Three practices into coaching camp, one factor has turn into clear: the Bucs’ younger expertise is driving a lot of the dialog.
Emeka Egbuka seems to be like Baker Mayfield’s favourite goal. Rueben Bain Jr. is flashing his pass-rushing promise. Tez Johnson refuses to cease making performs.
In the meantime, a handful of veterans have quietly slipped into the background.
Final week was all about previewing camp. This week, Slivon’s Slant will supply my greatest takeaways, together with which gamers have seen their inventory rise and fall and two points of sport planning which might be noteworthy and value following.
Inventory Up, Inventory Down: Early Bucs Camp Winners And Losers
Winners:
WR Emeka Egbuka – Egbuka has not had the best coaching camp from a large receiver standpoint (see Tez Johnson), however he has established himself as the highest goal for Baker Mayfield. One of many greatest highlights to this point got here throughout Friday’s observe when he caught a deep landing on a pristine Mayfield throw.
It was paying homage to the primary half of the 2025 season, when the gunslinger and rookie wideout’s connection helped spark a 6-2 begin. Somebody has to take over because the workforce’s No. 1 goal, and whereas there are strong choices in Chris Godwin Jr., Jalen McMillan, Ted Hurst, and Johnson, Egbuka seems to be “the guy.”
WR Tez Johnson – Johnson didn’t get off to the quickest begin in camp, dropping two passes on the primary day earlier than redeeming himself late in observe by catching a deep go from Jake Browning on Thursday. Browning himself has had a formidable few days, teaming up with Johnson and creating sturdy chemistry.
Bucs WR Tez Johnson – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
That was highlighted on Thursday, when “Tezmania” took over and hauled in three landing catches and had his first backflip of the 2026 season. Johnson has an uphill climb to ascertain himself within the pecking order, however he continues creating separation, making it more and more tough to disregard his emergence as a respectable deep risk.
OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Bain entered the summer season with excessive expectations, and people have solely grown inside the group and from the nationwide media. Tampa Bay’s first-round decide has gotten proper to work to this point and has flashed his upside going in opposition to proper deal with Luke Goedeke, an above-average participant at his place.
From the best way Bain has showcased his low bend and energy throughout particular person drills to giving Goedeke and different offensive tackles matches throughout 11-on-11s, he has displayed glimpses of being a difference-maker.
Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
With Vita Vea and A’Shawn Robinson sidelined Friday, the defensive position largely didn’t generate stress. As an alternative, it has been Bain and Yaya Diaby main the cost on the first-team protection, and his efficiency is among the many finest from all defensive gamers via the primary week.
OLB David Walker – Subsequent to Tez Johnson, Walker has simply been one of many workforce’s finest backups on the market. He has generated loads of buzz regardless of by no means enjoying an NFL snap, constantly making life tough for opposing offensive tackles. By my rely, he has recorded a sack in every observe, and he’s making a respectable push to overhaul Al-Quadin Muhammad because the workforce’s third exterior linebacker.
Losers:
DT Calijah Kancey – Kancey has struggled to do a lot of something in camp, with Vita Vea’s absence contributing to that. If Kancey wants Vea to be productive, that’s regarding contemplating Vea’s contract scenario. He works finest with the massive nostril deal with taking consideration and giving him one-on-one matchups.
Bucs DTs Calijah Kancey, Jayson Jones and A’Shawn Robinson – Photograph by Cliff Welch P/R
Coming into a pivotal fourth season, it’s vital Kancey reveals indicators of staying wholesome and placing collectively his finest yr. With it rising seemingly that Vea won’t return in 2027, No. 94 should show that he could be the way forward for the Bucs defensive position. Early on in camp, his identify has barely been talked about, and his presence has gone unnoticed.
CB Josh Hayes – On the flip facet, Hayes is the cornerback I’ve seen essentially the most – and never for good causes. Among the many corners on the market, he has been overwhelmed essentially the most in protection. That has meant failing to include Tez Johnson, who has repeatedly bested him. High quality protection reps have been exhausting to search out, and as guys like Damarion Williams and Ayden Garnes get extra run, it might bump Hayes out of the image. Primarily based on his play, he’s trending nearer to the roster bubble.
CB Benjamin Morrison – Morrison returned to observe on Friday, however he solely participated in warmups and particular person drills. It has been a slower ramp-up course of for him than anticipated resulting from his restoration from a hamstring damage, which doesn’t bode effectively for him profitable the second exterior cornerback job. For every day he doesn’t observe, Jacob Parrish is simply settling increasingly into the position. Parrish had an excellent week and has the help of Tykee Smith and the remainder of the secondary. Morrison is already dropping invaluable floor in what was alleged to be one of many greatest camp competitions.
S JJ Roberts – Roberts impressed as an undrafted free agent final yr, however he has but to do a lot recovering from the torn ACL he suffered final August. Not being absolutely wholesome prompted the Bucs to exit and signal veteran Ifeatu Melifonwu, who brings dimension and manufacturing to the room. Melifonwu has an actual probability of sticking round because the third security due to his expertise, particularly if Roberts can’t rise up to hurry – and rapidly.
Two Early Scheme Traits Price Watching
Three totally different Bucs offensive linemen have independently emphasised Zac Robinson’s dedication to constructing the offense across the wide-zone operating sport. After it was a staple of Robinson’s offense in Atlanta, it seems that would be the case in Tampa Bay, too.
First, it was Luke Goedeke who acknowledged getting it down is likely one of the greatest issues the offense is doing proper now.
#Bucs RT Luke Goedeke discusses being a veteran alongside the offensive line getting into his fifth season, his impressions of OLB Rueben Bain Jr. and what units him aside, and his pleasure for OC Zac Robinson’s offense. pic.twitter.com/5zzgiAQh9K
Then, Ben Bredeson chimed in about his impressions of the offense.
“I’m very impressed with it,” Bredeson mentioned. “A little bit more of some wide zone stuff going in and it’s something that I feel can work and it’s obviously worked with Atlanta and his previous stops before that, so I’m excited for it.”
Probably the most revealing assertion got here from Cody Mauch, who mentioned how operating vast zone will diversify the bottom sport and open issues up for the passing assault to get going.
“I’m sure everyone’s said it when they talk about it, but we’re getting the wide zone game going a little bit more, and I think it [will] be good for us,” Mauch mentioned. “I’d say we’re all fairly athletic up entrance; tight ends are athletic – so not solely [is] the vast zone getting us shifting, getting the operating backs shifting, however [it is] complementing the remainder of our sport as effectively.
“We’ll still get to our gap scheme, we’ll still run some duo and stuff, but just us being efficient at this wide zone to help us set up everything else – so, really excited about what we’re doing so far.”
Put all of it collectively, and that is likely one of the most revealing insights from a sport planning standpoint on both facet of the soccer.
Bucs OC Zac Robinson and QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
At full energy, there may be cause to be optimistic vast zone will work higher than it did beneath Liam Coen in 2024. Coen deviated from it in favor of hole run ideas halfway via the yr, however the distinction in 2026 is having a extra skilled group. Mauch and Graham Barton will play a pivotal position in unlocking the potential of the run sport.
On the defensive facet of the soccer, issues have been rather more tight-lipped.
It was fairly noticeable how rather more Todd Bowles dialed up blitzes on Friday. I might count on extra of the identical with pads approaching and for Bowles to get artistic in calling numerous seems to be. What has stood out in camp is how a lot the within linebackers have been despatched on blitzes up the center. There have been two different cases the place Rueben Bain Jr. and Antoine Winfield Jr. lined up in a 3-3-5 look earlier than every was despatched on a delayed blitz.
After ending with simply 37 sacks final season, don’t count on Bowles to turn into any much less aggressive. If something, camp suggests the other.
Closing Slant
General, it has been one of many extra entertaining first weeks of Bucs coaching camp I’ve coated. Regardless of the contract drama surrounding the workforce, the soccer itself has been extremely aggressive. There was give-and-take on the primary day, however the offense has the benefit after coming alive on the second day and producing loads of highlights on the third and last observe session of the week.
The most important shock has been how aggressive practices have been, a mirrored image of the improved depth constructed throughout the roster. Tampa Bay’s squad is way from a completed product, however the preliminary impressions are that the workforce has been revamped by new additions with a number of returning gamers displaying enchancment.
Three practices are solely three practices. Pads haven’t even come on but. But when the primary week is any indication, it’s that the Bucs’ younger core helps set the tone subsequent to the veteran leaders the workforce will probably be counting on in 2026.
Comply with Pewter Report’s Bucs Coaching Camp Protection!
Prepare for loads of entertaining Bucs practices and preseason video games that Pewter Report will probably be available for over the subsequent month. To observe our protection, keep tuned to PewterReport.com and our PewterReportTV YouTube channel. If you’re in search of our ideas about Baker Mayfield, we coated it in-depth throughout our Thursday and Friday Pewter Report Podcasts beneath. Verify them out!
