Final Buccaneers 53-man roster prediction: Jalon Daniels’ fate is sealed, big questions at offensive line and linebacker, plus more
The Buccaneers still have decisions to make when it comes to the 53-man roster, even after Friday night’s awful loss to the Jaguars.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have officially wrapped the preseason and now it’s time for the final step toward the regular season: roster cuts.
Therefore, that means it’s time to do an official Buccaneers 53-man roster prediction. We’ve produced a few projections up until this point, but it’s time to put everything in stone now that the final game is over.
This won’t be like the earlier projection, where I did what I thought was best for the team, either. This Buccaneers 53-man roster prediction is based on what I believe the team will do and why.
So, let’s stop wasting time and dive on in.
Note: Players with a single asterisk (*) are 2026 draft picks and players with double asterisks (**) are 2026 undrafted free agents.
Buccaneers 53-man roster prediction for the 2026 season
Quarterback (2)
IN: Baker Mayfield, Jalon Daniels**
OUT: Jake Browning, Connor Bazelak
The skinny: The only quarterback who had a good night on Friday was Baker Mayfield, and he didn’t even play. In all seriousness, no quarterback did anything to change the equation here. Jalon Daniels still looks like the best backup option, even after botching a snap. The one concern with Daniels remains his pre-snap issues, and if he doesn’t get those corrected, it’s going to take a lot of the shine off what he’s been able to do over the last few months.
Browning will have to go through waivers, and I don’t foresee any team picking him up. His best bet is signing back to the Buccaneers’ practice squad. Bazelak played four snaps in the finale after sitting out Game 2, so there’s no way a team sees enough to want to grab him off waivers either.
Running back (3)
IN: Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell, Sean Tucker
OUT: Josh Williams, Barika Kpeenu**
The skinny: Nothing changed here. It’s hard for any player to gain ground in a shutout as ugly as what we watched Friday night. These three guys will be the lead backs for Tampa Bay. Josh Williams showed a flash or two in the preseason, but he didn’t do enough to make any other team want him, plus he still has last year’s six-game suspension hanging over his head. Therefore, I think the Buccaneers can slip him through waivers after not keeping him on the 53-man roster.
Wide receiver (6)
IN: Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson, Kameron Johnson, Ted Hurst*
OUT: Garrett Greene, David Sills V, Eric Rivers Jr.**, Dean Patterson**, Matthew Henry**, Jha’Quan Jackson
The skinny: Garrett Greene’s catch against the Jags was impressive, but he didn’t do enough in the preseason games to warrant a spot on the 53. Dean Patterson had a bad drop. Eric Rivers flashed, but he hasn’t done so consistently enough to make the team. David Sills V, Matthew Henry, and Jah’Quan Jackson are candidates to rejoin the team via the practice squad.
Tight end (4)
IN: Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft, Bauer Sharp*
OUT: Kenny Fletcher Jr. **, Devin Culp
The skinny: No big changes here. Devin Culp did not show up at all and even had a bad play on special teams that helped allow the Jags to return a punt for a very long distance. Culp finished with zero catches on zero targets against the Jags and just one catch for 14 yards over the whole preseason. The writing’s on the wall for the soon-to-be third-year player.
Offensive line (10)
IN: Tristan Wirfs (LT), Ben Bredeson (LG), Graham Barton (C), Cody Mauch (RG), Luke Goedeke (RT), Justin Skule, Benjamin Chukwuma, Luke Haggard, Billy Schrauth*, Dan Feeney
OUT: Ben Scott, Marshall Foerner, Elijah Klein, Henry Lutovsky**, Paul Rubelt**, Nash Hutmacher
The skinny: I almost contemplated placing Billy Schrauth on short-term IR to start the season. He’s a talented rookie, but injuries have always been his crutch. Elijah Klein looked solid for about the first half against the Jags, then allowed two bad sacks in the second half. The rest of the backups were a mishmash of poor play.
Todd Bowles said after the game that he feels good about the starting five, but what he saw Friday night was a concern. The depth is a total question mark thanks to both injury and poor play.
Defensive line (6)
IN: Calijah Kancey, Vita Vea, A’Shawn Robinson, Elijah Roberts, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DeMonte Capehart*
OUT: Jayson Jones, Travis Shaw**, Elijah Simmons, Josiah Green**
The skinny: Credit to Elijah Simmons and Josiah Green, who were all over the place on Friday night. Green had a sack, a tackle for loss, and about two quarterback hits. Simmons generated constant pressure and penetration whenever he was on the field. It would not surprise me if one of those guys overtakes someone in the top six, but the current mix of veterans and youth feels right for the 53.
Linebacker (4)
IN: Alex Anzalone, SirVocea Dennis, Christian Rozeboom, Josiah Trotter*
OUT: Caden Fordham**, Nick Jackson, Javin Wright**, John Bullock
The skinny: I’m doing this from the Buccaneers’ perspective, not mine. If it were up to me, Christian Rozeboom would not make this team because he has not been practicing, and I would put Caden Fordham in, especially since he made three special teams tackles against Jacksonville.
I think Tampa Bay goes with the veteran product and tries to slip Fordham through waivers. SirVocea Dennis is an interesting case. He could start the year on short-term IR, he could get cut, but since he knows the defense as well as he does, I think the Buccaneers give him some slack and keep him on the 53-man roster.
EDGE/Outside Linebacker (5)
IN: Yaya Diaby, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Anthony Nelson, David Walker, Rueben Bain Jr.*
OUT: Mohamad Kamara, Yasir Holmes**, Chris Braswell, Jack Pyburn**
The skinny: Pyburn added to his case for a spot on the 53 on Friday night. However, I don’t think it will be enough to edge anybody off that list, and I don’t think it changes the roster math elsewhere unless somebody goes on short-term IR, which is too cloudy to bet on right now.
This room is pretty much chalk. If this five-man rotation can stay healthy, it’ll be one of the best in the NFL.
Cornerback (6)
IN: Zyon McCollum, Benjamin Morrison, Jacob Parrish, Keionte Scott*, Josh Hayes, Ayden Garnes**
OUT: Roman Parodie, Damarion “Pepe” Williams
The skinny: Ayden Garnes had a couple of mishaps on Friday night but still played well overall, as he has throughout training camp. Damarion “Pepe” Williams played well too, so that final cornerback spot is going to be a tough choice. I think Josh Hayes makes it because of his special teams prowess. The Bucs’ special teams remain a major issue, so they need as many stalwarts on that side of the ball as they can get.
Safety (4)
IN: Antoine Winfield Jr., Tykee Smith, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Miles Killebrew
OUT: Robert McDaniel, Rashad Wisdom, J.J. Roberts, Xavier Williams**
The skinny: This room is pretty much etched out after Friday night. Killebrew had a great game. J.J. Roberts didn’t play. Rashad Wisdom was decent, but I don’t think it’s enough to supplant anybody in the top four. Melifonwu has come on nicely considering how quickly he had to learn the defense.
Specialists (3)
IN: Chase McLaughlin (K), Riley Dixon (P), Evan Deckers (LS)
OUT: B.T. Potter**, Scott Daly**
The skinny: It would not surprise me if the Buccaneers cut Riley Dixon and try to find somebody on the waiver wire. Evan Deckers looks like he has control of the long snapper job, and Chase McLaughlin is one of the NFL’s best kickers.
Final Word
This Buccaneers offense carries major questions regarding both the starters and the depth. The preseason was a poor showing, and several starters missed extended periods that prevented the main unit from gelling under offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. Sure, they’re all individually learning whenever they’re healthy and on the practice field, but they’re not doing it together as a starting unit to create cohesion.
It’s an 18-week, 17-game season with plenty of time to iron things out, but in the NFL, every loss matters. Tampa Bay can’t afford to throw away two or three games while getting the offense on track.
On defense, things are encouraging. The Buccaneers’ defense has made plays, filled gaps, hit the quarterback, and forced turnovers.
On special teams, the coverage units remain a major question, and the returner spot didn’t produce many pops over the last three weeks. It looked like things were getting on track against the Chiefs, then they fell apart against Jacksonville. The Buccaneers have big questions on two sides of the ball heading into the regular season, and we’re going to have to wait and see what the answers are.
