Several Buccaneers players have a lot to prove in 2026 and this week's joint practices/preseason game against the Jets are the perfect spots to get the ball rolling.
The first week of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2026 preseason is here, and it includes two joint practice sessions with the New York Jets.
With real
football finally on the table, it's time to talk about the players and position groups facing real
pressure heading into this week. Some of these names aren't in danger of losing their jobs, but others are. Regardless, it's about guys who need to get the ball rolling by showing up and showing out this week.
The No. 1 position group under pressure on offense is the Buccaneers' receiver room. They've got to show they can carry this passing attack without Mike Evans, and not as some mid-tier unit. Tampa Bay needs to remain an above-average, top-10 type passing attack. That's what the franchise has been accustomed to since Bruce Arians arrived in 2019.
So who fills Evans' shoes? Who becomes the red zone guy? Who stretches the field? Evans was a great intermediate target, too. He did a lot of things, and that's why he'll go down as the greatest receiver in Buccaneers history. We have an idea of who can fill those roles, but we don't know exactly how effective they'll be.
When you drill it down to an individual level, every receiver has personal questions to answer. Can Chris Godwin Jr. be the guy? Can he return to form? The Buccaneers believe he has his explosiveness back , which is huge because his top trait is what he can do with the ball in his hands after the catch. If that element is back, it unlocks a big world for Godwin. But he's got to show up, especially considering he's making over $20 million in 2026. This is the week to start against a below-average Jets secondary.
Jalen McMillan has to prove he can stay healthy. His first two years have been plagued by injury issues and missed time. He dealt with some injuries last week in camp but appears to be back and good to go. Emeka Egbuka had a strong start last year but faded down the stretch. Was that the rookie wall, or something more concerning? We got a great glimpse of his ceiling over the first half of last year, but then things fell off. He's got to show he can be consistent throughout an entire 17-game season.
Tez Johnson is currently dealing with a groin injury, so his availability for practice this week is uncertain. Ted Hurst, who projects as the red zone and field-stretching option, has been doing well so far. But there's a little bit of an inclination from the coaching staff that it's taking him longer to pick up the playbook and learn the NFL game. That's fine. Adjustment periods happen for rookies. Still, how quickly can he learn this offense and deploy what he's learned on the field? That's his personal question to answer.
Kameron Johnson needs to continue taking steps as a receiver, because his special teams role is being challenged by guys like Kenny Gainwell. And then there's the group behind them: David Sills , Garrett Greene , Eric Rivers Jr., etc. They've all got to prove themselves this week, too.
Graham Barton took a step back last year. There's important context there. He started at left tackle for the first three games before moving to center, and by that point, Cody Mauch was out for the year and Ben Bredeson missed multiple games. The infrastructure around Barton wasn't great, and we know how that can affect even the best offensive linemen.
Still, he's got to improve in his pass blocking. His run blocking remains pretty good. He's athletic, he's strong, and he's got meat hooks for hands. But he can't be getting blown up into the backfield this week. This is the first big step toward proving last year was a product of circumstance rather than a regression.
Beyond Barton, tackles Ben Chukwuma, Justin Skule , and Elijah Klein all need to prove they're capable depth players . Klein, in particular, is in danger when roster cuts arrive at the end of August. The Buccaneers tackles will face David Bailey and a few other solid Jets pass rushers, and they need to show they can compete against starting-caliber players at a high level. If Tristan Wirfs or Luke Goedeke miss time this year, the Bucs need capable replacements.
The Buccaneers have three solid options at the top of the tight end depth chart in Cade Otton
, Payne Durham
, and sixth-round rookie Bauer Sharp. Culp and Kieft are on the outside looking in for their own separate reasons.
Right now, Kieft is probably considered TE4 on the depth chart
due to his special teams prowess. The Buccaneers could certainly carry four tight ends on the depth chart, but that's not a guarantee. He'll make his hay on 'teams and should be fine as long as he does that.
Culp is a different story, however. He just hasn't shown the progress needed after flashing in 2024. If he doesn't fix the drops and the awareness issues then he won't make the final cut.
This week is where it all starts. We'll see how everyone fares and how it affects next week when the Buccaneers host the Kansas City Chiefs .
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Chris Godwin Jr. and Graham Barton highlight list of Buccaneers players on offense under the most pressure against Jets
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