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UDFA rookie begins his push for one of the final roster spots as Buccaneers training camp battles start to heat up

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Evan Winter | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 12:47 PM ET

Even though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers returned all 11 starters on offense and nearly all its defensive starters from 2024, there are still plenty of questions to answers and positions to fill during training camp.

One week into camp, there are a few camp battles that are really starting to take form and several players are starting to make their push for a spot on the 53-man roster. Let's dive in and take a look at what's happened so far and where it could go from here.

Buccaneers training camp battles that are starting to heat up after the first week

J.J. Roberts is trying to force himself onto the Bucs' 53-man roster

Roberts was one of the Buccaneers' prized UDFAs, evidenced by the fact he received $270k in guarantees. He flashed plenty of speed and athleticism throughout OTAs and minicamp, marking himself as a camp darling that could make some waves once everything kicked off in July.

Sure enough, he's done just that. Roberts has gotten off to a great start and per reports, saved his best performance of the first week for Day 1 of pads. As we all know, the start of padded practices are when things get real and the fact Roberts turned up the intensity and made plays (he recorded a pick, a sack, and had a huge hit according to Pewter Report) is a big first step toward making the 53-man roster.

Roberts is receiving looks at nickel and safety, as well. Versatile defensive backs go far in a Todd Bowles defense (ask Christian Izien) and that only helps Roberts' chances. He could easily make the roster as a safety and then plug in whenever needed. With Marcus Banks missing the last few practices, that leaves Roberts battling Kaevon Merriweather, Shilo Sanders, and Rashad Wisdom for the last two safety spots behind Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith.

If he keeps it up, his odds are making the final cut are very good.

The cornerback depth from No. 3 to the final spot is going to be fun to watch, including the nickel position

Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum have the top-2 cornerback spots handled and while it was logically assumed rookies Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish would take the next two jobs (with Parrish assumedly manning the nickel position), veterans Bryce Hall and Kindle Vildor have done more than their fair share to disrupt that as much as possible.

The veterans have shined throughout camp, making big plays on a daily basis. Morrison and Parrish have also flashed in their own right. Then, there's Izien, whom already has a roster spot locked up, according to Todd Bowles.

Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles looks on during workouts at One Buc Place. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

It's a straight-up competition behind Dean and McCollum, with no clear winner, currently. That's a great spot to be in after the first week, though. The last thing a coach wants is a non-competitive camp battle for obvious reasons.

If the Bucs secondary can keep progressing and stay healthy then the unit will certainly get back to its pre-2024 form.

Elijah Klein is on his way toward becoming the most valuable backup OL on the roster

Jason Licht is a wizard when it comes to drafting offensive linemen and Klein is on track to be his next big find based on the fact he's not only been cross-training at center and guard during the offseason, but he's been tacking reps at tackle during training camp, too.

Klein has played guard over the vast majority of his career since college, but playing tackle isn't inst' a brand new experience, as he logged a career-high 137 snaps on the outside during his final year. In all, he played 200+ snaps at tackle in college. That's obviously not a ton of experience, but it's better than nothing.

"I really think he changed his body in the offseason. . . We try to move everybody around a little bit. He has some flexibility at tackle, he has a little bit at center," Bowles told reporters. "In certain situations, we’ll move him around in case of emergency and kind of see how he does.”

Having a guy who can play all five spots and play them serviceably is something any NFL team would want. We'll see just how impactful Klein is in practice over the next couple weeks, but he's certainly put himself in a good spot early-on.

Devin Culp continues to build toward a big 2025 season

Those who follow the Buccaneers closely knew Culp could rise up the ranks in 2025, the question was simply how high he could go.

It's fair to say Culp has surpassed Ko Kieft as TE3 and now Payne Durham, the Bucs' TE2 is in his sights. Durham's job isn't in trouble by any means, but there's certainly a world where Culp can start cutting into his snaps. Especially if he develops as a blocker.

"He’s grown tremendously," Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard told reporters. "You can tell even after the season, when I got the job, the communication that we had and him coming up and watching tape and learning the system and trying to figure out exactly what we were going to do that was going to be different or the same. . . We can all see it out there – the guy can fly. He has a different speed than the vast majority of tight ends in the league. He put the work in there, and now he’s seeing the fruits of that labor through [training] camp where he’s had a couple of really explosive plays that you’ve seen. . .

". . . He can now play fast and [we can] try to get the ball to him as much as possible. He’s off to a really good start, as well.”

Culp can add a whole new dynamic to the Bucs offense by adding a mismatch defenses will have to seriously account for, on top of everything else Baker Mayfield and Co. have to offer. At this point, it looks like that's where we're headed by the time the 2025 season kicks off.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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