Bay is dealing with ahead of the regular season.

Bailey Adams: The Bucs Have To Find A Spot For RB Josh Williams

The Bucs running back room was already the envy of the league, as they came into the summer three-deep with Bucky Irving, Rachaad White and Sean Tucker. But there was some early buzz building around undrafted rookie running back Josh Williams early in his time with the team. Despite an injury early in camp, he went on to do enough both on the practice fields and especially in preseason action for me to say this:

The Bucs must find a spot on their roster for Williams, even if that means carrying four running backs.

Williams ran for 49 yards on 13 carries (3.7 avg.) and caught two passes for 16 yards (8.0 avg.) over his two preseason games. While those numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, it was the traits he put on tape over those 13 carries and two catches that did it. He’s patient, yet decisive. His vision, footwork and toughness were on full display with each touch, and on more than one occasion, he made something out of nothing. And he was able to shine while playing behind a second-team and sometimes even third-team offensive line.

Just imagine what he could do behind the Tampa Bay’s starting offensive line, even if it’s only in limited action. And of course, a fourth running back on the roster would have to bring special teams value, too, and Williams certainly does. We’ve seen how much Tampa Bay likes Sean Tucker on the kickoff return team with the league’s new kickoff rules, and it’s easy to see a role there for Williams as well, especially after a preseason finale that saw him record returns of 27, 39 and 42 yards for a total of 108 return yards and a 36-yard average.

The Bucs did a good job in scouting the former LSU Tiger and bringing him in as an undrafted rookie. Now, they can’t let Josh Williams be the one who got away.

Josh Queipo: Steady WR Ryan Miller Is Necessary To Keep On The 53-Man Roster

As far as receivers go, Ryan Miller isn’t a sexy choice. But if you need a guy on a reduced split to dig out a linebacker to clear the outside for a toss play, you’d be hard pressed to find a more willing or effective choice when filling out the back end of your roster. Same can be said for a guy to catch a tunnel screen, put his head down and ping pong forward for seven hard-fought yards.

Miller doesn’t have elite speed or shiftiness. He isn’t an excellent separator. He doesn’t excel in any specific facet of the game. Miller is just steady. And for the final wide receiver spot on the depth chart that is enough.

At the same time, there isn’t any area of the game where Miller is completely deficient. He can play multiple receiver spots, and he is willing to make tough, grimy catches. Miller is reliable and flexible. He’s a gamer. He does more with less and has earned the trust and respect of his quarterbacks with 10 catches for 95 yards this preseason, in addition to two tackles on special teams.

A glue-guy is someone you want on your team. They tend to make a play that galvanizes the team and helps get more out of those around them. That’s Ryan Miller. He won’t beat Trey Palmer in a foot race. But he will generate more yards per route run because he’s more dialed into the game and he has more reliable hands. Versatility and willingness go a long way in my book. Miller has those qualities in spades.

Adam Slivon: WR Garrett Greene Flashed Enough Promise To Make The Team

Bucs wide receiver Garrett Greene might be new to his position, but his skillset makes him the type of player NFL coaches hate to cut. A former quarterback at West Virginia, Greene shares a similar backstory and build as former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who was a former quarterback at Kent State.

As a quarterback for the Mountaineers, Greene was a dual-threat playmaker who thrived on improvisation. In 11 games last year, he completed 60% of his passes for 2,300 yards, and while he threw 15 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, he also had 134 carries for 734 rushing yards and six touchdowns. How has that helped him as a Bucs wide receiver? Well, it has given him a unique feel for route timing, defensive coverages, and where the ball is supposed to go. Greene does not just run routes, he understands how to be dynamic and quarterback-friendly, a crucial advantage in earning trust in the passing game.

His quickness and acceleration stand out immediately. Greene has the short area burst to separate against man coverage and the speed to threaten vertically. Then there’s the special teams factor. He already looks the part of a solid returner returning kicks and punts, where he has shown an ability to make things happen and rack up yards. He finished the preseason with a 15.5-yard average. While seventh-round pick Tez Johnson will likely be the primary specialist, Greene profiles as a solid backup.

Greene, who had eight catches for 65 yards and a touchdown in the preseason, has shown to be more than just a position-switch project. He is a natural football player who has adapted quickly and provides real value as a depth receiver and returner after impressing in limited preseason action. In a Bucs wide receiver room decimated by injuries to Chris Godwin Jr. and Jalen McMillan, it makes sense to keep Greene on the 53-man roster through roster cuts as he checks a lot of boxes – more than other bubble receivers like Trey Palmer, Kameron Johnson, Rakim Jarrett do.