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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

5 Questions for Week 2 of OTAs

A few things to think about as the second week of OTAs are under way.

The Buccaneers' 53-Man roster.

1. Can Alterraun Verner be the guy?
The Buccaneers drafted a cornerback in the first round of the draft, but it was Verner working with the first-team defense at corner, along with Brent Grimes, last week. Verner arrived in Tampa Bay after earning a trip to the Pro Bowl with the Titans, but played primarily in the slot in 2015. With a new defensive coordinator, Verner has been moved back outside. Will the new system help him reach the level he was at when the Bucs signed him? During workouts last week he looked sharp. 

READ: STANDOUTS FROM WEEK 1 OF OTAs
2. Which undrafted rookies are making a name for themselves?
The Bucs signed a slue of rookies following the conclusion of the draft and many of those players are fighting tooth-and-nail for a roster spot. A few names to keep an eye on include running back Peyton Barber, linebacker Cassanova McKinzie and safety Elijah Shumate. All undrafted rookies, including those three, will need to make contributions on special teams to find a spot on the 53-man roster. A few undrafted players usually make it through each year – who from this year's crop will be playing on Sundays?

The best photos from the first week of OTAs.

3. Who has the leg up in the wide receiver competition?
The Buccaneers are set with their No. 1 and No. 2 receivers with Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson, but there are four players who will be leading the charge for the No. 3 spot, all of whom have experience playing in the NFL. Louis Murphy started the 2015 season as the Bucs' third receiver, but missed most of the year with a knee injury. With Murphy out, Donteea Dye and Adam Humphries saw a fair amount of action on offense. Add in Kenny Bell, who missed all of 2015 with a hamstring injury, and the competition in the wide receiver room is heating up. If there is one position you can get a good feel for during OTAs, it's the wide-outs. It will be interesting to see if any of the four separates themselves before OTAs come to an end.

4. What will Ryan Smith's role be?
Smith was unable to practice during the first week of OTAs with a minor injury, but he's expected to be back shortly. Smith played both cornerback and safety in college, but head coach Dirk Koetter said that Smith will likely start out playing safety. If he returns to the practice field this week, will he get all of his reps at safety or will the Bucs break him in at corner as well?

5. Can Kevin Pamphile gain ground on J.R. Sweezy?
Sweezy looks to be the heir to Logan Mankins' spot at left guard, but he won't be ready to practice until training camp. With Sweezy sidelined, Kevin Pamphile has been working with the first team at left guard. It's a tall task to judge offensive linemen in non-contact practices, but Pamphile has a whole month of working with the starters before Sweezy returns. How strong of an impression, if any, can Pamphile leave without pads on? And is there anything he can do during this week, and OTAs as a whole, to begin training camp as the starter at left guard?

Pictures of Winston at the Buccaneers' Organized Team Activities at One Buc Place.

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