Projecting The Roles Of The Buccaneers Rookies

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have their draft class in place. We have spent and will continue to spend a lot of time looking at these players and the skill set that they bring. However, there is another burning question that needs to be answered.

Looking at this depth chart and where it stands today we need to figure out the pathway for these players getting on the field. Who can we expect to play a meaningful role this year and who will be more developmental. My best attempt in projecting the roles of the Buccaneers rookies.

Emeka Egbuka

With the caveat that Emeka Egbuka will have to come in and earn his place, I expect him to be the number two receiver on the team to start the year. With Chris Godwin coming off major injury there will be an opportunity for someone to step up and fill that role opposite of Mike Evans. And while Jalen McMillan could certainly do that, I’d be willing to bet that Egbuka takes that job.

Even if Godwin is able to play, it will take him time to get up to 100%. Egbuka can take a lot of weight off Godwin’s shoulders and allow him to focus more on getting healthy than rushing back to the field. Don’t be surprised to see Egbuka as a featured part of the offense from day one and eclipse 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie.

There is a very clear pathway to the field for him going into his rookie year.

Benjamin Morrison

Morrison’s playing time will all come down to competition. I believe he will be able to compete with Jamel Dean for the second starting cornerback job. If Benjamin Morrison can come in right away and win that job then he will likely keep that job and not look back.

Keep in mind, that’s a lot to ask out of a rookie. Dean has been a good player for this team when healthy and helped this Buccaneers team win a Super Bowl. He is also the veteran in the room and a lot can be said for his experience in the NFL.

I expect Dean to win this job out of camp, but Morrison will be waiting for his number to be called if and when Dean gets hurt at some point this season.

Jacob Parrish

You can go ahead and pencil Jacob Parrish into the starting defense right now. With Tykee Smith moving back to play safety, there is an opening at the starting nickel corner spot. And while Christian Izien will be competing for that job, it would be better to keep him as depth as the primary backup for both safety and nickel.

Parrish brings the speed and physicality to step right in as a rookie and play this position. With the most clear pathway to being a starter and the natural skillset he has for the job, I’d say that it’s his spot to lose.

David Walker

Where Parrish has the easiest path to playing time, David Walker probably has the hardest. It’s a crowded room of Buccaneers edge rushers that features Yaya Diaby, Hasson Reddick, Anthony Nelson and last year’s second round pick Chris Braswell. I have a hard time seeing Walker jumping any of those names on the depth chart; especially Braswell who the team will want to give every opportunity to as a second round pick.

This makes Walker the fifth edge rusher on the depth chart. Playing time will be limited and he will have to make splash plays when he can. Expect his value to be on special teams early on and he likely won’t crack the pass rush rotation unless there is an injury or someone is underperforming. 

Elijah Roberts

The Bucs primary backup defensive linemen are Greg Gaines and CJ Brewer. Neither one of those names brings very much in terms of pass rush. So in a perfect world, the Buccaneers would have a defensive lineman who can rush the passer in that rotation; say someone who led college football in pressures over the last two years.

Elijah Roberts might be able to fill that void. While I am the most skeptical about him from a talent perspective, he certainly fits the mold they are looking for. I expect Roberts to get a lot of playing time in the defensive line rotation. Now it’s just a matter of him making the most of it.

Tez Johnson

I don’t like to put too much stock in a confident player running his mouth, but in this case I have to agree with what Tez Johnson said in his draft conference call with the media. That punt return job is his. When you are a depth wide receiver then you have to be able to contribute on special teams and Johnson is so elusive that I expect him to shine as a return man (just like he did in college).

In terms of actual wide receiver play, I expect those snaps to be limited. Remember that Johnsom is only 156 lbs which is incredibly small for the NFL. To limit the amount of hits he takes, I expect to see him as more of a gadget player on offense who does most of his damage on special teams.

JJ Roberts

Even though he wasn’t a draft pick, I do expect JJ Roberts to make the 53 man roster and contribute to the team. There is an opportunity to win the backup safety job next to Izien and with Roberts’ talent I am willing to bet that he wins that job. Players who are this fast and are in position to make plays on the ball as often as he was in college usually work out. 

If nothing else, Roberts projects to be an excellent special teams player. He is so fast and so physical, he will be an excellent gunner in the NFL. Returners will have him in the back of their minds every time they catch the ball because he will be ready to lay the boom on every opportunity.