Bucs might have found a player at rookie minicamp that everyone else forgot to sign
Tampa Bay is continuing the NFL dream of three tryout players from rookie minicamp, and one might be a hidden gem.
NFL rookie minicamps feel a bit like the scene from the movie Rudy, when the assistant coach tells the tryout players that out of all the dreamers they might keep one or two for their scout team.
Dozens of players line up and give it their best shots to try to impress NFL coaches in the first event following the NFL Draft. And after Tampa Bay’s rookie camp, the Bucs are giving three players a longer look this summer.
Per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman, the Bucs are signing three tryout players from rookie minicamp: Tarleton State OLB Yasir Holmes, Georgia Tech WR Dean Patterson, and New Mexico State RB Kadarius Calloway.
Bucs signing trio of tryout players from rookie minicamp
Holmes in particular could be an interesting player to keep an eye on as the summer goes along and training camp gets underway. In 2024 and 2025 for Frostburg State and Tarleton State, he totaled 18.5 tackles for loss and 8 sacks and 13 tackles for loss and 8 sacks, respectively. When you’ve got pass rushing and/or disruptive upside, then that’s worth keeping in house.
Naturally, the level of competition could raise some question mark, but the Bucs have been pretty good at evaluating some smaller school players, most notably former OL Ali Marpet from Hobart College.
The Bucs’ top five edge rushers are pretty well determined at this point. Rueben Bain, Jr., Yaya Diaby, Al-Quadin Muhammad, David Walker, and Anthony Nelson are pretty close to being written in ink at this point. However, Chris Braswell’s future is far from certain, and Mo Kamara and UDFA signee Jack Pyburn could be on the outside looking in.
So, if Holmes can be disruptive throughout the summer and continue to gain the attention of his new coaching staff, then the door could be open for at least an opportunity at a practice squad spot at the end of August, if not more.