Top 3 Position Battles to Watch in Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp
Training camp is always an intense time for teams, and that includes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not only can they be learning new concepts and getting physically ready for NFL football, but many players are also competing against each other in heated position battles throughout camp.
Last year, the big story was Baker Mayfield vs. Kyle Trask, and while Mayfield has the starting job locked up this year, there are still some other notable battles to watch. Check out the Top 3 position battles in Bucs camp below.
Wide Receiver: Trey Palmer vs. Jalen McMillan
Trey Palmer gets the "veteran" edge here for a spot a the WR3 position, playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year as a rookie over McMillan's zero years of NFL experience. Palmer caught 39 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season last year and had an impressive catch-and-run touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs, That being said, he had some things to work on, including turnovers — he fumbled the football three times last year as a rookie.
McMillan hasn't played a down of NFL football yet (or even put on pads in training camp, for that matter) but has gotten rave reviews for his smooth route running and sure hands during the offseason. It's early, but he looks more polished than Palmer did coming out of college and could compete for that outside spot opposite Mike Evans. McMillan is a slot archetype, though, and because Chris Godwin is set to occupy that spot, whether or not he'll play outside his rookie year remains to be seen.
Left Guard: Ben Bredeson vs. Sua Opeta
The left guard spot is vacant in Tampa Bay, and both Bredeson and Opeta were signed in free agency with the chance to fill it. Bredeson is the frontrunner so far, taking most of the first-team reps at guard during the offseason to this point. He's a veteran lineman who most recently played for the New York Giants, and while he didn't play great football for them last year, that could be attributed to how frequently he moved around the line. Bredeson started 16 games in New York last year.
Opeta, meanwhile, played in 13 games last year and started six of them for the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have had a great offensive line for some time and Opeta has had a lot of fantastic players to learn from, but he isn't as experienced as Bredeson. While Opeta has fallen behind in the competition so far, everything can change when the pads come on, so this will be a fun competition to watch.
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Nickel Corner: Christian Izien vs. Tavierre Thomas vs. Tykee Smith
There are quite a few players competing for nickel corner here, but we've narrowed it down to three. Christian Izien had the job last year for the Buccaneers in his rookie season, and that's where he netted 47 solo tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups. He will likely get some playing time on the defense regardless of where he is played this year.
Tavierre Thomas came to Tampa Bay from Houston, where he played nickel corner there. He has the most nickel corner experience of anyone in the competition, but only played nine games last year. In his best healthy season for the Texans in 2021, Thomas had 51 solo tackles, two interceptions and four passes defended, so he could be a strong candidate for the position.
Finally, there's the rookie Tykee Smith, who the Bucs drafted out of Georgia in the third round. Smith played safety for the Bulldogs, but the team is set to move him over to nickel — last year, he had 46 solo tackles, four interceptions and two passes defended in college.
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RIVER WELLS
River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.