The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a number of veteran stalwarts on both sides of the ball.  Players like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Tristan Wirfs, Lavonte David, Antoine Winfield, Jr., Vita Vea, and others have proven to be ingredients in a championship recipe in Tampa. 

However, like any good meal, it takes some spice added in at the end.  General manager Jason Licht added that masterfully in the 2023 NFL Draft with several key additions. 

That was apparent in the Buccaneers' 32-9 thrashing of the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night during the wild-card round.  Six of the Buccaneers' eight rookies drafted in 2023 played in the game, and a number made significant contributions. 

A young pair of building blocks up front

On the defensive side of the ball, the Buccaneers' first round pick DL Calijah Kancey was disruptive repeatedly throughout the game.  The former Pitt Panther finished with 4 tackles, 0.5 sack, 1 tackle for loss and a quarterback hit in 37 of the defense's 59 snaps.  

He and edge rusher Yaya Diaby – Tampa Bay's third-round pick out of Louisville – have given the Buccaneers a bright future on the defensive line.  Diaby led the Buccaneers with 7.5 sacks as a rookie despite only starting the last seven games of the regular season.  He eventually took over as the starter over Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and has rewarded Todd Bowles' faith. 

Palmer and Mauch establishing roles

On offense, Trey Palmer only had one catch, but he made it count with a 56-yard weaving touchdown to put the Bucs up 25-9 late in the third quarter and all but break the Eagles' backs.  Palmer, a sixth-round pick out of Nebraska, has established himself as the number three wide receiver in the Bucs' offense.   He caught 39 passes on 68 targets for 385 yards and 3 touchdowns in the regular season. 

Cody Mauch went from FCS football at North Dakota State to starting at right guard for the Buccaneers.  Tampa Bay's second-round pick was able to maintain the starting job for all 17 games.  It wasn't all smooth sailing on Monday for Mauch though, who struggled at times with Eagles DL Fletcher Cox on passing downs.  

Others finding a role

TE Payne Durham managed to pull in an 18-yard catch in the fourth quarter as the Buccaneers drove 83 yards for the game's final points.  The fifth-round tight end from Purdue had 7 catches for 58 yards in 143 snaps during the regular season as the team's third tight end. 

LB SirVocea Dennis, the Buccaneers' other fifth-round pick out of Pitt, has stuck around on special teams while providing depth behind veterans David, Devin White, and K.J. Britt.  The rookie appeared in 13 games and played 19 snaps on special teams on Monday night. 

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The Buccaneers were in major cap trouble as the 2023 league year began, with over $80 million in dead cap money.  Competing for major free agents wasn't a realistic possibility.  Licht had to hit on his draft picks perhaps more than any other year in his tenure.

After Monday night, it feels safe to say that he did just that. 

Buccaneers reach two franchise firsts in win over Eagles

The Bucs set some impressive marks on Monday night