Though this season has gone in a bad direction for the Buccaneers, there still is a silver lining. The rookie class currently on the roster is performing well in some regards and looks to be a strength moving forward. Here is a look at some of the key contributors.
The second round pick out of North Dakota State has come on to start every game this season. Though his play has had it’s fair share of ups and downs he has accumulated enough play for us to determine what his floor is.
With 715 snaps in a new position he’s seen stellar games in pass protection. Scoring as high as 83.7 according to PFF. Again, he’s also had some lows. The worst being a 2.8 graded game against the 49ers. With only four games being graded under 60 he can play well. With a full season under his belt I fully believe his pass protection will become better and more consistent.
On the year he has allowed six sacks, three hits and 21 hurries. Now that sounds like a lot but once you eliminate those four games we spoke about above his numbers clean up well. They look much better at only one sack, one hit, and five hurries.
The run game though he has struggled. His highest PFF grade has ben a 65 and he has averaged 46.6 this season. Another year in the system and some tweaks to his technique and he could easily improve for next year.
Durham has only seen 30 snaps and six targets thus far. With four receptions, 33 yards (8.3 yards per reception) he’s only now really getting involved in the passing game. He shines well in pass blocking though. With an overall grade of 76.3 by PFF. So, for now, the verdict is still out but the flashes we have seen are good.
It’s hard to expect anything out of a sixth rounder at times. But Trey Palmer is maturing and playing well given his draft billing. He’s seen 41 targets, for 25 receptions, giving him a reception percentage of 61%. With 227 yards he’s averaging a good 9.1 yards per reception, and has hauled in three touchdowns. He’s dropped two passes and fumbled once but it’s small in the grand scheme of things.
He’s also shown versatility. Lining up in the slot 58% of the time and out wide 41.4% of the time. Couple that with the fact that his grades across all depths of the field are very similar show the consistency he brings to the position.
He’s going to continue to grow and should remain a solid number three receiver for the team for the near future.
These three players represent some building blocks the team can use moving forward. Though none of them are jumping off the stat sheet they stand a good chance to improve and become bigger contributors for following seasons. So fans shouldn’t be disappointed in their play. They will get better.
More must-reads:
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
The New York Yankees have had an up-and-down season throughout the 2025 campaign thus far. At this point in the season with the MLB trade deadline just a few days away, the team holds a 56-47 record. With that record, the Yankees are in second place in the race for the American League East division race. They are now 5.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays and have lost two straight games. Unfortunately, some very concerning news has come up regarding superstar outfielder Aaron Judge. Judge will be missing Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies due to an elbow injury. There is still no telling just how serious the injury is, but there is obvious concern within the organization. Aaron Boone, New York's manager, offered a highly disturbing two-word update about Judge. “Obviously concerned,” Boone said. He also revealed that Judge will be undergoing imaging to determine the extent of the injury. Should Judge be forced to miss any significant amount of time due to the elbow injury, the Yankees would take a major hit. They no longer have a backup superstar like Juan Soto to take over the load that Judge carries. Throughout the 2025 MLB season thus far, Judge has played in 103 games and has played at an insanely high level. He has hit 37 home runs to go along with 85 RBI's, while also slashing .342/.449/.711. Those numbers are irreplaceable for New York. Expect to hear more concrete news about Judge in the near future. He is undergoing testing, but Boone's comments about being extremely concerned are not going to help Yankees fans find peace until the results are known.
Now in her second WNBA season, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese is averaging a league‑leading 12.5 rebounds along with 13.8 points, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. She recently returned from injury and immediately picked up where she left off, posting her 16th double‑double of the season (11 points, 11 rebounds) on Tuesday night even as her Chicago Sky fell, 91-68, to the Minnesota Lynx. Then, on Wednesday, Reese showcased her brand power on Instagram, posting a pregame photo dressed head‑to‑toe in Gucci with the caption, "Don’t worry about me… life is GUCCI @gucci #guccipartner." The image quickly lit up her feed and drew an immediate response from one of the game’s all‑time greats, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, who commented, “Yessss it is❤️." Despite flashes of elite play, the Sky have struggled mightily, standing at just 7-17 and sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference. Their 76.7 points per game rank 12th in the WNBA, and opponents are torching them for 86.8 a night (12th in the league). With head coach Tyler Marsh searching for consistency, every bright spot has been a welcome reprieve for a franchise that won the title as recently as 2021. Front and center among Chicago’s bright spots is Reese. Off the court, Reese has quickly built a burgeoning portfolio of endorsement deals, including Reebok, Calvin Klein, Beats by Dre, Amazon and now Gucci, underscoring her status as one of the WNBA’s brightest personalities. On the other side, you have Leslie, whose voice carries more weight than arguably anybody in women’s basketball. A three‑time league MVP, two‑time WNBA champion and Finals MVP and eight‑time All‑Star, Leslie helped define the league’s early years with the Los Angeles Sparks, including driving home the first dunk in WNBA history in 2002. A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer (class of 2015), she remains a global ambassador for the sport.
Third baseman Max Muncy is in his eighth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers after debuting with the Oakland Athletics in 2015. Muncy failed to establish himself as a reliable major-league hitter in Oakland, but his career took off in Los Angeles. The 34-year-old left-handed slugger has made two All-Star teams with the Dodgers and appeared in 905 games, hitting 203 home runs and driving in 575 runs. He’s also been a postseason hero, batting .217 with 44 hits, 13 homers, 34 RBIs and 38 runs scored across 62 career playoff games, and he’s won two World Series titles (2020, 2024). On July 2 against the Chicago White Sox, Muncy sustained a left knee bone bruise after a collision at third base while making a tag. An MRI showed no structural damage, and although his initial recovery timeline was set at six weeks, the Dodgers announced he could begin a rehab assignment next week and return ahead of schedule. His rehab progress has expedited his return timetable, and the team is eagerly anticipating his comeback. During his absence, the Dodgers have dropped five of 16 games, and their division lead dropped to five games over the San Diego Padres. His veteran presence has been missed in the clubhouse as much as his bat has been at the plate. In 2025, Muncy is batting .250 with an .832 OPS, 13 home runs, 55 RBIs and 51 walks while hitting in the heart of the Dodgers' lineup.
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!