Tampa Bay spent this offseason loading up. They wanted more speed, more versatility, more playmakers. And that means some guys who used to have a comfortable locker in that building might not have one much longer.
Mandatory minicamp wrapped up last week, and the depth chart is starting to take shape. Chris Godwin and Antoine Winfield Jr. are still the anchors they’ve always been. But behind them, a few familiar faces are looking at a tough road ahead. Training camp hasn’t even started yet, and three players in particular are already on thin ice.
The tight end who might be the odd man out
Payne Durham has been a reliable target and a willing blocker since he got to Tampa. But reliable doesn’t always cut it when the room gets deeper. Cade Otton has clearly taken over as the top tight end. Ko Kieft brings a blocking edge coaches love. And the team just drafted Bauer Sharp, a guy whose athletic upside fits exactly what this offense wants to do downfield.
Durham is solid, but he doesn’t do one thing great. He’s a jack of all trades with no specialty, and that’s a dangerous place to be. The cap hit if they cut him is basically nothing. So the Buccaneers might just decide they’d rather gamble on Sharp’s ceiling than keep Durham’s floor.
A punter with an inconsistent leg
Riley Dixon has been in the league long enough that nobody’s surprised when he punts. But special teams is where teams look for savings. Dixon has had stretches where he’s fine, but fine doesn’t always survive roster crunch time. He’s had some shanks lately, and in a conference as tight as the NFC, you can’t afford to give away field position.
New special teams coaches, new philosophies — it all adds up to a situation where a veteran punter with no guaranteed money might be replaced by a younger leg. If the team finds a rookie in camp who can do the job for less, Dixon is probably gone.
Josh Hayes might be the most obvious cut of all
The Bucs remade their secondary this offseason. Benjamin Morrison comes in with first-round promise. Tykee Smith and Jacob Parrish are developing. Zyon McCollum got a long-term commitment. Hayes has been a versatile piece, playing both corner and safety, but consistency has been a problem.
Hayes can help in a pinch. But when you’re lower on the depth chart and the room is suddenly younger and faster, the front office is going to lean toward the guys who fit the future. Hayes is 26, which isn’t old, but he’s not as young as the guys behind him who are still developing.
These decisions are coming fast
This is what happens when a team actually commits to getting better. Every upgrade in free agency or the draft has a ripple effect. Durham, Dixon and Hayes all helped the Bucs at some point. But the team’s offseason moves made it clear that past contributions don’t guarantee future jobs. Training camp starts next month. For these three, the pressure is already on.
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