Training camp is just around the corner for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. No more lists and rankings of the offseason. Pads will be on and popping next week.
This is a training camp with a lot of storylines for the Bucs. With several new starters, a new offensive coordinator and several young guys replacing long established veterans, there is no shortage of things to talk about.
However, there are a few players specifically that I will be keeping an eye on. Guys who could have a massive impact this season if they can come in and hit the ground running this year. Their development this year will be key and we should see signs of it through training camp.
Here are four Buccaneers to watch in training camp.
Benjamin MorrisonÂ
After being picked in the second round of last year’s draft, Benjamin Morrison had ups and downs as a rookie. There were times he looked really good and other times where he fought through injuries and had mental lapses.Â
This year, Morrison will get a crack at a starting job. He’ll be competing with incumbent starter Zyon McCollum and fellow second year pro (who looked good as the starting nickel last year) Jacob Parrish. Between these three, two of them need to emerge as quality starters. And considering his struggles last year, Morrison has the most to prove.
However, it’s also worth noting how good Morrison can be. His coverage skills were excellent in college at Notre Dame. He had nine interceptions in 31 games and has the potential to be a true number one corner in the NFL.
Eric Rivers
There’s always an undrafted player who catches the eyes of coaches and fans alike. This year, I believe that guy will be Rivers. The free agent rookie receiver out of Georgia Tech is sure to get some attention during training camp.
Rivers is very fast. He makes regular fast people look not fast (live a good The Longest Yard reference). For context he averaged the 5th most yards per reception (18.9) in 2024 among all wide receivers who had at least 40 catches. This reflects how explosive he is on the field.
Don’t be surprised if Rivers beats out Kameron Johnson as the 6th wide receiver on the roster and the primary punt returner. This is a camp battle that will have my attention this year.
Josiah Trotter
For a rookie, you don’t have an NFL baseline to track their growth with. However, you can tell pretty quickly if they’re able to keep their head above water or not. This is what I’ll be looking for with Trotter.
After being drafted in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft Trotter enters his rookie year with high expectations. He will compete with veterans Christian Rozeboom and SirVocea Dennis to be the primary starter at middle linebacker. Most believe that he will win that job in year one.
Trotter was a physical force versus the run in college and I expect that to translate pretty well. It’s his coverage skills more than anything that I’ll be watching. He has to prove that he can at least be average in his area to have a long term future with the Bucs.
Graham Barton
The Buccaneers drafted Barton in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. The left tackle out of Duke was always projected to move inside, but it takes time to master this transition. After two years of okay play as the starting center, it is time for him to master this transition.
Barton is a freak athlete for his position. In terms of combine testing, he was the best athlete to workout as a center in over 40 years according to his relative athletic score. His upside on the interior is through the roof.
One thing that I’m still waiting to see from Barton at the NFL level is his nasty run blocking. In college he was know for latching onto defensive linemen and driving them into the dirt. I’m not sure it’s a physical or mental thing that has limited him in this area, but it’s the number one thing that I’ll be looking for in training camp.
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