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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs Release Updated Depth Chart for Week 3

Breshad Perriman's active role in the offense has been noted on the team's latest depth chart, while rotations at tight end and in the secondary have started to become clear

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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. Included in 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 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. Players we will be discussing are highlighted in bold text.

OFFENSE

  • WR: Mike Evans*, Julio Jones, Jaelon Darden
  • WR: Chris Godwin, Breshad Perriman
  • LT: Donovan Smith, Josh Wells
  • LG: Luke Goedeke
  • C: Robert Hainsey, Nick Leverett
  • RG: Shaq Mason, Brandon Walton
  • RT: Tristan Wirfs, Fred Johnson
  • TE: Cameron Brate, Kyle Rudolph, Cade Otton, Ko Kieft
  • WR: Russell Gage, Scotty Miller
  • QB: Tom Brady, Blaine Gabbert, Kyle Trask
  • RB: Leonard Fournette, Rachaad White, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Giovani Bernard

* Mike Evans remains in his usual spot on the depth chart even though he has received a one-game suspension from the NFL. It is still possible that Evans will be available in Week Three if he submits a successful appeal of that suspension.

The Buccaneers made one change on the depth chart in Week Three, and it's at wide receiver. Breshad Perriman had been listed third at the first receiver spot but he is now second behind Chris Godwin in the second of the three receiver positions. Jaelon Darden moves up into Perriman's previous spot behind Evans and Julio Jones. With Godwin and Jones sidelined by injuries in Week Two and Evans missing the fourth quarter after an ejection, Perriman played 50 snaps of offense in New Orleans, the most by any Bucs receiver and, of course, he caught the go-ahead touchdown on a 28-yard pass in the final period. Darden played eight snaps on offense against the Saints.

Though he is still listed as the second option at right guard behind Shaq Mason, first year offensive lineman Brandon Walton is obviously one of the team's options at the tackle spots, too. That's the position he played in college. Starting left tackle Donovan Smith was out for Sunday's game with an elbow injury, so Josh Wells drew the start at that spot but left shortly before halftime due to a calf injury. Walton stepped in and played left tackle the rest of the way, logging 44 of the 67 snaps at that spot. Tom Brady was only sacked once in the game, on a play in which he started scrambling up the middle.

While the depth chart at tight end has not been changed, rookies Cade Otton and Ko Kieft have both seen significant playing time in the first two games while veteran Kyle Rudolph has been inactive both times. Otton played 33 snaps in New Orleans, only five fewer than starter Cam Brate, and Ko Kieft was on the field for 24 offensive plays. Otton recorded his first regular-season NFL reception in the game, a four-yard gain, and Kieft got his first target, though the pass was incomplete.

Leonard Fournette continued to be the workhorse in the Bucs' backfield in Week Two, playing 58 of 67 snaps and rushing 24 times, his single-game high as a Buccaneer. The other nine snaps were logged by rookie Rachaad White, who is clearly the second option in the backfield but is not yet eating significantly into Fournette's snap share. Veteran Giovani Bernard injured an ankle on one of his five special teams plays and did not return to the game, and third-year man Ke'shawn Vaughn was inactive.

Now, the defense.

DEFENSE

  • DL: Akiem Hicks, Pat O'Connor
  • NT: Vita Vea, Rakeem Nunez-Roches
  • DL: William Gholston, Logan Hall
  • OLB: Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Carl Nassib
  • ILB: Devin White, K.J. Britt
  • ILB: Lavonte David, Olakunle Fatukasi
  • OLB: Shaquil Barrett, Anthony Nelson
  • CB: Jamel Dean, Sean Murphy-Bunting, Dee Delaney
  • CB: Carlton Davis, Zyon McCollum
  • S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Logan Ryan
  • S: Mike Edwards, Keanu Neal

Starting defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, who was on the field for 40 of 69 defensive plays in the opener at Dallas, also left the game before halftime with a foot injury. The two players who saw the biggest upticks in their snap counts as a result were Rakeem Nunez-Roches and rookie Logan Hall. Nunez-Roches went from 23 snaps and a 33% share in Week One two 30 and 44% in Week Two. Meanwhile, Hall followed up a 20-snap (29%) debut against the Cowboys with 29 plays (43%) in New Orleans.

Outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett, who is off to a very fast start this season, is not coming off the field much. After playing 49 of 69 defensive snaps in Dallas in Week One, Barrett stayed in for 58 of 68 plays on Sunday in New Orleans. That was 85% of the possible snaps, while reserves Anthony Nelson and Carl Nassib only logged 17 and 11 defensive plays, respectively.

In the secondary, the Buccaneers have had a very clear five-man rotation for the most part through two games. Cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean and safeties Mike Edwards and Antoine Winfield Jr. have all played every possible defensive snap through two games. Dean won a preseason battle for the starting spot opposite Davis, edging out Sean Murphy-Bunting. Head Coach Todd Bowles has made it clear that Murphy-Bunting would see plenty of playing time this season, but that role hasn't materialized yet. Logan Ryan has been the fifth man in throughout the first two games, coming in at safety while Winfield moves up into the slot. Ryan has played 77% of the defensive snaps so far.

SPECIALISTS

  • P: Jake Camarda
  • PK: Ryan Succop
  • KO: Jake Camarda
  • H: Jake Camarda
  • LS: Zach Triner
  • PR: Jaelon Darden, Giovani Bernard, Scotty Miller
  • KR: Rachaad White, Giovani Bernard, Jaelon Darden

Like veteran Bradley Pinion before him, rookie punter Jake Camarda has ably served double duty so far, handling kickoffs in addition to his punting job. Camarda got all five of his kickoffs into the end zone in New Orleans, leading to three touchbacks. Overall through two games he has hit 10 of his 11 kickoffs over the goal line and produced five touchbacks.

Jaelon Darden and Rachaad White appear to be firmly entrenched as the two return man. Darden has been the returner for every opposing punt so far this season and is currently averaging 9.0 yards on five runbacks. White has been deep for every kickoff through two games but doesn't have a return yet. The only kickoff return for the Bucs so far this season was logged by Bernard, who fielded a high, pooched kick in front of White on Sunday.

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