Whoever winds up serving because the Bucs’ punter in 2025 may have one easy directive from head coach Todd Bowles.
“Not shanking ’em,” Bowles stated Tuesday on the NFL Scouting Mix. “It’s one of the few positions that are cut and dried and you don’t have to talk about much. You either do or you don’t, in my mind. So, that’s major for me.”
#Bucs HC Todd Bowles has a cut-and-dry evaluation of punters. Bowles broke out laughing when requested about what he desires to see from the place. pic.twitter.com/bpzp9Ew3z5
Bucs P Jake Camarda – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Bucs offense being a top-five unit within the NFL final season performed a hand in protecting up one of many workforce’s extra evident points: a revolving door on the punter place.
Jake Camarda, the workforce’s 2022 fourth-round select of Georgia, began the 2024 marketing campaign as Tampa Bay’s punter. However he started the yr already on shaky footing, because the workforce wasn’t completely satisfied together with his inconsistency in 2023. That inconsistency continued early within the 2024 season, and he performed simply the primary three video games earlier than the workforce made him inactive for Weeks 4 and 5 in favor of the newly signed Trenton Gill, who was elevated from the follow squad each weeks.
Gill wasn’t markedly higher, and Camarda finally obtained one other shot in Week 6. However that sport towards the Saints – a sport through which he had a punt returned for a landing – ended up being his final for the workforce. Gill was elevated from the follow squad for the third time the next week, then Camarda was waived the next day, spelling the tip of his 2.5-year profession in Tampa.
Gill held on to his function for the following 5 video games earlier than the Bucs as soon as once more went in one other path. Rookie Jack Browning was then elevated from the follow squad to take over for Gill in Weeks 14, 15 and 16. From there, Browning was added to the energetic roster for Weeks 17 and 18, in addition to the Wild Card loss to the Commanders.
Regardless of who was punting for Todd Bowles in 2024, the outcomes weren’t nice:
Jake Camarda (4 video games): 13 punts, 45.3 avg., 67 lengthy, 5 downed contained in the 20-yard lineTrenton Gill (8 video games): 27 punts, 43.3 avg., 57 lengthy, 9 downed contained in the 20-yard lineJack Browning (6 video games): 12 punts, 40.9 avg., 56 lengthy, 1 downed contained in the 20-yard line
In whole, Bucs punters averaged simply 43.3 yards per punt over 52 makes an attempt. Todd Bowles wasn’t proud of the group, and primarily based on what he stated Tuesday, he’s not asking a ton of whoever wins the punter job this coming summer time.
What Choices Do Todd Bowles And The Bucs Have At Punter In 2025?
Bucs P Jake Julien – Picture by: USA As we speak
Proper now, the Bucs have two punters on their roster, although there’s nothing stopping them from switching up the composition of that room this spring and into the summer time.
It’s secure to say there can be a coaching camp competitors, and whereas there’s loads of time for issues to alter, proper now it could be between Jack Browning and the not too long ago signed Jake Julien, a record-setting punter from the Canadian Soccer League.
Julien, a 6-foot-2, 217-pound punter, had 107 punts for five,773 yards throughout the Edmonton Elks’ 2024 season. He led the CFL in gross common (54.0 yards) and web common (40.0 yards). His 54-yard gross common broke the single-season gross punting report of fifty.6, which belonged to eventual Tremendous Bowl champion Jon Ryan in 2005.
Julien’s eight punts downed contained in the 10-yard line additionally tied for the CFL lead, and he recorded 15 single-point “rouges,” together with a game-winner in extra time.
Whereas Browning and Julien are at the moment in place to problem for the punting job in Tampa Bay, there’s at all times an opportunity that the workforce brings in one other leg – perhaps a rookie – previous to OTAs and mini-camp. On the 2025 NFL Scouting Mix, the Bucs held casual interviews with Florida’s Jeremy Crawshaw and Alabama’s James Burnip.
In his ultimate season with the Gators, Crenshaw punted 59 instances for two,699 yards (45.8 avg), with 25 kicks downed contained in the 20-yard line. Burnip punted 52 instances, averaging 45.4 yards with 19 downed contained in the 20.
Whoever finally ends up punting for the Bucs in 2025 simply must keep away from shanking their kicks and Todd Bowles can be completely satisfied.
