Most starting positions are already locked in as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick off training camp in preparation for the 2024 season.
There will be no competition at quarterback as there was last season, as Baker Mayfield has firmly entrenched himself as the starting quarterback.
Raachad White is the starter at running back and Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are the starters at wide receiver.
Tristan Wirfs, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch, and Luke Goedecke have four of the five positions locked up along the offensive line, too.
Left Guard
However, the left guard position will have some good competition to see who will emerge as the starter.
Ben Brederson and Sua Opeta will battle it out to see who will be the starting left guard.
According to PFF Focus and ESPN, Brederson is the favorite to win the starting job.
Playing 300 snaps with the New York Giants last season, Brederson was ranked 72 in the NFL in run blocking and 78 in pass blocking.
Opeta, who played with the Eagles last season, did not fair much better. He ranked number 48 as a pass blocker and 64 as a run blocker.
Outside Linebacker
With Shaq Barrett retiring and Jo Tryon-Shoyinka not having proven his worth so far in Tampa, there will be some good competition at edge rusher.
Ya Ya Diaby had a great rookie season and was even in the conversation for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
He is the starter on the left side right now, but he will face competition from Randy Gregory if he decides to show up.
The Bucs drafted linebacker Chris Braswell from Alabama in the second round, and he will undoubtedly push Tryon-Shoyinka in training camp to start on the right side.
Another interesting roster move for the Buccaneers was signing linebacker Kalen DeLoach from Florida State as a free agent.
DeLoach chose Tampa over offers from a few other teams and looks forward to working with KJ Britt and Lavonte David.
Todd Bowles likes the versatility that Deloach brings to the linebacker position.
“He has a good opportunity back there at linebacker,” Bowles said. “He’s a very good special teams player. He’s a very good nickel guy. He can play middle or weak inside linebacker. He can play 2-backer spots. So, anybody has a chance when you do a lot of jobs on this club. He has a good chance to make it.”
The Buccaneers signed linebacker Randy Gregory this off-season, but he has been a no-show for all team OTA’s and mini-camp.
Head coach Todd Bowles said he has no idea where Gregory is and can’t be 100 percent sure he will report for training week.
If Gregory is focused and his mind is right, he could help this Bucs team as a linebacker, but that remains to be seen.
Wide Receiver
The other interesting roster battle is shaping at wide receiver after Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Trey Palmer is the number three receiver on the depth chart, but the competition between Palmer and rookie Jalen McMillian for that number three spot should be intense.
Palmer is in no danger of losing his spot on the roster, but McMillian brings a ton of confidence, swagger, and bravado to the position that has been missing from the team for a while.
Palmer has game-breaking speed and played well in the second half of last season, but he needs to be more consistent overall.
McMillian is already taking reps with the starters, and if he shows he can be consistent throughout training camp, he could get the WR3 position over Trey Palmer.
Rakim Jarrett and Sterling Shepherd will round out the Buccaneers receiver room as WR5 and WR6.