With the Time to Impress Over, My Thoughts on Who Makes the Squad

The game against Houston last night signaled the end if the preseason for the Buccaneer organization, and ended some players season. One of those players whose season ended last night was Paris Warren. Warren had done enough to make the team, but broke his leg in the fourth quarter with only 3 minutes left on the game winning touchdown catch. Warren was put on IR today, which was a shame because of how hard Warren played to make the team. While Warrens season ended due to injury, others ended because they did not play well enough and will be cut so the Bucs can get down to the 53 man roster.


The Bucs did not play many starters last night at all and gave the backups plenty of chances to make this team. Some players used the opportunity to shine and make the team and others fell on their face and will not be with the team come the end of this weekend. My Projections on the 53 man roster with the starters in bold:


QB: Jeff Garcia, Luke McCown, Bruce Gradkowski
RB: Cadillac Williams, Earnest Graham
FB: Michael Pittman, BJ Askew
WR: Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, David Boston, Michael Clayton, Maurice Stovall, Mark Jones
TE: Alex Smith, Anthony Becht, Jerramy Stevens
OL: Luke Petigout, Anthony Davis, John Wade, Davin Joseph, Jeremy Trueblood, Aaron Sears, Dan Buenning, Donald Penn, Matt Lehr

DL: Gaines Adams, Chris Hovan, Kevin Carter, Greg Spires, Patrick Chukwurah, Jovan Haye, Ellis Wyms, Greg Peterson, Greg White
LB: Derrick Brooks, Barrett Ruud, Cato June, Quincy Black, Ryan Nece, Jamie Winborn
DB: Ronde Barber, Brian Kelly, Will Allen, Jermaine Phillips, Sabby Piscitelli, Tanard Jackson, Phillip Buchanon, Kalvin Pearson, Alan Zematis, Donte Nicholson, Torrie Cox (suspend)

P: Josh Bidwell
K: Matt Bryant
LS: Andrew Economos

I would not start Adams, but the talk out of the Bucs is that he will be the starter. Jovan Haye looked good in training camp, but Carter played very well at the under tackle position. Cox will start the season on the suspended list, which gives Zemaitis 4 weeks to try and make the squad over someone else. Cox looked very good in his action and I think he will defiantly be on the team when he gets back. Buenning and Lehr are versatile and they have been decent during camp so they will make it. Warren's injury made it easy for the Bucs on who should be the wide outs. Mark Jones will be kept to return punts and kickoffs, while I think Hilliard will be the starter opposite of Joey Galloway because no one else really stood out all preseason. The quarterback situation will be interesting with Chris Simms. He came down with a mysterious hip injury, which could allow the Bucs to put him on IR.

Candidates for the practice squad are:

Chris Denman (T), Kenneth Darby (RB), Adam Heyward (LB)