July 31 Updates
The Buccaneers opening-day slot corner in 2022 was Antoine Winfield Jr. In 2023, it was rookie safety Christian Izien. In 2024 it was another rookie, third-round pick Tykee Smith. All three of those players remain on the roster in 2025, so the Bucs are starting with a baseline of multiple experienced options to play in nickel packages. And there's a good chance none of those three will draw the first-team slot assignment when the regular season begins.
Already through roughly a week of training camp the Buccaneers have found reps in the slot for the likes of Izien, Smith, Winfield, rookie corner Jacob Parrish, free agent pickup Kindle Vildor, undrafted rookie safety J.J. Roberts and even Zyon McCollum, who spent all of last season manning the left outside corner post.
"Parrish is there. Izzy is there. Tykee is there. J.J. is there. Zyon's taken reps there. Winfield has taken reps there," said Head Coach Todd Bowles after practice on Thursday. "We have a bunch of guys that know how to play nickel and learned to play nickel. It gives us options going into game-in and game-out of things we want to do.
"Right now, everybody's doing a very good job [knowing] where they're supposed to be. We'll look at the preseason games and we'll see what combination matches up best for us. But Parrish has been taken a lot of reps, Tykee takes some reps, Izzy takes some reps, J.J. takes reps, Win takes reps. There's a smorgasbord right now."
The Bucs drafted Kansas State's Parrish in the third round back in April, not long after they snared Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison in the second round. With starting cornerbacks McCollum and Jamel Dean returning and veteran Bryce Hall coming back from a season-ending ankle injury, the Bucs are in the uncommon position of having significant cornerback depth. Being able to potentially move McCollum into the slot in certain packages would be one way to get Morrison and/or Parrish onto the field.
"It does. It does and not's just Morrison, it's Parrish as well," said Bowles of the options that having so many slot candidates opens up. "It's something we're looking at and things we're toying with, moving people around going forward. Pending game and matchup, if we have that ability to see what matches up with what we have, [it's good] to have that ability to do that. Not that we are, there's a chance we could."
McCollum fared well in his first full season as a starter on the outside in 2024, and his size-speed combination makes him a good matchup for all the big receiving threats around the league. But sometimes teams put those bigger guys into the slot – the Bucs did it some last year with Mike Evans – and the Bucs might want to counter that at times by letting McCollum move with them. McCollum specifically pointed out how much the Atlanta Falcons move their top receiver, the 6-4, 215-pound Drake London, around the formation.
"I love it," said McCollum. "It allows me to up my versatility in terms of playing a lot of these bigger receivers, and when they move their best player into the slot. Atlanta, they like to move 5 (London) around a lot, so any time I'm able to be good at playing in the slot, right side, left side, it just allows me the versatility to match up a lot better."
CLICK HERE to watch Thursday's Training Camp report and catch up on all the news at the AdventHealth Training Center.
July 29 Updates
On Monday morning, the Buccaneers changed their attire, putting on full pads for the first time in this year's training camp. On Tuesday, they will be changing their environment.
The Buccaneers are conducting their practices almost exclusively in the morning during this year's camp, but Tuesday is the exception. The team will head inside, utilizing their indoor facility; it is the only indoor practice currently scheduled for August, though it's always possible that inclement weather could send them inside on another day.
Head Coach Todd Bowles gave two reasons for going inside on Tuesday night. One is to give the players a break from the heat and let them recharge a bit, especially with the night practice followed by a day off on Wednesday. The other is essentially to rehearse the schedule for when the team plays night games during the regular season. The Buccaneers are currently scheduled to play four prime-time games in 2025: at Houston on Monday night in Week Two, at Detroit on Monday night in Week Seven, at the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night in Week 12 and at home against Atlanta on Thursday night in Week 15.
"t's really almost trying to simulate a night schedule, because we've got four night games this year," said Bowles. "At least them understanding what it takes to go through a day and then come out and having to play…that's important. Other than that, it doesn't give them much, plus it's a day out of the heat to get their legs back and kind of play it a little faster right now. It was timed at a good place."
Though Bowles and his staff don't believe it's anything more than coincidence, the Buccaneers have struggled in prime time games recently, at least in terms of the bottom line. They lost all four of their night games in 2024, though two were in overtime and one was by a mere two points. Tampa Bay was also 0-2 in prime time in 2023.
CLICK HERE to hear more from Coach Bowles on the first week of training camp.
July 28 Updates
Training camp is a time when players around the league are fighting for spots on the regular-season roster, but some of the participants can go about their business with relatively little worry about a visit from "The Turk" when it's time to make cuts. In Tampa, for instance, Baker Mayfield doesn't really have job security issues, Mike Evans is an obvious lock and Antoine Winfield Jr. will be at the center of the team's defensive efforts, just to name a few.
You can add Christian Izien to that group. The third-year defensive back has made himself so valuable to Todd Bowles and the Bucs' defense that the coach can't envision a scenario where he's left off the 53-man roster.
"Izzy's valuable. He's going to be here. I can say he made the team. I can tell you he made the team," said Bowles with a chuckle. "He does so many things well for us, and he's a football player. He comes to practice, he comes to play, you see the same guy every day. He just loves to play, and the guys love him, so he's been great for the defense."
In 2023, Izien arrived as an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers, nominally as a safety, and promptly won the team's slot corner job as a rookie. In 2024, the Buccaneers inserted rookie Tykee Smith into that slot role but still found plenty of work for Izien, who wound up playing 75% of the team's defensive snaps. With injuries ravaging the secondary, Izien saw playing time in the slot, at both safety spots and even one time at outside cornerback in a pinch. He hadn't played that lattermost position since his sophomore year in high school, but he was up to the challenge after Zyon McCollum, Josh Hayes and Bryce Hall all got hurt in a season-opening win over Washington.
Bowles approached Izien at halftime after McCollum and Hayes were knocked out of the game and told him he was the emergency plan if any more corners were sidelined. Shortly after the intermission, Hall suffered a season-ending ankle injury and Izien ended up playing 31 snaps at the unfamiliar position. He contributed a key sideline pass breakup on third-and-five, forced a fumble by quarterback Jayden Daniels that rolled out of bounds and added two tackles. Daniels was held to 184 passing yards.
"It was impressive that he didn't flinch when he did it," said Bowles. "I'm sure there were some technique things he can work on, but he didn't flinch when he did it. It was like, 'Whatever you need, Coach.' And he went in and he made some plays."
The odds may have been against Izien when he first arrived as an undrafted free agent two camps ago, but now he's an odds-on favorite to not only make the team (apparently, he's a lock) but to have a role of some significance – and probably of some variety – in the Bucs' defense in 2025.
CLICK HERE to catch up on what's happening at the AdventHealth Training Center with Monday's Training Camp Report, today featuring guest appearances from ESPN's Dan Graziano and Fox Sports' Greg Auman.
July 27 Updates
The Buccaneers will reach the top of the ramp on Monday. What they'll find up there is a set of full pads, signaling a new and much-anticipated phase in their 2025 training camp.
The NFL requires each team to begin its training camp with a five-day "ramp-up" period in which practices gradually increase in length from 90 minutes to 120, and the allowed equipment transitions from no pads to spiders (smaller, lighter shoulder pads) to full pads. Full pads means the addition of uniform pants fitted with thigh pads, knee pads and sewn-in hip cushions, plus regulation shoulder pads.
And that means more forceful contact, and something more closely approaching an actual game of football. Players are still instructed not to tackle each other to the ground, but the action definitely becomes much more physical, particularly in the trenches. This is particularly pleasing for the offensive linemen, who haven't yet been fully equipped to keep their antagonists on the defensive front at bay. Listen to Yaya Diaby describe how things have felt for the Bucs' defensive linemen and outside linebackers through the first four practices of camp.
"I'm super excited," said Diaby. "The way the pocket's been collapsing so far in camp has been super amazing."
That's definitely a good thing for the Buccaneers, and indeed a handful of players including Diaby, second-year edge rusher Chris Braswell and big-time free agency addition Haason Reddick have taken turns impressing everyone with their ability to invade the backfield in a hurry. Hopefully, that continues to happen as camp progresses, but starting Monday – the first fully-padded practice of camp – the level of difficulty will go up.
That doesn't mean the first four practices were useless for the men in the trenches, however.
"[We'll] play some real football, it will be great," said center Graham Barton. "I think that's absolutely the truth – it's not the same without pads on. But you can learn so much and you can still get so much done out of pads. Just not taking these four days before pads for granted and working on your footwork and your technique. And now the physicality part comes tomorrow. It's been a good four days and we've just got to keep building on it and we'll be in a good spot."
CLICK HERE for a primer on everything that has transpired during the first week of the Bucs' training camp.
July 25 Updates
Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin is apparently not the most successful comedian, at least by the estimation of his head coach, Todd Bowles. Given how ridiculously good McLaughlin is at his real job, though, Bowles is willing to look past any comedic misfires.
During Thursday's training camp workout, the Buccaneers devoted a mid-practice drill to field goals and rookie Ryan Coe got the call. He made all six of his attempts, the longest from 48 yards. On Wednesday, it was McLaughlin's turn and he also went six-for-six, stretching it out at the end to show off his range. His fifth kick was easily good from 53 yards, and his last one snuck over the crossbar from 63 yards. Bowles, who has already seen two seasons of near-perfect work from the veteran kicker, was reminded of how comforting it is to have a kicker with both consistency and deep range.
"It's a great luxury to have, for Chase to be as consistent as he has been, going into his third year with us now," said Bowles. "This has been great. It's a luxury to know that when we cross the 50 we've got a shot to go for it, or he could kick a long one to tie or win the ball game. It's comforting to know that we have that option. And he better be a good field goal kicker because he's a bad joke-teller."
During his first two seasons in Tampa, McLaughlin went a remarkable 59 of 63 on field goal attempts in the regular season, with two of his misses coming on blocked attempts and the other two on 55-yard tries, one of which hit the right upright. He is also 15-18 from 50 yards and beyond. Not surprisingly, he is now the most accurate kicker in franchise history, and his 93.7% success rate in the last two years is second in the NFL in that span. It's tempting to say that a player who performs well early in training camp is already in "midseason form," but McLaughlin has shown the same nearly flawless form early, middle and late in the season over the past two years, and he's a good bet to do it again in 2025.
CLICK HERE to find out more of what is happening at the AdventHealth Training Camp through Friday's Training Camp Report.
July 24 Updates
The Buccaneers are hoping that outside linebacker takes the proverbial "second-year leap," and it looks like the former Alabama star is trying to build up speed towards that jump. His first few strides in training camp have been encouraging.
The Bucs drafted Braswell with the 57th overall pick in last year's draft, near the end of the second round. They envisioned him being a significant part of their edge rush rotation, and while he did log a solid 30% of the team's defensive snaps, he finished with just 1.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits. He was far from the first rookie to need some time to adjust to the NFL and a new team, and in his case it had more to do with learning the scheme and some of the details of his position more than being overwhelmed physically.
"His was mostly mental, I think," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "He had to learn the mental part of it and all the different techniques and playing faster. He's playing fast this spring. Once he continues to play fast in pads, I think you'll see a big difference in him from last year. I look forward to that. He's got the scheme down now and he's showing that he's playing faster. We look to see the guy we drafted."
Actually hitting the quarterback is a cause for banishment in practice, but Braswell turned in several plays where it looks like he could have gotten to the passer if it was allowed. Bowles won't be too impressed by such plays until the pads go on and the offensive linemen can defend more physically, but Braswell's first-step quickness was evident.
"It's hard to do out of pads. The offensive linemen can't hit shoulder pads and grab and the defensive linemen, if they get an edge, you try not to hold the guy. That's hard to judge at this point. It's great they're getting off the ball, but all of that comes into play when the pads come on."
CLICK HERE for Bowles' take on a variety of topics after Thursday's practice.
The Buccaneers have their first official roster move since the beginning of training camp practices on Wednesday, and it involves a player choosing to call it a career. Early on Wednesday evening, first-year offensive tackle Garret Greenfield was placed on the reserve/retired list.
Greenfield first joined the Buccaneers on New Years Day, near the end of last season, when he was signed to the practice squad. After the conclusion of the 2024 campaign, he was signed to a reserve/futures contract for 2025. Greenfield originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State with the Seattle Seahawks last year.
Greenfield's retirement means the Buccaneers have one open spot on their 91-man training camp roster.
CLICK HERE for a list of the Buccaneers' player transactions in 2025.
July 23 Updates
On Tuesday, prior to beginning training camp practices, the Buccaneers placed seven players on either the active/PUP list or the active/NFI list. One of them was veteran linebacker Anthony Walker, who was brought in via free agency to compete with SirVocea Dennis for playing time next to Lavonte David. That competition is currently on hold as Walker looks to return to the field after being sidelined for an unspecified injury.
"[Anthony] Walker Jr. is probably week to week," said Head Coach Todd Bowles after the first practice of camp on Wednesday.
Players on the active/PUP and NFI lists can be activated at any time during training camp and the preseason. The Buccaneers are still six-and-a-half weeks from their regular-season opener against Atlanta, so Bowles' assessment certainly leaves plenty of room for Walker to resume activities and avoid starting the season on the reserve/NFI list.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin, one of the Buccaneers' key offensive pieces, was one of five players placed on the PUP list on Tuesday. He is returning from a significant injury suffered midway through last season that included a dislocated ankle and other lower-leg damage. His prognosis remains a bit unclear but the Bucs would be thrilled if he too was ready for opening day.
"He's coming along great," said Bowles, who indicated that he didn't know at this point if Godwin would play in week one but that he was 'hopeful.' "He's on track. We've got to see what the process is for him to get out on the field and do some things. We'll continue to listen to the doctors and the trainers. He's in great spirits, as well. Again, I don't have a timeline on that, but hopefully it'll be soon."
Rookie nose tackle Desmond Watson was placed on the non-football illness list on Tuesday, and Bowles said that move was connected to Watson's efforts to lose weight. The undrafted rookie out of Florida weighed in excess of 460 pounds when he signed with the Buccaneers in May.
"We have some things we have in mind with him, where we want to see him at," said Bowles, who referred to Watson as 'day-to-day.' "We'll continue to monitor that and get him where we think he needs to be and go from there."
CLICK HERE to listen to more of Coach Bowles' thoughts after the opening day of training camp.
July 14 Updates
Defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, who was part of a dominant defensive effort in the Buccaneers' Super Bowl LV victory over Kansas City, announced his retirement from the NFL on Saturday. Suh played 13 seasons in the NFL and appeared in a Super Bowl with each of his last three teams, including the Rams in 2018 and the Eagles in 2022.
Suh chose Saturday as the day to make his announcement on social media because it was the one-year anniversary of the death of his father, Michael Suh. Ndamukong referred to his father as, "my idol, my coach, and my anchor."
The second-overall pick in the 2010 draft, Suh played in 199 games with 191 starts for the Lions, Dolphins, Rams, Buccaneers and Eagles. He was the Defensive Rookie of the Year with the Lions in 2010, also earning the first of three first-team Associated Press All-Pro honors. Suh was a second-team All-Pro in two other seasons and was voted into five Pro Bowls.
Suh signed with the Buccaneers in 2019 and spent three seasons in Tampa, starting all 49 games in that span and recording 112 tackles and 14.5 sacks. He had another 18 tackles and 2.0 sacks for the Buccaneers in the postseason. In Super Bowl LV, he led the Buccaneers' defense with 1.5 sack and had five of the team's 23 pressures on quarterback Patrick Mahomes, helping hold Kansas City's powerful offense without a touchdown in a 31-9 win.
Suh's last game was Super Bowl LVII with the Eagles following the 2002 season. He will first be eligible for Pro Football Hall of Fame consideration in 2008.
July 9 Updates
Tampa Bay Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs will likely be placed on the PUP list to start the 2025 season. The All-Pro recently underwent a procedure on his right knee and is expected to miss Training Camp and the preseason. Players who are Physically Unable to Perform can still participate in team activities other than practice. Unlike players on injured reserve, those on the PUP list are still considered a part of the active roster.
Wirfs made history last season, becoming the first offensive lineman to earn First-team All-Pro honors at both tackle positions during a career. His résumé also includes four Pro Bowl nods and a Super Bowl title, won during his rookie season. The cornerstone of the Bucs' offensive line is expected to return early in the season, aiming to help Tampa Bay chase a record-setting fifth consecutive NFC South title. The Bucs open the season on the road against the Falcons, then head to Houston for a primetime matchup against the Texans before returning home for back-to-back games against the Jets and Eagles.
