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. 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: Ted Hurst*
WR: Chris Godwin, Kameron Johnson
LT: Tristan Wirfs, Benjamin Chukwuma
LG: Ben Bredeson, Billy Schrauth*
C: Graham Barton, Dan Feeney
RG: Cody Mauch, Luke Haggard
RT: Luke Goedeke, Justin Skule
WR: Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson
TE: Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft, Bauer Sharp*
QB: Baker Mayfield, Jalon Daniels*
RB: Bucky Irving, Kenny Gainwell, Sean Tucker
The Buccaneers ran 22% of their offensive snaps out of the "12" personnel package, which puts two tight ends on the field. That meant 27 snaps for Payne Durham, a week after he drew only five. Durham had his first catch of the season in Dallas, picking up five yards. The other pass-catcher in the Bucs' arsenal who picked up more snaps was second-year wide receiver Tez Johnson, who was heavily featured in the offense for the second week in a row. Johnson was on the field for 28 snaps, following a workload of 35 plays against Green Bay in Week Four. Johnson caught just one pass, as well, but it went for 64 yards to set up a Bucky Irving touchdown run in the third quarter, and that was the longest reception by a Buccaneer so far this season.
After scoring a touchdown and converting a fourth-and-one on two of the three offensive snaps he logged in Week Four, running back Sean Tucker saw a slight uptick in playing time in Week Five, with seven snaps. He got the ball on five of those seven snaps, running for 18 yards. Irving did his damage – 175 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns – on just 54% of the offensive snaps.
Both right guard Cody Mauch and left tackle Tristan Wirfs came out of the game for one snap on Thursday night, which meant the first offensive playing time of the season, albeit brief for both guard Dan Feeney and tackle Justin Skule.
DEFENSE
DL: Calijah Kancey, Elijah Roberts
NT: Vita Vea, Rakeem Nuñez-Roches, Elijah Simmons
DL: A'Shawn Robinson, DeMonte Capehard*
OLB: Yaya Diaby, Anthony Nelson, David Walker
ILB: Josiah Trotter*, SirVocea Dennis
ILB: Alex Anzalone, Christian Rozeboom
OLB: Rueben Bain Jr.*, Al-Quadin Muhammad
CB: Zyon McCollum, Benjamin Morrison, Ayden Garnes*
CB: Jacob Parrish, Keionte Scott*, Kevin Knowles
S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Ifeatu Melifonwu
S: Tykee Smith, Miles Killebrew
The Buccaneers' defense started the game in Dallas with an atypical (for a Todd Bowles-directed defense) 4-3-3 alignment, with outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. on the sideline and off-ball linebacker Christian Rozeboom joining Alex Anzalone and Josiah Trotter in the middle of the field. It wasn't an alignment the Bucs featured a lot on Thursday night, however, as Rozeboom logged just four defensive snaps but did turn in a pass defensed.
Cornerback Zyon McCollum played every defensive snaps, 42 of which had him in coverage. He did not allow a single completion on those coverage snaps and recorded two passes defensed. Fellow outside corner Jacob Parrish played 58 of the 60 snaps and added four passes defensed. The Buccaneers were in their nickel defense for much of the evening, with slot corner Keionte Scott getting 44 snaps and producing seven tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed.
Bain returned from a two-game absence due to shoulder and groin injuries and played 35 defensive snaps, recording two tackles. That was the most snaps played among the outside linebacker group, one more than Yaya Diaby. David Walker got 19 snaps, the third straight week he has hit that number or higher, and delivered one tackle and a quarterback hit, plus several notable pressures.
SPECIALISTS
P: Riley Dixon
PK: Chase McLaughlin
KO: Chase McLaughlin
H: Riley Dixon
LS: Evan Deckers
PR: Tez Johnson, Kameron Johnson
KR: Kenny Gainwell, Sean Tucker
KR: Kameron Johnson
Rozeboom was on the field for 16 of the Bucs' 22 special teams snaps against the Cowboys, and he made the most of them with three kick-coverage tackles. Despite moving into the starting lineup in place of Antoine Winfield Jr. at safety, Ifeatu Melifonwu still played a team-high 18 special teams snaps and had a tackle in that phase of the game.
Defensive backs Miles Killebrew and Kevin Knowles, both brought aboard this season specifically for their prowess on special teams, combined for the Bucs' first takeaway of 2026 season in the kicking game. Both played 16 special teams snaps and, in the third quarter after an Irving touchdown run that put the visitors up 21-10, Killebrew forced a fumble by Cowboys kickoff returner KaVontae Turpin, with Knowles recovering at the Dallas 37. The Bucs would capitalize with a field goal on the ensuing possession.
