10 Things I Think I Think About Bucs OTAs

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INTRO: I grew up reading Sports Illustrated and became a fan of lead NFL writer Peter King, and would religiously read his MMQB column on SI.com. Part of his MMQB column was a segment called 10 Things I Think I Think, and with so many thoughts about the Bucs offseason brewing in my head – more than just five thoughts for an SR’s FAB 5 – I decided to switch up this week’s format once again as an ode to King and come up with 10 Things I Think I Think About Bucs OTAs.

Y’all seemed to like this change-up a few weeks ago when I did a 10 Things I Think I Think About The Bucs Offseason, so I hope you enjoy this week’s edition!

1. I Think The Bucs WR Room Will Be Fine Without Mike Evans

Kind of a bold statement right off the top, eh? Before you jump to conclusions about this comment referring Tampa Bay no longer having Mike Evans, the best offensive player in franchise history, on the roster let me clarify. I’m not suggesting that the Bucs won’t miss Evans. At times they will. He is an alpha wide receiver and a future Hall of Famer. If Evans stays healthy and plays in at least 15 games in San Francisco he should hit 1,000 receiving yards again. And I’m not suggesting that Tampa Bay will be better off without Evans. The team won’t be better off, but they will be just fine.

Chris Godwin Jr. is fully healthy this offseason and is serving in the role of mentor and leader of the WR room – a title he has shared with Evans throughout the years even though he has only had one official year as a team captain, which was in 2023. Expect Godwin to once again get the “C” on his uniform now that Evans has departed in free agency. He helped bring Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson along last year as rookies, and Godwin will do the same for rookie Ted Hurst this season. His veteran leadership is invaluable because it’s a mix of lead by example as well as verbally through one-on-one conversations with the young receivers.

With Jalen McMillan, Godwin, Egbuka, Johnson and Hurst, who has looked sensational in both the rookie mini-camp and the first week of OTAs, the Bucs are a legit five deep at wide receiver. Godwin should have a bounce-back season after being further removed from his ankle injury and an entire offseason to rest rather than rehab. Will he return to form as a 1,000-yard receiver? I don’t think he has to, but I think reaching 700 yards – with some timely, impact catches – is acceptable and more to the team’s level of expectation for him at age 30.

Due to his age and history of leg injuries, which may have robbed him of half a step, Godwin will primarily play in the slot this season once again. That is where he’s feasted on favorable matchups against linebackers, safeties and nickelbacks before. Look no further than his hot start to the season in 2024 in Liam Coen’s offense.

Egbuka will split time with Godwin in the slot and start as the team’s Z receiver (flanker) and he should vie for the team lead in receptions as a result. He showed star potential last year, leading the team with 63 catches for 938 yards (14.9 avg.) and six touchdowns as a rookie, coming up with game-winning TDs in the Bucs’ first two wins last year.

Already off to a hot start with a sensational, one-handed grab in Tampa Bay’s first OTA practice on Tuesday, Egbuka will be better after an offseason of rest. The fact that he won a national championship and played in three extra postseason games at Ohio State in 2024 caused him to hit a rookie wall last December.

McMillan has the raw ability to play all three receiver positions and should benefit from favorable matchups with more attention from defensive coordinators going to Godwin and Egbuka this year. As I’ve said before, it’s possible that the Bucs have a different 100-yard receiver every week with McMillan being a viable candidate some weeks. Baker Mayfield loves throwing to the open receiver and doesn’t usually force the ball to a certain guy. McMillan is back with a vengeance this year and will get open often.

Hurst is going to really open some eyes as a rookie. He’s going to have a couple 100-yard games because he’s so damn big at 6-foot-4 and so damn fast with 4.42 speed. And there’s a chance Hurst could actually lead the Bucs in touchdowns with around seven as a rookie because he’s going to be used a lot in isolation situations in the lower red zone and on fades into the end zone the way Evans was. He’s going to be a star in Tampa Bay as a X receiver and an occasional big slot receiver (think Drake London in Atlanta) – mark it down.

And don’t forget about Johnson, who chipped in with five touchdowns as a seventh-round draft pick last year. There’s a log jam at Z with Egbuka and McMillan ahead of Johnson, but the experience he gained last year will serve him well as he continues to be a valuable reserve receiver who will also excel on screens and gadget plays this year in Zac Robinson’s offense.

So it came as no surprise when the wide receivers were the stars of the first week of OTAs in Tampa Bay – and not just on Tuesday, which was the day open to the media. Sources tell me that Egbuka, McMillan and Hurst were consist star performers all three days. That’s going to be a sign of things to come heading into – and throughout – training camp.

2. I Think Jason Licht Just Has A Knack For Drafting Receivers

We give Bucs general manager Jason Licht a ton of credit for drafting elite offensive linemen, and we certainly should. As a former guard at Nebraska, he knows the position inside and out and has an outstanding track record for hitting on his picks when drafting O-linemen.

Licht traded up to draft All-Pro Tristan Wirfs, a future Hall of Famer, in the first round in 2020, as well as Pro Bowl guard Ali Marpet (2015), Pro Bowl-caliber right tackle Luke Godeke (2022) and Pro Bowl-caliber guard Cody Mauch (2023) in the second round. He’s also drafted a pair of Super Bowl-winning linemen in left tackle Donovan Smith (2015) and Alex Cappa (2017) in the second and third rounds, respectively. Graham Barton, a first-round center in 2024, has also shown some promise and is a solid starter at the very least.

But Licht could also be known as the Receiver Guru, too. How many NFL general managers have drafted both the best and the second-best wide receivers in franchise history? I can’t think of one other than Licht, who drafted both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr.

Evans and Emeka Egbuka were first-round picks in 2014 and 2025, respectively, but Licht has actually killed it in the third round, too. That’s where he drafted Godwin in 2017, Jalen McMillan in 2024 and Ted Hurst this year. McMillan could be in for his best year yet in Tampa Bay if he can stay healthy, and Hurst is going to be an absolute steal as he looks the part of an NFL receiver already in practice.

The Bucs may not have a 1,000-yard receiver this year, but I could see a scenario where Egbuka, McMillan and Godwin all wind up around 800 yards apiece with Hurst chipping in around 500 yards. Even when the 30-year old Godwin eventually retires, Tampa Bay’s receiver room will still flourish with Egbuka, McMillan and Hurst as the starters and Tez Johnson, a seventh-round steal last year, as a valuable reserve.

Not only has Licht drafted some serious talent at the position, but and the Bucs have successfully avoided drafting diva receivers. That was a lesson Licht learned from the DeSean Jackson days under Dirk Koetter. Find talented, team-oriented receivers – not divas. And Licht has done that exceptionally well.

3. I Think Bigger Is Better Along The Bucs Defensive Line

Head coach Todd Bowles wasn’t kidding when he said he wanted the Bucs to get bigger up front this offseason to help stop the run in 2026. The defensive line room certainly passed the eyeball test during Tuesday’s OTA – and that’s even without 347-pound Pro Bowl nose tackle Vita Vea, who has resumed his offseason workouts with Ndamukong Suh across the country.

Veteran newcomer A’Shawn Robinson certainly looks the part at a massive 6-foot-3, 320 pounds. Not only will he be more effective stopping the run than Logan Hall was as the 4i-5-technique defensive tackle, but his experience, attitude and leadership will all significantly benefit the defensive line room and the defense in general. Some scoffed this offseason over his addition and believe the Bucs overpaid him at $10 million per year, but I think he’s going to be worth every penny.

Look at it this way. If Robinson’s big body and on-the-field performance and production is worth $6 million, then his outspoken leadership in the locker room and in the film room, along with his on-field swagger will be worth the extra $4 million. Tampa Bay’s defense has been too soft over the past two years and Robinson was brought in to not only bring toughness, but also key an attitude adjustment throughout the whole unit. That alone could prove to be invaluable this year, and that’s an important intangible that Robinson brings when it comes to team-building – not a trait that you can necessarily glean from watching tape.

As impressive as Robinson is from a size standpoint, there are some young defensive tackles that look just as impressive in practice from a physical standpoint. Elijah Roberts, last year’s fifth-round pick, looks bigger than his 6-foot-4, 295-pound frame suggests. That’s what Roberts is listed at on the Bucs roster, which is often wrong. Roberts, who is cross-training as a backup 3-technique and 4i, looks like he’s well over 300 pounds now as he continues to transition from being a 4-3 defensive end in college to a defensive tackle in Tampa Bay.

“E-Rob is nice,” Robinson said. “He’s explosive, quick off the ball. Uses his hands well. Takes coaching and tips here and there perfectly and applies them now. He’s a great player.”

The real showstopper is Jayson Jones, a gargantuan 6-foot-6, 340-pound nose tackle who was on the Bucs’ practice squad early in the year after being signed as a rookie after he didn’t make the final roster cutdown in Baltimore. Jones was going to be elevated to the active roster and start in place of the injured Logan Hall in the Week 4 game against Philadelphia but tore his bicep in practice a few days prior. That landed him on injured reserve and 6-foot-1, 335-pound nose tackle Elijah Simmons was elevated instead.

“Having JJ is great to see that big, powerful, explosive guy to be able to get on and off blocks,” Robinson said. “To have that quickness to get off the ball. It’s great seeing those guys really come into themselves coming into the next year.”

Throw in 6-foot-6, 300-pound newcomer Haggai Ndubuisi, who played in Houston last year, and fifth-round pick DeMonte Capehart, who is 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, and the Bucs have some serious beef up front on defense. It’s night and day from a year ago with the likes of Hall and Greg Gaines on the active roster, and there will be some serious battles in training camp and the preseason for the final two roster spots on the defensive line behind Calijah Kancey, Vea, Robinson and Roberts.

4. I Think Marcus West May Be My Favorite Bucs Assistant Coach

If you’ve read my columns on PewterReport.com and viewed my reporting on the Pewter Report Podcast over the years you know that I am a defensive-minded guy. I played some defensive line in high school (albeit not very well) and even spent six years coaching my sons’ Pop Warner team as a defensive line coach and defensive coordinator. I had the privilege of watching defensive line gurus like Rod Marinelli and Joe Cullen coach in Tampa Bay.

I gravitate towards loud, high-energy coaches, and I feel those types are the most successful coaching defensive line. And I think that’s why the unit as a whole began to slide under Kacy Rodgers after Ndamukong Suh left following the 2021 season, and certainly fell off last year when 65-year old Charlie Strong took over as the position coach. Strong was too stoic and quiet for my liking, and wasn’t very effective.

So Todd Bowles pulled the ultimate course correction with 42-year old Marcus West, who literally does hand-to-hand combat with his defensive linemen. I love the relentless coaching style of West, who is always telling his defensive linemen, “I need more!”

This guy is the real deal, and will not just get the most out of veterans like Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey and A’Shawn Robinson, but more importantly, really develop the young talent behind them in Tampa Bay. I really enjoy watching this guy coach. West is a special coach.

5. I Think Offensive Tackle Might Be Bucs’ Most Loaded Position

As if the Bucs don’t have one of the best 1-2 punches at offensive tackle with All-Pro Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke – both of whom make over $20 million per year – the team has some serious depth behind them at the position. The goal of every NFL team is to find a capable swing tackle – an offensive tackle that can step in when an injury hits at either left or right tackle and play steady football. The Bucs are actually blessed to have found two such capable swing tackles and both will make the roster this year.

Veteran Justin Skule returns to Tampa Bay after spending last year at Minnesota. Skule started at left and right tackle during the 2024 season and proved to be a solid fill-in for both Wirfs and Goedeke that year. Last year the team signed veteran Charlie Heck to fill that role and he wasn’t as good as Skule was, so it’s good to have Skule back with the Buccaneers where he fits in so well in the locker room.

Heck wasn’t re-signed because of the emergence of Ben Chukwuma, who made the 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia State. Chukwuma made a couple of starts at left tackle against New Orleans and Miami and looked good doing so despite the Nigerian-born tackle’s lack of experience. He’s an incredible athlete who has starter potential down the road.

As if having two very capable swing tackles wasn’t enough, the Bucs made signing UCF offensive tackle Paul Rubelt a priority in undrafted free agency. At 6-foot-10, 310 pounds, Rubelt is known as “Tall Paul” around the building, and he’s had an impressive start to his rookie season with a great showing in the rookie mini-camp and a good showing in OTAs last week.

Having been born in Germany, Rubelt will make the team as the Bucs’ IPP (International Pathway Program) player and will be given a roster exemption. He’s already a better athlete than another German-born offensive tackle Lorenz Metz, who was the team’s IPP player the last couple of years. While he’s not as ready to start as Chukwuma proved to be last year, Rubelt has some real upside. It’s crazy to think that the Bucs might be five-deep at offensive tackle.

6. I Think Rookie TE Bauer Sharp Is Going To Surprise Some People

There used to be a time when the Bucs just couldn’t hit on draft picks on Day 3. Now, just about every Day 3 pick Tampa Bay makes winds up making the roster for several years – not just the rookie season. And I’m not talking about fourth-round finds like tight end Cade Otton and running back Bucky Irving. I’m talking about late Day 3 guys like seventh-round receiver Tez Johnson, who contributed five touchdowns as a rookie last year.

Although he may be the most unheralded of Tampa Bay’s draft picks, sixth-round tight end Bauer Sharp already has the Bucs buzzing over his ability to make plays as a receiver. He had a great touchdown in Wednesday’s OTA practice, according to one of my sources, and also made a few highlight-reel plays in the rookie mini-camp. There’s a reason why the Bucs traded up to get him in the sixth round.

I think his arrival could signal Devin Culp’s departure. The team’s seventh-round pick in 2024 has been slow to develop as a blocker and in the weight room. He’s struggled to get on the field under two different offensive coordinators. Culp will need the training camp and preseason of his life to beat out Sharp and stick on the roster this year.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Sharp winds up competing with Payne Durham for the No. 2 tight end role this year at some point. Durham is strictly a blocking tight end and is entering a contract year. It’s hard to imagine the Bucs re-signing him after this season to anything other than a cheap, one-year deal like they recently did with Ko Kieft. So Sharp might wind up being a starter in 12 personnel next year alongside Cade Otton if he really develops during his rookie campaign.

7. I Think The Bucs Will Be Running Back-By-Committee This Year

Unless Bucky Irving returns to the lineup in training camp and starts hot out of the gate with some big rushing days, I think we’re going to see a running back-by-committee approach in Tampa Bay under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. Even though he wasn’t here last year, running backs coach Skip Peete and head coach Todd Bowles were, and they saw how the early season workload may have played a role in Irving getting banged up in Week 4 with an ankle injury and a shoulder injury that lingered all year and needed to be surgically repaired this offseason.

At 5-foot-9, 192 pounds, Irving has some special make-you-miss ability as a runner. But when he doesn’t make defenders miss, Irving’s small frame can take some real punishment. Because of last year’s durability issues, the Bucs hedged their bets and signed Kenneth Gainwell to an eye-opening two-year, $14 million deal. And after the team decided against giving Sean Tucker the restricted free agent tender of $3.52 million, the Bucs reversed course and brought him back on a one-year deal that will pay Tucker twice what Irving will be earning this year. Not bad for “a third-string running back.”

Even though Gainwell has just one 100-yard game in his five-year NFL career, he had a pair of games in Pittsburgh last year where he topped 90 yards. If Irving goes down for a period of time in 2026 I have no doubt that Gainwell and Tucker, who has a pair of 100-yard rushing games over his three years in Tampa Bay, could get the job done as a tandem.

Bowles even went so far as to call Gainwell RB1B to Irving’s RB1A designation. In other words, for $7 million per year, Gainwell is not going to play second fiddle to Irving this year the way Rachaad White did last year as former offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard force-fed Irving the ball. I’m not saying that Irving won’t get 1,000 yards this year on the ground. He could. But I think he might get 800 yards whereas Gainwell and Tucker each get 600 yards and the unit tops 2,000 yards collectively.

8. I Think Tampa Bay’s Offense Is Going To Be Ahead Of The Defense This Summer

It’s not uncommon to see a team’s defense ahead of the offense in the offseason, and even in training camp. But if Tuesday’s OTA was any indication, the opposite could be true in Tampa Bay this summer. Wide receivers were running wide open on Tuesday (and that was also the case on Wednesday and Thursday) and it’s no surprise given Baker Mayfield’s familiarity with Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson, Cade Otton and Sean Tucker out of the backfield. Not to mention having all five starters back along the offensive line protecting Mayfield.

That’s a lot of consistency over the last year or two on offense for a very revamped Bucs defense to have to contend with. Todd Bowles could have as many as five new starters out of 11 on defense this year. It’s going to take some time for new linebackers like Alex Anzalone, Josiah Trotter and Christian Rozeboom to fully digest the defense and learn the intricacies of Bowles’ calls. Not to mention newcomers Rueben Bain Jr. and Al-Quadin Muhammad getting up to speed along the defensive line and getting David Walker back and acclimated to the system.

The Bucs secondary will be a work in progress with Benjamin Morrison needing more experience after missing a lot of time as a rookie, and nickelback Keionte Scott starting from the ground floor. I expect Tampa Bay’s receivers to have their way with the secondary for quite some time until the unit learns from taking its lumps against a very formidable arsenal of receivers.

Where the Bucs defense could be very much ahead of the offense this summer is in the running game. Granted, there are no pads on right now, but any attempt at the Bucs running wide zone – or even between the tackles – was met with clogged holes due to a lot of big defensive bodies up front on during the first week of OTAs. If the talented Tampa Bay offensive line can get the ground game going in training camp against what should be a very stout run defense, then the Bucs’ rushing attack may be able to run against anybody.

9. I Think Zac Robinson Is Going To Be Very Successful As The Bucs OC

Just call it a hunch, but new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is going to be as good as advertised this year. Or maybe it’s the fact that I’ve heard that from not only head coach Todd Bowles this offseason (who said the same thing about Liam Coen in the weeks before the 2024 training camp), but also Coen himself at the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix.

Coen told me “Robinson knows how to get receivers open,” and that was certainly the case during Tuesday’s OTAs where the ball rarely hit the ground. All of the Bucs quarterbacks – Baker Mayfield, Jake Browning, Connor Bazelak and rookie Jalon Daniels – were extremely efficient throwing the ball. And the reason why was because the receivers were getting open.

The big-time advantage to having an experienced play-caller like Robinson, who spent the last two years as Atlanta’s offensive coordinator, on hand this year is that Bowles can solely focus on the defense and give Robinson complete autonomy. Bowles will remain the play-caller on defense and should have even more time to dedicate to turning what was a sub-par unit over the last two years into a team strength.

10. I Think We’ve Been Killing It With The Pewter Report Podcasts This Offseason

Pewter Report continues to crank out some really amazing Pewter Report Podcast episodes this offseason. We’ve been joined by the likes of NFL Stock Exchange and Pewter Report alum Trevor Sikkema, NFL Films’ Greg Cosell and Fox Sports’ Greg Auman, as well as outside linebacker David Walker, right guard Cody Mauch, cornerback Zyon McCollum and general manager Jason Licht from the Buccaneers so far this spring.

Our string of Bucs guests continues next week with cornerback Jacob Parrish’s debut on the Pewter Report Podcast on Thursday. Make sure you watch that episode as well as our Bucs OTA Week 2 episode on Tuesday following practice.

All shows, including our Monday and Wednesday podcasts – topics to be determined – are live at 4:00 p.m. ET on our PewterReportTV YouTube channel. Can’t watch the live shows? No problem. All of our podcasts are archived on PewterReportTV where you can also find my Pewter Pulse videos, too.