Which position battles should fans have their eye on?

With Bucs training camp now officially underway, the team and fans will get a first hand look at how some of the new additions look as well as how the veterans are adjusting to different schemes or packages being put into place. However, that isn’t the only thing that training camp is used for.

Not every position on an NFL roster will be perfect, so there will be competition at certain spots. There’s a good chance the reason you see a player in certain position groups on the field come week 1 is because of the performance he had in camp and the preseason games. Let’s take a look at some potential battles to keep an eye on.

WR3: Jalen McMillan vs Trey Palmer

Trey Palmer had a pretty solid rookie season, and it was one that maybe he wasn’t even expected to have. After Russell Gage went down with a season ending injury, Palmer stepped up and became the team’s WR3 for the 2023 season. He had his ups and downs like any rookie would, but overall, a good body of work.

Where things get interesting for Palmer is the decision the Bucs made in April to draft Jalen McMillan out of Washington in the 3rd round. The battle between the two young receivers will be interesting, but McMillan has made a strong first impression thus far

It is the first few days of camp, and the pads haven’t fully come on yet, but it is good to see McMillan get off to a nice start. Don’t count out Palmer though, he’s still incredibly talented and this is a battle I don’t think will be handed over by either player easily.

Starting LG: Ben Bredeson vs Sua Opeta

The next competition is one between two players the Bucs signed this past offseason. Bredeson came over from the New York Giants while Opeta was with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. Bredeson is 26 years old and Opeta is 27, so both players still have some solid upside.

When looking along the Bucs offensive line, most of the positions appear to be set. With Wirfs and Goedeke holding down both tackle spots and Mauch having the other guard spot, plus presumably Graham Barton taking the center position, left guard is one the area where there isn’t a clear answer. The Bucs have been trying to find the right formula at offensive line seemingly since the end of the 2021 season where Ali Marpet retired and Ryan Jensen was hurt in camp before the season began.

Evaluating offensive line during training camp practices can be difficult, so this battle might come down to who performs best in the preseason but the left guard spot is truly one that is up in the air for this team.

Nickel Cornerback: Christian Izien vs Tykee Smith vs Tavierre Thomas

Cornerback was another room that the Bucs shock up this offseason when they traded longtime starter Carlton Davis to the Detroit Lions. With that, they are hopeful that Zyon McCollum will step up in his absence at outside corner, but what about the nickel spot? This is one of the few battles where it is more than two guys fighting for the same job as the Bucs have a good bit of options.

Christian Izien was the nickel corner for the beginning of the season in 2023 and got off to a hot start but fizzled out a bit as the year went on. Tykee Smith out of Georgia was the Bucs other 3rd round pick and while he’s listed as a safety, he played mostly nickel for the Bulldogs. Then there is Tavierre Thomas, the veteran corner the Bucs signed this offseason, coming over from the Houston Texans.

In today’s NFL, the nickel corner is so important so the Bucs will have to find a way to get the right man for the job. All of these players should get a fair shot to be in that role and we’ll see who comes out on top, but it will be interesting to see which way the Bucs lean as all three of those guys have lots of versatility.

One of the most exciting parts of training camp is watching guys fight for jobs as well as roles and this year is no different with Tampa Bay.