Bucs Nation
As the Buccaneers prepare for their final preseason tilt against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, roster evaluations are already in the final stages.
At this point, the a huge chunk of the 53-man roster seems fairly settled for one of the deepest talent wells in the league, but there are still lingering questions that will be answered by this time next week.
So who are some veterans that may be in jeopardy of losing out to newer competition? Let’s take a look.
A former 5-star recruit, Jarrett never lived up to the hype in college but came to Tampa in 2023 as a higher-upside UDFA. He flashed each of the last two years in camp and has stuck around and played 20 total games (2 starts), totaling 13 catches for 184 yards.
However, Jarrett has reportedly looked very rough in camp and has been basically non-existent in preseason games (2 catches for 26 yards and multiple drops). He’s facing stiff competition this year, even in spite of several injuries.
Rookie seventh-rounder Tez Johnson and former UDFA Ryan Miller both have flashed and make strong cases in a crowded room. There’s also proven veteran Sterling Shepard, who played meaningful, significant snaps last year and has a strong connection with Baker Mayfield. If you’re looking at a pecking order like this, it’s hard to see where Jarrett fits in.
Godwin seems likely to open the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list due to his ankle rehab and McMillan has a neck sprain that will keep him out more than half the season in all likelihood, so that may spare Jarrett, but it’s far from a sure thing right now.
There is no shame in making a living off the dirty work when it comes to football. That is Ko Kieft to a tee.
A Buccaneer since 2022, Kieft came in as a surprise sixth-round pick but has made a living on the team’s roster as a blocking specialist and special teamer. For reference, Kieft has played in an impressive 50 games and has…8 catches for 82 yards and 2 TDs. In 2024, he played a career—high in special teams snaps (69%) and a career-low in offensive snaps (9%) as the Bucs played extensively in 11 personnel (3 receivers, 1 tight end, 1 running back).
Circumstances seem unlikely to change under new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, who’s worked extensively in systems that near unanimously do not feature the tight end as a prominent part of the offense. Cade Otton will dominate TE1 reps, as he’s proven capable, and even Payne Durham and Devin Culp offer much more offensive upside than Kieft.
Then factoring in the Bucs’ need for added receiver depth in light of major injuries, it seems like Kieft’s positioning on the roster is anything but...
