Devin Culp's Ascension
Throughout the offseason, the Buccaneers have stressed pushing the ball downfield to enhance the offense in 2025. In facing Todd Bowles' blitz-centric defense during training camp practices, Tampa Bay's offense has had to counter by holding up protections and working to get the ball off in a timely fashion to throw it downfield. For the Buccaneers, a bright spot in the aerial attack has been tight end Devin Culp. Culp has made several acrobatic grabs down the field throughout camp that have left onlookers cheering, and during Tuesday's night practice in the indoor facility, he had a sensational rep during the one-on-one period, maintaining outside leverage on an out-breaker to haul in the catch. He has the speed to win over the top and the size to create mismatches against defensive backs. Culp plays with outstanding body control and boxes out defenders at congested catch points. His strides have been evident on the field and Offensive Coordinator Josh Grizzard praised his work between the hash marks.
"He has grown tremendously, and you could tell even after the season when I got the job, the communication we had and him coming up and watching tape and learning the system and trying to figure out exactly what we were going to do, that was different," said Grizzard. "The work that he put in training – we all see it out there, the guy can fly. He has a different speed than the vast majority of tight ends in the league, so he put the work in there and then now, he is seeing the fruits of that labor through camp where he has had a couple of really explosive plays that you have seen. Just having that second year in the offense where there isn't that anxiety of 'what are these plays, what are these formations?' Now, he can play fast and we can try to get the ball to him as much as possible."
Mike Evans on Iron Sharpening Iron
Future Hall of Famer and Bucs' go-ball aficionado Mike Evans has had many head-to-head battles with Galveston native, Zyon McCollum. As Evans enters Year 12 in the NFL and McCollum enters his fourth season, the wide receiver-cornerback pair have had many clashes. For McCollum, facing Evans, one of the best wideouts in the game over the previous decade and the player that is nearly unstoppable at executing back-shoulder grabs off fades, has only spurred growth. McCollum is physical in coverage and matches releases from his backpedal. He pairs 4.33-second speed with fluid footwork and stellar instincts. McCollum has the recovery capability to stay with Evans' long strides and the tandem has bolstered the play of both.
"We are sharpening each other's game," described Evans. "It is crazy seeing him and his brother when they were young and now competing against him. He has been my teammate for four seasons now and has come a long way and he is one of the best corners in the game. It is a battle every time we go against each other."
Jacob Parrish on the Nickel Position
Jacob Parrish has been predominately taking reps at nickel throughout training camp and has found his way into the backfield. Tampa Bay's third-round draft pick in April led Kansas State in passes defensed as a sophomore and junior. Parrish primarily lined up as the left cornerback in their multiple scheme and moved to nickel for third-down packages. Throughout his collegiate tenure, he blanketed some of college football's highly-touted receivers with elite change-of-direction skills. He snagged 23 passes defensed and five interceptions while playing for Kansas State and has a knack for getting his hands on the ball. For Tampa Bay, Parrish has shown his closing pursuit on blitzes and versatile skillset in Bowles' complex system.
"At Kansas State, I cannot even count how many times I blitzed, but then I got here and I have been blitzing a lot and I fly," described Parrish. "I have good speed and good intensity of getting to the quarterback…I have been working at nickel. It is closer to the ball and there are more opportunities to make plays and get the ball. I can be in a run fit, or I can be dropping in a zone or in coverage playing man, so there are more things I can do at nickel."
