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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

5 Bucs to Watch Against Carolina

Here are a few players to watch in the Buccaneers’ regular season finale.

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1. WR Mike Evans

Fifty-four yards. Lavonte David yards. That's all wide receiver Mike Evans needs to get to 1,000 for the eighth straight season to begin his NFL career. That will set a new NFL record. It took until the last game of the season in 2020 and it has come down to the last game again. Let's see if Evans and his quarterback, Tom Brady, can pull it off.

2. WR Cyril Grayson

Grayson has had 81 yards in the last two games with some heroics in each after being asked to step in with all the injuries to Bucs' wideouts. Last game against Carolina, Grayson proved his worth not only in catching passes, but in blocking, as he provided multiple crucial blocks that got running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn into the end zone from 55 yards away. He said after the game that he must feel how offensive linemen usually do when a running back scores.

But then against New York, it was his turn to score. With the Bucs down four and 2:12 left, Brady engineered a 93-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 33-yard pass to none other than Grayson for the go-ahead score.

We'll see what heroics Grayson can do this time around now that he's been elevated to the active roster ahead of Sunday.

View some of the top photos from Buccaneers practice at the AdventHealth Training Center.

3. TE Rob Gronkowski

The Bucs' offense may be down quite a few weapons but there are still some OGs on the field. The OG-est of OGs, included. Brady has an unmatched comfortability with Gronk and Gronk himself is coming off a game in New York where he had 115 yards as Brady once again turned to his old buddy, old pal for production while he was down even more offensive skill players.

4. OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka

Both outside linebacker Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul have been ruled out for the regular season finale, so it will once again be up to Tryon-Shoyinka and Anthony Nelson on the outside. In a game where not much went right for the Bucs' defense last Sunday, Tryon-Shoyinka provided the play of the game as he stopped Jets quarterback Zach Wilson from converting a fourth and two quarterback sneak at the Bucs' seven-yard line. It turned the ball over on downs to the Bucs offense, who would then embark on that aforementioned 93-yard game-winning drive.

In a game where the Bucs aren't sure what they'll get from Carolina's offense, good edge play will be crucial. And another seven sacks wouldn't hurt.

5. ILB Devin White

White seems motivated after having a rather forgettable game last week. It wasn't just him, though. The entire defense has some making up to do and they'll want to go into the postseason with some momentum, especially if they return all their injured players, which Head Coach Bruce Arians seems hopeful for.

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