Bucs Mailbag: Inside Scoop From Rookie Mini-Camp

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Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds answers your questions from the @PewterReport Twitter account each week in the Bucs Mailbag. Submit your question to the Bucs Mailbag each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag.  Here are the Bucs draft questions we chose to answer for this week’s edition.

QUESTION: Which Bucs draft picks stood out to you the most during the team’s rookie mini-camp?

ANSWER: It’s really hard to form some concrete opinions on brand-new rookies after just two practices – especially when Friday and Saturday was a basic crash course on the Bucs offensive and defensive schemes. And it’s also difficult to focus on just two or three guys when there are eight new draft picks and 18 undrafted free agents who were signed by Tampa Bay. That’s a lot of new dudes in red and pewter.

Bucs OLB YaYa Diaby and ILB SirVocea Dennis – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But in terms of making a really good first impression, I would say outside linebacker YaYa Diaby is one who stands out just because he looks the part. He’s big, fast and powerful. He’s two inches shorter than Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and weighs about the same on the scales, but he’s just built differently. If Diaby can absorb the playbook quickly, I think he can make an impact as a situational pass rusher and maybe push Anthony Nelson for the No. 3 outside linebacker spot on the depth chart.

The two rookie inside linebackers SirVocea Dennis, the team’s fifth-round pick, and Jeremy Banks, an undrafted free agent, also really caught my eye. Dennis has underrated coverage ability, and he had an early pick-six in Friday’s practice and a great, one-handed catch dropping into coverage on Saturday in individual drills.

Dennis was known mostly as a blitzer at Pitt with 15 career sacks, but he has the instincts and football I.Q. to become a complete inside linebacker. Banks is just a fluid and fast athlete with a nose for the football. He just flashed when he and Dennis were on the field as the starting inside linebackers.

That’s not to say that rookies like defensive tackle Calijah Kancey or right guard Cody Mauch – or others – didn’t stand out. They flashed and had their moments. I was just more impressed initially by Diaby, Dennis and Banks.

QUESTION: Now that rookie mini-camp is over, out of all undrafted free agents we had in, how many of them do you think are going to make the team?

ANSWER: In speaking with some team sources over the weekend, they are not only thrilled about this draft class, the Bucs are also very excited about a handful of undrafted free agents. There is a long way to go and none of these guys have even put on the pads for a single training camp practice, but inside linebacker Jeremy Banks has created some buzz, in addition to safeties Chris Izien and Kaevon Merriweather.

Bucs WR Rakim Jarrett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Charlotte outside linebacker Markees Watts was a tryout player who signed with the Bucs, per Greg Auman, so obviously he flashed as well. Watts had 21.5 career sacks in college. The Bucs signed a total of four tryout players from Bucs rookie mini-camp.

Offensively, the Bucs are high on wide receiver Rakim Jarrett, and slot receiver Kade Warner could be an undrafted free agent sleeper a la Adam Humphries from years ago back in 2015. Tampa Bay is anxious to see running back Sean Tucker on the field once his heart ailment clears up. The hope is he can get medically cleared before training camp. He has a good chance to make the 53-man roster as the fourth running back at least.

In all, don’t be surprised to see four or five undrafted free agents make the 53-man roster this year. The Bucs found a lot of talent in this year’s draft – and after it was over, too.

QUESTION: The Bucs press conferences this past week were good. Which were your favorites?

ANSWER: There are a lot of compelling stories in this year’s group of draft picks. All of these guys seem very serious about their craft as football players, but also have very likable personalities, which should help this group form a tight bond rather quickly. Team chemistry and camaraderie can help make or break a team, and these are some good dudes who are definitely team-oriented and have some leadership qualities.

Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis – Photo by: Adam Slivon/PR

The hunger from outside linebacker YaYa Diaby, who had a long, winding path to get to the NFL that included working at Atlanta’s Hartfield Airport before his stints at Georgia Military Academy and Louisville is quite apparent. SirVocea Dennis’ cerebral, thinking man’s approach to football was on display during his press conference.

It’s hard not appreciate the humble swagger of speedy wide receiver Trey Palmer, who – for some reason – doesn’t think he’s fast despite running a 4.33. Defensive back Josh Hayes’ love of contact grew from running into oak trees as a kid. Kade Warner, son of Kurt Warner, called himself the smartest receiver in the draft and plays with a chip on his shoulder.

It seems like every Bucs rookie has an edge to him in a different way. And of course, we got a chance to talk to offensive coordinator Dave Canales, whose press conferences are a breath of fresh air compared to Byron Leftwich’s last year. All in all, it was a great week for quotes and stories – hope everyone is enjoying the content on PewterReport.com.

QUESTION: Coach Harold Goodwin said he sees Brandon Walton as a guard? This team has six or seven guards for two spots and no depth at offensive tackle at all. Please help us understand.

ANSWER: At first glance, it certainly appears that the Bucs might be top-heavy at guard without enough quality offensive tackle candidates on the roster. The team drafted Cody Mauch and signed Matt Feiler. Those two appear to be penciled in as projected starters at right and left guard, respectively. Nick Leverett and Robert Hainsey, who started every game at center in place of Ryan Jensen last year, are probably the stiffest competition for the guard jobs, with Aaron Stinnie, John Molchon and undrafted free agent Chris Murray also in the mix.

Bucs OT Brandon Walton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But the Bucs do have some numbers at tackle, too. Tristan Wirfs is slated to start at left tackle and Luke Goedeke will get the first shot at right tackle. Just because Harold Goodwin thinks Brandon Walton is more of a guard doesn’t mean that’s where he’ll wind up. The front office believes Walton can be in the mix as a swing tackle after playing left tackle at Florida Atlantic in college a few years ago. Perhaps Walton is best suited at guard, but he’ll be in the mix at tackle.

Aside from Walton, the Bucs actually have several others competing for depth, including veteran Justin Skule, for the right to replace Josh Wells. Also in the mix are first-year players Grant Hermann and Michael Niese, and rookies Silas Dzansi, Luke Haggard and Raiqwon O’Neal. Including Walton, that’s eight tackles aside from Wirfs and Goedeke.

The problem is that they are not as well known or publicized yet. But the Bucs are really only looking for two guys out of that seven, and I assume Walton will be one of them. We’ll see how it shakes out in camp, and remember, Feiler has years of NFL experience at right tackle, too. He could be a fall-back option if Goedeke struggles or gets hurt.

QUESTION: Early in the offseason you mentioned Baker Mayfield pursuing the Bucs as much as they pursued him, and recently mentioned Chase Edmonds pursuing the Bucs. How common is that, and what connections did they have to Tampa?

ANSWER: Having connections around the league isn’t uncommon, but neither Baker Mayfield nor Chase Edmonds had any real connections to the Bucs front office or coaching staff. Pewter Report reported that former Bucs head coach Bruce Arians loved Mayfield coming out of Oklahoma in 2018, and his opinion is still valued by both head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht.

Bucs RB Chase Edmonds – Photo by: USA Today

It came down to Mayfield and Jacoby Brissett this offseason when signing a veteran quarterback, and the Bucs went with the player with more upside and potential. Mayfield also proved that he could be a dynamic quarterback in 2020, leading the Browns to an 11-5 record and a playoff win. The team felt like his skill set and playing style could be a perfect fit in Dave Canales offense, and hope he can have Geno Smith-like career resurrection in Tampa Bay. Mayfield felt the same way and took less money to play with the Bucs.

As for Edmonds, the Bucs really liked him last year and wanted to sign him, but with Tom Brady coming out of retirement and back for another season, the decision was made to stick with Leonard Fournette and Giovani Bernard in terms of free agent running backs. But the team’s fondness for Edmonds didn’t wane, and he really wanted to be a Buccaneer, even signing a deal for the veteran league minimum.

While not grandiose signings, the free agent additions of Mayfield and Edmonds show that Tampa Bay is still an attractive place to play post-Brady. And that there is plenty of talent on the Bucs roster that can still attract free agents to join the team.

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