Five Winners From The Buccaneers Preseason Victory Over The Steelers

On Saturday night the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their preseason game to the Pittsburgh Steelers. And while the final score doesn’t really matter, there are still plenty of takeaways from this game. Some positive and some negative.

To focus on the positive, I thought several players really showed well and increased their chances of making the roster. Guys who made plays when they got their opportunity and showed they belong on an NFL roster. Here are my five winners from the Buccaneers preseason game against the Steelers.

Elijah Roberts

I was critical of Elijah Roberts last week after failing to stand out against the Tennessee Titans. However, he bounced back nicely in this game and made his presence felt. 

Roberts was both disruptive as a pass rusher and strong at the point of attack. He used his hands well and showed off his arsenal of moves to get off blocks. All the things he did well in college were on display tonight.

Considering he was listed as third string on the depth chart, Roberts needed this game. It feels like an open competition for the Buccaneers fifth defensive line job and I think everyone wants the rookie out of SMU to win it. He took a big step towards doing that tonight. 

Jacob Parrish

Not someone who is fighting to make the roster, but more so looking to solidify his role as a starter. Jacob Parrish, the rookie out of Kansas State, looked great tonight. His excellent speed and physicality jumped off the screen.

Parrish flew in from his nickel position to make a nice tackle for a loss in the first half. He was also very sticky in coverage and had a pass deflection against former Buccaneer Scotty Miller. An excellent and well rounded performance.

It’s fair to say that Parrish has all but locked up the starting nickel job. He might be a rookie, but he looks like a seasoned veteran so far. There is every indication that he is ready to hit the ground running in the regular season. 

Chris Braswell

This was the name that was on everyone’s mind coming into this game. After an up and down game last week, many fans felt frustrated with last year’s second round edge rusher. Just in terms of the mental health of the fan base, he needed to have a good game.

That’s exactly what he did. Chris Braswell had a sack in this game as well as a tackle for loss. On top of that, Braswell also collapsed the pocket and pressure the Steelers quarterback into throwing an interception. He also looked good in coverage when Todd Bowles asked him to drop back.

Keep in mind that this action didn’t come against top competition. However, if we can criticize Braswell for not beating starters then we can praise him for beating backups. Overall, he did everything that was asked of him in this game.

Teddy Bridgewater

After being signed just over a week ago, Teddy Bridgewater got the start in this game. It was a quick turn around for him to learn the playbook and build chemistry with his teammates, but if he’s truly competing for the backup quarterback job then he needed to show what he could do. Overall, I walked away very impressed.

Bridgewater played in rhythm and was accurate. When the pocket broke down he did a nice job extending the play. Everything about his start felt like a guy who has started 65 NFL games in his career.

It’s hard to say how the coaches see this competition, but I believe that Bridgewater should be firmly ahead of Kyle Trask following this game. His awareness, quick release and overall accuracy far exceeded anything I have seen from Trask. It should be Bridgewater’s job when the regular season starts.

Kindle Vildor

It felt like Kindle Vildor was all over the field in this game. The six year veteran signed in the offseason from the Detroit Lions and brought depth and experience as he battles for the fifth cornerback job. Tonight he most likely took control of that competition. 

Vildor had a great deflection in the red zone where he tipped the ball up to himself and intercepted it. He also made a great play from the backside to deflect a deep pass down the middle. On top of that, he was tied for the team lead in tackles.

Vildor is a great upgrade in coverage compared to some of the depth corners we saw with the Buccaneers last season. He proved that tonight and really made a strong case to make the 53 man roster. I will be both surprised and disappointed if he doesn’t make the cut.