The long wait is over as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and other teams around the league are reporting for training camp today. Rookies are expected to be in the building today for the Bucs with veterans arriving tomorrow. Cleats are laced up and pads will be on and the road to the Super Bowl begins now.
This will be our first opportunity to really see these rookies in a Buccaneers uniform. I know I will be watching them very closely throughout camp because this rookie class is expected to pay a crucial role this season. The Bucs first five draft picks are all expected to get significant playing time with clear roles they are expected to assume.
But is it really fair to expect so much from guys who have never taken an NFL snap? In short, it’s a little of yes and a little of no. In this series I will look at realistic expectations for each of the Buccaneers rookies this year.
Bucky Irving
When talent meets opportunity then good things usually happen. That is the case for Irving as the Buccaneers look to improve a running game that has been no less than awful for the last few seasons. The Bucs invested a lot this offseason to make sure that changes and Irving is a part of that.
Behind starter Rachaad White, the competition is wide open for the primary backup job. Last year, it wasn’t an impressive showing from the depth running backs. So much so that White took a vast majority of the carries. Getting him some help is critical to maximizing his ability.
Bucky Irving should be able to provide that. These two have a similar well rounded skill set and can play in any situation. Irving should provide the quickness and surprising toughness at his size to step in and make an impact whenever his number is called.Â
Projection: 440 rushing yards, 175 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns.
Elijah Klein
It’s not very often that General Manager Jason Licht actually drafts interior offensive linemen. Perhaps that speaks to just how much he likes Elijah Klein out of University of Texas El Paso. After watching him, it’s easy to see why.
Klein is a nice blend of power and mobility. He shines as a run blocker and looks like a natural fit for what the Buccaneers want to do offensively. There are also good enough physical tools to expect he’ll eventually be a solid pass blocker as well.
Part of me wouldn’t be shocked if he won the starting left guard job as a rookie. Perhaps that says more about the competition than it does Klein himself, but he will certainly have an opportunity. However, when it’s all said and done he will likely be on the roster bubble and hopefully a developmental player on the practice squad.
Devin Culp
After Cade Otton as the starting tight end, the competition is wide open. Devin Culp will be competing with the likes of Ko Kieft, who is just a blocker and basically brings nothing as a pass catcher, and Payne Durham who is really just a red zone threat. Those are names that can be surpassed on the depth chart.Â
Culp is much more of an athlete and pass catching threat than the other options at backup tight end. He is the mold of a pure pass catcher and that will be more valued in this new Bucs offense. There is a very real pathway that Culp can win this job out of camp.
Beyond that, I really don’t know how effective he’ll be as a rookie. He didn’t exactly light the world on fire in a pass happy Huskies offense and the University of Washington. Regardless, he is a better fit for what the Bucs want to do and I like his odds in this competition.Â
Projection: 14 catches, 135 yards, 1 touchdown.
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