Breaking Down The Bucs’ Initial 53-Man Roster

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The Bucs’ initial 53-man roster was recently released and there weren’t too many surprises, as expected. Changes will still be made, however, due to Ryan Succop‘s, Ndamukong Suh‘s, Nick Leverett’s, and Earl Watford‘s presence on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

But until that happens, let’s go ahead and break down the Bucs’ initial 53-man roster.


Quarterback (3)

The skinny: The Bucs’ eventual choices at quarterback were the most obvious throughout camp and the preseason. Ryan Griffin will make the practice squad if he clears waivers and Trask will likely be inactive on game days.

Running Back (4)

The skinny: The top three spots were set before camp even began, but there were questions around Vaughn, even if it is just his second year in the NFL. Regardless, Vaughn answered the bell during the preseason and is a decent fourth option at running back.

Wide Receiver (6) 

The skinny: I’ll be honest, I’m a bit surprised the team cut Jaydon Mickens, especially with “extra availability” due to the COVID players. It’s easy to assume that Darden takes over the kick return duties or that he could split time with Miller, Vaughn, or someone else. Outside of cutting Mickens, there are no surprises, here.

Tight End (3) 

The skinny: This isn’t a surprise considering that neither Tanner Hudson, Codey McElroy, or Jerell Adams did anything to really impress the coaches. The Bucs have an elite group of tight ends on their roster, so they don’t need to waste any spots. All three players do have an injury history, however, so one of the aforementioned three players may have a shot at finding themselves on the 53 at some point during the season.

Offensive Line (9)

The skinny: The Bucs will add Leverett to the roster once he returns from his COVID stint. That means Molchon is the odd man out in this scenario. Leverett had a solid camp and preseason, so it’s not a surprise he makes the cut.

Defensive Line (6)

The skinny: Remember, Suh is on the COVID list, so he’ll likely take another player’s place once he returns. It’s good to see Davis make the cut. He continues to develop, which is good news for both him and the Bucs, obviously.

Inside Linebacker (5)

The skinny: Britt’s roster spot was essentially locked in when he made the goal line stop against the Texans. He could end up being a nice pick if he can develop his coverage skills and add some speed to his game. Grant Stuard -the team’s seventh-round pick- made the Bucs 53-man roster, as well, but he could end up being one of the future cuts to come.

Outside Linebacker (5)

The skinny: It’s a bit surprising, yet unsurprising that Gill made the roster. He has essentially missed all of training camp and the entire preseason due to injury, but the Bucs coaching staff is very high on him. It also speaks to Gill’s recent level of play that the Bucs weren’t able to find someone to replace him on the roster. It will be interesting to see if Gill is placed on the short-term IR. That will open up a roster spot if the Bucs do decide to make that move.

Cornerback (5)

The skinny: Antonio Hamilton’s release was a bit surprising, but at the same time, Bruce Arians did mention that the Bucs had plenty of inside corners and they were in need of guys who can play outside. That’s where Hamilton struggled and where Delaney succeeds, so BA is sticking with his word at this position. It feels like Delaney is still safe even when the COVID players return.

Safety (4)

The skinny: BA mentioned Cooper’s special teams play after the Titans game and the NFL vet showed up big-time with arguably the special teams play of the preseason against the Texans. Special teams is a reserve’s best way to get to BA’s heart, so his inclusion on the 53 makes sense. It’s a bit of a surprise to see Javon Hagan not make the cut.

Specialists (3)

The skinny: Borregales will be waived once Succop returns from the COVID list. That could be a good thing for the Bucs, because it’s less time for teams to claim his services. Maybe he’ll sneak through the waiver wire and land on the practice squad.

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