Rookie Class Is Beginning To Look Special
August 20th, 2023
Impact from rookies.
One thing jumped out at Joe after last night’s game: If production in a worthless preseason game is in any way a window into the regular season, the Bucs may have a dynamite rookie class.
Like most fans, Joe is more focused on top-drafted rookies. Calijah Kancey turned heads in camp until he suffered a calf injury. Cody Mauch looks to be as advertised with his violent run blocking. YaYa Diaby has Bucs coaches and suits talking with guarded optimism.
It’s not just the high-draft picks. Last night the Bucs got solid play from Day 3 draft picks and undrafted free agents.
Though the run game stunk (again) early, rookies Sean Tucker and Ronnie Brown demonstrated they need to touch the ball this week when the Bucs face the Crows in the final worthless preseason game.
Sean Tucker, the undrafted rookie out of Syracuse, had 37 yards on seven carries, an average of 5.3 yards a rush. He also broke off a 26-yard run on fourth-and-one. It was the longest run of the night for Tampa Bay.
Ronnie Brown made people miss. What a concept! Those two backs have shown Joe more than all the other backs with the exception of veteran Chase Edmonds against the Steelers.
Big Play Trey Palmer, a sixth-round pick, showed the NFL isn’t too big for him as he has made two highlight-reel touchdown catches in his first two at-bats wearing an NFL uniform. He may be the Bucs’ No. 3 receiver.
Undrafted rookie Rakim Jarrett had three catches for 84 yards, an average of 28 yards a catch. Not bad for his first time on an NFL field in a game situation. Jarrett missed last week’s game.
If these aforementioned Day 3 draft picks and undrafted free agents all make the roster, this might just be a special draft class.
August 20th, 2023 at 8:01 am
“worthless preseason game” Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr….!!
August 20th, 2023 at 8:16 am
I reallly liked the interview of John Spytek
August 20th, 2023 at 8:18 am
So far so good! They played well and should improve with more snaps.
August 20th, 2023 at 8:18 am
Maybe none of these guys will be high end contributors their first year but I really some hope that all these guys will be contributors in the next 4 to 6 years.
That is really how you build teams. Seems like good work from Licht and Spytek this year.
August 20th, 2023 at 8:25 am
“If production in a worthless preseason game is in any way a window into the regular season….”
Maybe this line of thought should be applied to QB as well.
August 20th, 2023 at 8:35 am
Replace Vaughn with Tucker and Brown is a no brainer…Oh wait, Bowles. Let Mayfield back up Trask and hope Wolf is Ok.
August 20th, 2023 at 9:07 am
Our run blocking is very concerning……I think Tucker is even better than he looked…..
Jarrett should make the team.
Evans, Godwin, Moore, Palmer, Thompkins, Jarrett…….Geiger & Warner to the PS.
Not sure Jose Ramirez & Josh Hayes will even make the team.
Christian Izien, Markees Watts, Rakim Jarrett, Sean Tucker…..4 UDFAs that may make it.
August 20th, 2023 at 9:09 am
Relax it’s been 2 pre season games
August 20th, 2023 at 9:20 am
They are pretty good but special nah it’s too early to be saying that. I do feel good if we were to suffer injuries across the roster except both sides of the trenches, were toast if any of them get hurt
August 20th, 2023 at 9:26 am
I’m done judging players, good or bad, based off of preseason action. It’s pointless without the full group of starters on the field.
August 20th, 2023 at 10:22 am
Start Sean Tucker the last preseason game, it seems he has better vision that Vaughn.
August 20th, 2023 at 10:39 am
PRESEASON games mean nothing It’s a long season. Last year Buccaneers were 0-3, the opened with two impressive wins on the road.
August 20th, 2023 at 10:47 am
Special? Is this a smoke screen/diversion to take the stank off the Logan Hall/Fluke Goedeke debacles? Good to see some UDFAs do well in pre-season but this is a bigger reach than…well…Goedeke.
August 20th, 2023 at 10:55 am
Jarrett WR3 and Palmer WR4
August 20th, 2023 at 12:36 pm
“If these aforementioned Day 3 draft picks and undrafted free agents all make the roster, this might just be a special draft class.”
Or it says something about the rest of the roster….
I kid. I do have high hopes for this draft class.
August 20th, 2023 at 12:51 pm
Jarrett, Tucker and Palmer earned their spots no matter who is on the roster
August 20th, 2023 at 1:21 pm
Palmer has been a great find on day 3 for sure. You can tell he is having fun and is fitting right in as a starting NFL WR. What a steal.
August 20th, 2023 at 1:32 pm
Palmer is our taller Tyreek Hill. Dude is a baller.
August 20th, 2023 at 1:57 pm
Palmer, Tucker, and Jarrett are keepers.
August 20th, 2023 at 2:03 pm
I thought Goedeke and Mauch looked decent. Arrow is pointing in the right direction. Basically two rookies. They’ll continue to improve.
August 20th, 2023 at 2:05 pm
Trey palmer is our best bucs receiver yeah I Said it
August 20th, 2023 at 3:51 pm
So out in the Pacific Northwest traveling and try as I may, can’t get the games, but not even a box score mention of Sirvocea Dennis or Yaya Diaby. Did they not play last night.
August 20th, 2023 at 3:53 pm
@SOEBuc,
Jarrett ahead of Palmer? Palmer has produced in two games, in practice, and has game wrecking speed.
Jarrett has one game against insurance salesmen.
August 20th, 2023 at 4:07 pm
Jarrett is not in from of Palmer. Palmer has been a baller and he’s been available.
August 20th, 2023 at 4:12 pm
Palmer & Jarrett & Thompkins, and no particular order, look like receivers 3-5.
Tucker will be RB #2 before the end of this year and probably splitting time at #1 next year. He looks like the steal of the undrafted for the entire NFL.
August 20th, 2023 at 4:15 pm
Slow down there joes, before we start thinking this class could even be even alright. Let’s see them play against opponents starters in the regular season. Go Bucs!!
August 20th, 2023 at 6:43 pm
I saw even more. GREAT plays from Chesney and Britt. I thought those both did much better than I expected!
August 20th, 2023 at 7:09 pm
Good comment tbbf. I agree with everything you wrote. And yes – a # of the UDFAs are outplaying late rd draft picks. Izien will be our starting Nickle DB.
Can you imagine how excited that kid is – a UDFA rookie who literally WON himself the opportunity to play 70% of snaps as a starting Nickle DB…. as a rookie…. Lets just hope he truly is ready for Prime Time – we’ll see….
Crickett – Britt has had a big preseason so far. He’s making plays. Doesn’t look “slow” at all which is always the knock on his ceiling…
Russell made plays last night too.
Neither wants to be cut but one of them will.
Sir Dennis will be on the team and the Bucs are only going to keep 4 ILBs.
August 20th, 2023 at 8:52 pm
Bucs needed a rookie class like this to give them a jolt of energy. They were sleep walking into games last season.
August 20th, 2023 at 10:38 pm
~ A Proclamation from the silent MAJORITY ~
We keep hearing a few nay sayers saying whoa. Slow down. Hold up.
The silent MAJORITY says NO! We WILL NOT hold up. We will NOT slow down! And for those that say whoa, What? You riding on a high horse??? Doesn’t even matter. The answer is NO! We, the silent MAJORITY, will NOT curve OUR ENTHUSIASM for better or worse.
Get it? Got it??? GOOD!
GO FOR IT BUCCANEERS FANS!
August 21st, 2023 at 7:12 am
Pilgrim
“The Bucs will only keep 4 lbers”
You do know that we play a 3/4 defense?
Guess we wont have any backups. Thats an interesting approach.
I think the best talent out of this class will be SirVices Dennis..
Also think Ramerez has a real shot
August 21st, 2023 at 12:20 pm
Special teams is the ticket to a roster spot for rookies. I was a rookie in 1969, who did not make it