The Bucs got to welcome Cam Ward to the NFL on Saturday night and they did so in spectacular fashion.
Ward had some moments with the Titans offense in the first half, leading them on their lone scoring drive of the game. Once he dipped out from the game the Bucs defense took over and never gave any ground back to the Titans, holding them scoreless in the second half. Meanwhile, the defense led the way for the Bucs while the offense flashed moments of brilliance. One of those brilliant areas was the run game as they proved once again they will be a running team in 2025.
After those thoughts, time for some report grades from the Bucs’ dominant win.
Quarterbacks
Grade: B+
No Baker Mayfield for the Bucs, but Kyle Trask looked in control of the offense after taking first team reps in practice the past week. The absence of Mayfield may have helped Trask look as good as he did, and it was a performance he needed after the team added Teddy Bridgewater this past week. Rookie Connor Bazelak looked decent at times as well in the second half. He isn’t likely to make the roster as he was taking Michael Pratt’s snaps while he recovers from an injury of his own. That being said, he may end up being someone the team keeps around on the practice squad.
Running Backs
Grade: A+
The Bucs picked up right from where they left off in 2024 by running for 178 yards against the Titans. Owen Wright led the way with 87 yards, and really impressed in the second half, which included a big run that was taken back as a hold. Meanwhile, not to be outdone was Sean Tucker, who took over for an injured Rachaad White. He looked like he was his usual explosive self with awareness and vision. The team needs to use Tucker more in 2025, and depending on the seriousness of the injury to White they may have their hand forced.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Grade: B+
Ryan Miller, Garrett Greene, and Jacob Harris all looked impressive as the team working with the second unit. They were able to get open, create plays, and showed they have spots in this offense in one form or another. The star of the group was rookie Emeka Egbuka, who had a short time on the field but showed he has the makings of a star with his ability to make contested catches and control his body while attacking the ball in the air.
Offensive Line
Grade: A-
The offensive line had some growing pains as they worked on various lineups without Tristan Wirfs, but they fought through it. The running game always had a lane, it seemed, which helped them finish just under 200 yards. Meanwhile, in the passing game, they had some bumps in protection, but by halftime, they had figured themselves out, and several players looked good in various roles.
Defensive Line
Grade: B
The defensive front of the Bucs did a tremendous job of containing Cam Ward when he attempted to extend plays, as well as stopping the run. One area where this team struggled in 2024 was with mobile quarterbacks, as seen with Jayden Daniels in the playoff game, but they managed to contain Ward. If that containment can carry over to the regular season this defense will be cooking with gas.
Linebackers
Grade: A+
The Bucs linebacker saw Lavonte David sit out the preseason game and then got to witness countless players in the group step up and make plays. SirVocea Dennis looked good in the snaps he was given, but the star of the group was former Iowa Hawkeye Nick Jackson. The former Big Ten defender in one drive secured a sack and a one-handed interception. The group played extremely well in both halfs and is reason to be optimistic heading into the new season.
Secondary
Grade: A+
Shile Sanders was all over the field, Tyrek Funderburk secured his first interception, and other cornerbacks made good impressions. The most impressive of the group was rookie Jacob Parrish who did an excellent job in coverage in both man and zone assignments but in the nickel he thrived. There is a place for Christian Izien in the Bucs defense, make no mistake about it, but Parrish may end up being the guy at nickel.