Tentative Bucs 2024 Roster
August 27th, 2024
Wrapped up cuts early.
It seems Todd Bowles just wanted to get the roster cuts out of the way.
Every coach who has ever worked in the NFL say without hesitation the worst day of the year is when they have to tell dudes they’re not wanted. Go home. Find a new team. Thanks for sweating with us.
Cutdown Day is today with a deadline of 4 p.m. It seems Bowles got a jump on it and cleared his deck to begin focusing on his team being Washington-ready.
Greg Auman of FOX Sports has documented each and ever Bucs transaction since the final worthless preseason game. His intel suggests Bowles is done — for now — with setting his roster. So below is Auman’s list of who survived to be members of your 2024 Buccaneers — for now. Joe wouldn’t be shocked if the Bucs pick up a player or two from another team once he clears waivers.
Offense
Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask
Running backs
Rachaad White, Bucky Irving, Sean Tucker
Wide receivers
Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, Kameron Johnson
Tight ends
Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Devin Culp, Ko Kieft
Offensive line
Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch, Luke Goedeke, Robert Hainsey, Justin Skule, Brandon Walton, Elijah Klein
Defense
Defensive line
Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey, Logan Hall, Greg Gaines, Will Gholston, Earnest Brown
Outside linebackers
Yaya Diaby, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Chris Braswell, Anthony Nelson, Markees Watts, Jose Ramirez
Inside linebackers
Lavonte David, K.J. Britt, SirVocea Dennis, J.J. Russell
Defensive backs
Jamel Dean, Zyon McCollum, Antoine Winfield, Jordan Whitehead, Tykee Smith, Christian Izien, Bryce Hall, Kaevon Merriweather, Josh Hayes, Tavierre Thomas, Tyrek Funderburk
Kicker
Chase McLaughlin
Punter
Jake Camarda
Long snapper
Evan Deckers
August 27th, 2024 at 12:13 am
LFB
August 27th, 2024 at 12:19 am
The inside linebacker position is looking thin thin thin ! Also , why are we keeping 4 TE ? Ko should be let go joe . 🤔
August 27th, 2024 at 12:25 am
Special teams brother. Special teams. Ko Kieft wasn’t kept because he’s Gronk II.
August 27th, 2024 at 12:30 am
When/if Edmonds and Jarrett come off IR, who/ what position group goes?
August 27th, 2024 at 12:41 am
Don’t hold your breath about Edmonds.
August 27th, 2024 at 12:48 am
Surprised we only kept 5 wrs. We have a lot of secondary depth tho.
August 27th, 2024 at 1:01 am
9 rookies. All 7 draft picks and 2 UDFA. If our second year guys take the leap and this class pans out, we are right back in it.
August 27th, 2024 at 1:05 am
A lot of DBs and only 5 receivers. I would go one less DB and one more WR. Miller or Thompson and then decide what to do with Jarrett when he’s off IR
August 27th, 2024 at 1:07 am
Subtract a DB and add a WR.
Also, where is Brewer at DT? He more than earned to be there
August 27th, 2024 at 1:12 am
How is C J Brewer not making it?? #95 Defensive Tackle???
That dude was in the backfield like every other play???
Can’t take Brown over Brewer..
NOOOO WAYYYYYYYY!!!!
August 27th, 2024 at 1:15 am
There is no way you’re going to be able to get Brewer on the practice squad without him being signed by another team….
This is not a smart move!!!!
He was constantly flashing….
More than Gaines or Brown…
August 27th, 2024 at 1:29 am
Actually I kinda heard White Irving as 1A 1B?
August 27th, 2024 at 1:35 am
Kieft is good to have. He’s got good fullback skills.
August 27th, 2024 at 2:29 am
White is gonna be the starter for sure. Bucky and Tucker have a lot to learn with pass pro and screen assignments… especially vs starting caliber ends and linebackers blitzing.
August 27th, 2024 at 2:42 am
Looks about right
August 27th, 2024 at 2:44 am
Surprised by Brown over Brewer and Kieft over WR6
August 27th, 2024 at 2:48 am
Josh Hayes does not belong on the roster. Any other defensive player should have taken his spot.
August 27th, 2024 at 2:48 am
Not sad bout no Thompson
August 27th, 2024 at 3:01 am
Thought that the way Thompson balled out he would be the last WR. I don’t even remember seeing Cameron Johnson in preseason? lol.
Think Jason might add a veteran OLB or even a ILB if he gets a chance. Maybe a blocking TE also.
August 27th, 2024 at 4:33 am
Auman’s roster seems correct.
We do need another inside linebacker. Buc4evr, Joe, and others are right, Jason is probably working on getting more players after the waivers. Lavonte just signed a one year deal so there is that to think about too. Devin was pretty much gone last season, so in retrospect we could really use someone ready to go in that position. Times like these, we would not want to be an NFL GM! Lucky we have Jason.
August 27th, 2024 at 5:40 am
Don’t know how Dennis keeps making the team, he hasn’t made it through one training camp! Dude is always injured, and when he did play, he sucked! I’d keep Grier over him. I wouldn’t keep Ko just for special teams. Most kickoffs will go through the endzone, no team is going to risk giving up a TD with the new rules. Besides, couldn’t Grier also cover kicks considering we’re thin at ILB? I wou;d also keep Brewer over Brown.
August 27th, 2024 at 6:26 am
I really thought they should try to keep Miller and or Thompson. Dang those two dudes impressed the hell out of me. Thing is that they both put some very good tape out there and we may not even get an opportunity to get them back on the PS.
I get it that a draft pick gets some leeway but …dang. We got guys who have done virtually nothing make the 53 over guys who looked to me like they could not only make plays but could be game changers. This is what I hate about this time of year. Giving up good players. Wish we could keep more on the roster …Like maybe 60. Heck just three more spots would be great this year.
Stepping down from my soapbox now…
Go Bucs!
August 27th, 2024 at 6:26 am
Can’t remember seeing an initial roster where we kept 27 on defense & only 23 on offense (plus 3 S/Ts).
o 12 DT/DE/OLBs is unusual (at least 1 & probably 2 more than we normally keep).
o 11 Secondary is unusual (at least 1 more than we normally keep).
o 4 ILBs seems fairly standard.
o 9 OLine seems fairly standard.
o 4 TEs seems fairly standard also, but I’m surprised that we kept both Kieft AND Culp.
o 5 WRs is unusual (at least 1 & probably 2 less than we normally keep).
o 3 RBs is a little unusual (we’ve tended to keep 4 RBs in the past, although all 3 who we kept seem to have good reliability & versatility).
o 2 QBs is also a little risky (the NFL owners changed the rule about the ’emergency’ 3rd QB; he now has to be on the 53-man roster & not just on the Practice Squad).
Looks to me like we went heavy defense to protect several promising youngsters (Ramirez, Watts, Brown, Thunderburk, Hayes) as opposed to protecting more WRs (we cut a couple of very promising rookies I thought). Other than that, no real surprises.
August 27th, 2024 at 6:36 am
ILB is uncomfortably thin. Getting a little tired of this SV Dennis mystery-man situation. As Joe often quotes, “you can’t make the club in the tub”. Well, he did, at least for now. So how long will the powers that be tolerate these seemingly never-ending injury issues. At this point, I can’t even remember what his injury is this time.
August 27th, 2024 at 7:54 am
ALL 7 of Jason Lichts draft picks made the team!
INCREDIBLE!
August 27th, 2024 at 8:10 am
I’m not a fan of SVD, played a full game last year against the Colts and looked terrible. Brewer over Brown too. I would have kept Miller or Thompson, and dropped a DB like Hayes.
August 27th, 2024 at 8:15 am
Agree with everyone else we should have kept another WR like miller and dropped a DB
August 27th, 2024 at 8:17 am
83% of this roster was drafted or scouted as an UDFA by Lichts team. That’s crazy retention.
The cuts that sting the most right now are CJ Brewer and Cody Thompson. Honorable mention to Antonio Grier. I hope the Bucs can retain those three on the PS the most.
August 27th, 2024 at 8:19 am
Agreed, what is the deal with SVD, the guy is a ghost but appears to have made the cut. I was asking about him all training camp and there didn’t seem to be any information, other than he was hurt. The guy probably needs to be on the practice squad. I hope we can pick up a few veterans after the cut down – both ILB and OLB.
August 27th, 2024 at 8:26 am
I think Brewer and Thompson should have been kept. Likely will go elsewhere now.
August 27th, 2024 at 8:27 am
Don’t sleep on JJ Russell. I know we all say ILB is thin but bucs always carry 4 at the position. And Russell has done nothing but play well when given the opportunity, just like Britt did.
August 27th, 2024 at 8:49 am
Dont understand the keeping Kam Johnson over Thompson or Miller. Also, Sirvoccea is in a make or break season. Grier had a solid preseaon and hopefully makes the PS.
August 27th, 2024 at 8:56 am
brewer, grier….
and all those wr’s were balling out for nothing
funderburk is dangling by a thread of floss as licht surfs for a LB
August 27th, 2024 at 8:57 am
may the shuffling begin………………
August 27th, 2024 at 9:00 am
Greg Gaines constantly underwhelms. Doesn’t rush the passer, below average against the run. Would’ve kept Brewer over him.
August 27th, 2024 at 9:15 am
I suspect the team will sign another OL before the season starts or else it feels very light on the OL.
But the roster break down looks mostly what I thought it would look.
I was hoping the team would keep Brewer and Earnest as the team needs an injection of youth on the DL.
Grier should have made it over Dennis. I have been a Dennis defender for some time but even I have give up on him right now.
Isaac should have made the squad but the team is high on Funderburk, Izien, Merriweather and Smith as young guys in the secondary.
August 27th, 2024 at 9:21 am
I agree 💯 with what “DR” says… My exact thoughts on every point.
August 27th, 2024 at 9:50 am
Bucs coaching staff would waive Cooper Kupp over Kameron Johnson just because Johnson was .5 second faster even though he has no footwork or moves and runs disciplined routes like Kupp. It’s the Achilles heel of the Bucs. They rely to much on stopwatch players. See JTS.
August 27th, 2024 at 10:13 am
@Drdneast – Missing the mark on Kam Johnson. Not only coaches but even more Buc players have spoken out about how good Kam Johnson is because he is a polished receiver. In fact, Chase Edmonds wrote a public statement declaring on X weeks before training camp that Kam would make the 53 because he was so good and that he reminds him of Randall Cobb.
His progress was delayed in camp because he was dealing with multiple rib injuries. Now he is healthy and can continue onward and upward.
August 27th, 2024 at 10:24 am
This can’t be right. Bucs General Manager Dave Pear has said repeatedly right here on JBF that John Wolford would be the #2 quarterback. What gives?
August 27th, 2024 at 10:41 am
Every rookie in this draft is on the 53, not bad Mr. Licht
August 27th, 2024 at 10:45 am
I thought the WR Thompson would make the 53, many are saying over Kam, but you have to look at it this way, with all the buzz over a younger Johnson, clear waivers, where Thompson who is older may be able to clear waivers and find the PS
August 27th, 2024 at 10:58 am
Looks good to me. Yes, there could have been another WR. And one less DB. A couple should clear waivers and re-sign to the practice squad. With four on the 53 they should all get a quantity of snaps! That could be a good thing! Some of those other players that stood out during camp will also re-sign to practice squad. And be there if injuries kick in. Now let’s plan for Washington!
August 27th, 2024 at 11:03 am
And what I believe is good.news is that through out the NFL there is an abundance of young quality WRs many of who will be put on waivers. So our guys, that didn’t make the 53, should make the practice squad.
August 27th, 2024 at 11:06 am
Correction – 5 WRs
August 27th, 2024 at 11:08 am
Turns out Wolford really really sucked. Too bad. Bucs will need to sign a proper backup QB.
August 27th, 2024 at 11:11 am
Preseason is worthless. I’m surprised this is even a debate. Coaches can create specific game situations in training camp to evaluate a player, especially during joint practices. You won’t get that in preseason.
August 27th, 2024 at 11:20 am
I really like this roster! Might even have a little depth at several positions.
August 27th, 2024 at 11:40 am
Everything at DL wow.
August 27th, 2024 at 11:46 am
Congratulations Jose Ramirez #33
August 27th, 2024 at 11:48 am
I like Ko Kieft but man I thought he wasn’t gonna make it. He has to be one heck of a special teams player though. Also with everyone on the extra WR and one less DB but this is a defensive minded head coach so not really surprised. Also think Brewer played better than Brown, not taking anything away from Brown he played well too but Brewer looked like a starter out there in pre season.
August 27th, 2024 at 11:56 am
Dave Pear
Must be fustrating to always have stupid takes and be wrong
August 27th, 2024 at 12:03 pm
Kam Johnson is the primary punt and kick returner – for those wondering why he was kept and Thompson was cut…..
The 4th TE (Kieft) and the 11th DB (Funderburk) are also likely better Special Teams players than Thompson….
Cody Thompson sure seemed to have earned a roster spot with all his catches in the preseason…. but if you are the 4th, 5th or 6th player at any position on the team – you had best be a very good special teamer….. which I’m guessing Thompson is not….
August 27th, 2024 at 12:44 pm
Pretty happy Hayes made it!
I’ve met someone from Hayes family and she is a lovely person and has a great family.
Go Bucs!
August 27th, 2024 at 12:53 pm
Brown outplayed Brewer simple
August 27th, 2024 at 2:01 pm
drdneast Says:
“Bucs coaching staff would waive Cooper Kupp over Kameron Johnson just because Johnson was .5 second faster.”
That’s 50% faster. That’s actually a lot faster.
August 27th, 2024 at 2:14 pm
Defense Rules Says:
August 27th, 2024 at 6:26 am
Can’t remember seeing an initial roster where we kept 27 on defense & only 23 on offense (plus 3 S/Ts).
———-
Yeah, that stuck out to me as well looking at this.
Only 2 QBs, 3 RBs and 5 WRs and 9 on the OL?
Plus keeping a bunch of scrub defensive backs.
I’d assume, hope, that they’ll be cycling out some of those DBs to reinforce other parts of the roster.
August 27th, 2024 at 3:35 pm
Still can’t believe Jordan Whitehead is back. What happened with the Jets???
August 27th, 2024 at 4:42 pm
I liked the safety Banks and 81 Miller. In Licht we trust.
August 27th, 2024 at 6:22 pm
I meant to say thin at DL… yikes
August 27th, 2024 at 10:12 pm
Simeon4HOF Says:
August 27th, 2024 at 2:44 am
Surprised by Brown over Brewer and Kieft over WR6
Agree
August 27th, 2024 at 10:26 pm
Seems like one more WR and one less DB should have happened.
That is an awful lot of DBs – And the last two I am pretty sure will never see the field unless the season is gone injuries.
I guess WR Jarrett will come off IR sooner rather than later and one of them will be gone.
August 27th, 2024 at 10:28 pm
Seems like two extra DBs and missing one WR. I guess Jarrett will be coming off IR sooner rather than later.
Plus, I wouldn’t be surprised if they make another move with signing someone soon