TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers open training camp July 26 at the AdventHealth Training Center in Tampa. Here’s a 53-man roster projection:
QUARTERBACK (3): Jameis Winston, Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Griffin
Winston will start and Gabbert will serve as the backup. Do the Bucs believe there's a future with Griffin, who's been in the league since 2013 but has yet to take a regular-season snap? Or do they look toward the future with the highly versatile Nick Fitzgerald?
RUNNING BACK (4): Peyton Barber, Ronald Jones, Bruce Anderson, Andre Ellington
Barber and Jones are locks to make the 53-man roster, with the next two spots up for grabs. Ellington has experience in Arians' system as a third-down back, while Anderson, who had 2,896 career yards from scrimmage at North Dakota State, edges out Dare Ogunbowale.
WIDE RECEIVER (6): Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Breshad Perriman, Justin Watson, Scotty Miller, Anthony Johnson
The Bucs were thrilled with Perriman's work this offseason and Miller fills not only Adam Humphries' vacated spot in the slot, but can also get up the field vertically and can handle kick return duties, edging out Bobo Wilson. Johnson, who had 2,367 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns in two seasons at Buffalo grabs the final spot. DaMarkus Lodge, an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss, and Bryant Mitchell, who spent the last four seasons in the CFL, are two other names to watch.
TIGHT END (3): O.J. Howard, Cameron Brate, Antony Auclair
Should Brate's hip injury be a concern, the Bucs could turn to Jordan Leggett, Donnie Ernsberger or Tanner Hudson as the No. 4 tight end. A fifth-round draft pick, Leggett was active in 15 games for the New York Jets last season.
OFFENSIVE LINE (10): Donovan Smith, Demar Dotson, Ali Marpet, Ryan Jensen, Earl Watford, Alex Cappa, Evan Smith, Caleb Benenoch, Josh LeRibeus, Cole Boozer
Could the Bucs lean toward taking 10 offensive linemen due to concerns over Dotson and Evan Smith's health? If so, Boozer, who signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent in 2018, could get the nod. Evan Smith will have his work cut out for him after undergoing surgery in both hips and missing the entire offseason. That's where LeRibeus, who's seen action in 50 career games with 15 starts, could step in -- especially considering Cappa isn't where they'd like him to be, according to sources. Interior lineman Mike Liedtke also saw action in nine games over the last two seasons and will be one to watch when the pads come on.
DEFENSIVE LINE (6): Ndamukong Suh, Vita Vea, Beau Allen, William Gholston, Terry Beckner Jr., Jeremiah Ledbetter
Beckner and Ledbetter clinch the final two roster spots, although Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who started 16 games for the Kansas City Chiefs, is another name to watch.
LINEBACKER: (9) Shaquil Barrett, Carl Nassib, Noah Spence, Lavonte David, Devin White, Deone Bucannon, Kevin Minter, Anthony Nelson, David Kenney
Jason Pierre-Paul starts the season on the active/non-football injury list. The final outside linebacker spot could come down to Kenney and Kahzin Daniels, with Kenney, who came to rookie camp as a tryout player, edging him out based on practice reps. Jack Cichy, who is recovering from a torn ACL, and Davante Bond -- both draft picks from previous years -- miss the cut.
DEFENSIVE BACK (9): Vernon Hargreaves, Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting, Jamel Dean, Justin Evans, Jordan Whitehead, Mike Edwards, Kentrell Brice, M.J. Stewart
Cornerback Ryan Smith will miss the first four games of the season due to suspension. They'll lose out on a key special-teams gunner, but will have an easier decision to make at a position the Bucs now feel like they have some depth in. Only two players in this group -- Hargreaves and Brice -- have three years of experience in the league.
SPECIALIST (3): K Matt Gay, P Bradley Pinion, LS Zach Triner
Gay, a fifth-round draft pick, edges out Cairo Santos, becoming the 11th kicker to start for the Bucs since 2009. Triner wins the long-snapper job by default after Dan Godsil was waived following rookie minicamp.