Each week during the regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' communications department publishes a "Game Release" to aid the media in coverage of their upcoming game. Within that release are a number of documents regarding the player roster, including a depth chart, which lists the pecking order at every position on offense, defense and special teams.

Each game week, we will be taking a closer look at that depth chart, pointing out any changes or relevant notes from the previous game…or in this case for Week One, the major differences from the chart at the end of last offseason. Let's start on offense. Rookies are marked with an asterisk. Players we will be discussing in depth are highlighted in bold text.

OFFENSE

WR: Mike Evans, Ryan Miller

WR: Chris Godwin, Sterling Shepard, Kameron Johnson

LT: Tristan Wirfs, Charlie Heck

LG: Ben Bredeson, Elijah Klein

C: Graham Barton

RG: Cody Mauch

RT: Luke Goedeke, Benjamin Chukwuma *

WR: Emeka Egbuka *, Tez Johnson *

TE: Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft, Devin Culp

QB: Baker Mayfield, Teddy Bridgewater

RB: Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker, Josh Williams *

Though it's due in part to Chris Godwin's continued rehab from last year's ankle injury and the severe neck strain that Jalen McMillan suffered during the preseason, it is not terribly shocking that rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka is listed among the starters. That's true even with Godwin, who is not expected to play in Week One, still occupying one of the three starting receiver spots on the depth chart. Egbuka, the 19th overall pick in the 2025 draft, has consistently impressed the coaching staff with his route-running and sticky hands throughout training camp and the preseason.

The first two starts on the running back line are a flip from the start of last season but not actually a new development in 2025 as Bucky Irving had overtaken Rachaad White for the starting role by last December. The tight end depth chart is an exact duplicate of how those four players were arranged all of last year, though it's possible Devin Culp carves out a somewhat bigger role in the offense this year.

The Buccaneers only kept eight offensive linemen on the active roster but have five more on the practice squad who could be called up and active on a game day. That may be the case this week, with starting left tackle Tristan Wirfs likely to miss the opener as well. Benjamin Chukwuma, one of three undrafted rookies to make the team, mostly worked at left tackle in training camp and the first two preseason games but he saw action at both tackle spots in the final game and graded out well with the coaching staff. Though he has very little football experience he has real swing-tackle potential. The Buccaneers only kept one backup interior offensive lineman in second-year man Elijah Klein, who worked at all three spots at varying times in training camp.

DEFENSE

DL: Calijah Kancey

NT: Vita Vea, Greg Gaines

DL: Logan Hall, Elijah Roberts *

OLB: Yaya Diaby, Chris Braswell, Markees Watts

ILB: SirVocea Dennis, John Bullock *

ILB: Lavonte David, Deion Jones

OLB: Haason Reddick, Anthony Nelson

CB: Jamel Dean, Benjamin Morrison *, Kindle Vildor

CB: Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish *, Josh Hayes

S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Christian Izien, Rashad Wisdom

S: Tykee Smith, Kaevon Merriweather

In his third season, SirVocea Dennis makes the opening day starting lineup for the first time. Last year, that spot went to K.J. Britt, who is now with the Miami Dolphins, but Dennis turned heads with his play on passing downs over the first four games of the season before needing shoulder surgery.

Tykee Smith is the starting strong safety next to All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr. after Smith primarily worked in the slot as a rookie. The Buccaneers only list two cornerback spots on their defensive depth chart but rookie Jacob Parrish is the favorite to open in the slot in 2025, which means he will likely be on the field for more than half of the defensive snaps.

Haason Reddick, working opposite Yaya Diaby at the other outside linebacker spot, is the other newcomer to the starting defense in 2025. He was the team's most significant addition in free agency this offseason and the Bucs are hoping he can display the form that got him four straight double-digit sack seasons from 2020-23.

SPECIALISTS

P: Riley Dixon

PK: Chase McLaughlin

KO: Chase McLaughlin

H: Riley Dixon

LS: Evan Deckers

PR: Kameron Johnson, Tez Johnson *, Emeka Egbuka *, Rachaad White

KR: Sean Tucker, Josh Williams, Emeka Egbuka *

KR: Kameron Johnson, Rachaad White, Tez Johnson *

Riley Dixon is the new punter and appeared to be a stabilizing force in the preseason after the team cycled through three players at the position in 2024 and were near the bottom of the league's ranking in that category. However, while in recent years the Bucs have mostly trusted their kickoff duties to their punter, that job will go to kicker Chase McLaughlin to start the 2025 season. With the new kickoff rules, the Bucs may not be trying to force as many touchbacks and don't actually need particularly high hang times because the blockers and cover men can't move until the ball is caught.

Kameron Johnon appears to have won the Buccaneers' punt return job to start the season, though rookie Tez Johnson showed some big-play capability in that job during the preseason, too. If the Bucs stick to the above depth chart, it appears they will primarily rely on running backs to be the two deep men on kickoff returns.