Each week during the regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ communications department publishes a “Game Release” to aid the media in coverage of their upcoming game. Included in that release are a number of documents regarding the player roster, including a depth chart, which lists the pecking order at every position on offense, defense and special teams.
Each week, we will be taking a closer look at that depth chart, pointing out any changes or relevant notes from the previous game. Let’s start on offense. Players we will be discussing are highlighted in bold text.
- WR: Mike Evans*, Julio Jones, Jaelon Darden
- WR: Chris Godwin, Breshad Perriman
- LT: Donovan Smith, Josh Wells
- LG: Luke Goedeke
- C: Robert Hainsey, Nick Leverett
- RG: Shaq Mason, Brandon Walton
- RT: Tristan Wirfs, Fred Johnson
- TE: Cameron Brate, Kyle Rudolph, Cade Otton, Ko Kieft
- WR: Russell Gage, Scotty Miller
- QB: Tom Brady, Blaine Gabbert, Kyle Trask
- RB: Leonard Fournette, Rachaad White, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Giovani Bernard
* Mike Evans remains in his usual spot on the depth chart even though he has received a one-game suspension from the NFL. It is still possible that Evans will be available in Week Three if he submits a successful appeal of that suspension.
The Buccaneers made one change on the depth chart in Week Three, and it’s at wide receiver. Breshad Perriman had been listed third at the first receiver spot but he is now second behind Chris Godwin in the second of the three receiver positions. Jaelon Darden moves up into Perriman’s previous spot behind Evans and Julio Jones. With Godwin and Jones sidelined by injuries in Week Two and Evans missing the fourth quarter after an ejection, Perriman played 50 snaps of offense in New Orleans, the most by any Bucs receiver and, of course, he caught the go-ahead touchdown on a 28-yard pass in the final period. Darden played eight snaps on offense against the Saints.
Though he is still listed as the second option at right guard behind Shaq Mason, first year offensive lineman Brandon Walton is obviously one of the team’s options at the tackle spots, too. That’s the position he played in college. Starting left tackle Donovan Smith was out for Sunday’s game with an elbow injury, so Josh Wells drew the start at that spot but left shortly before halftime due to a calf injury. Walton stepped in and played left tackle the rest of the way, logging 44 of the 67 snaps at that spot. Tom Brady was only sacked once in the game, on a play in which he started scrambling up the…
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