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Buccaneers stock watch: who is rising and falling after Tampa Bay's 17-14 preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals

By Craig Smith,

4 hours ago

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 17-14 on Saturday night in the teams' opening preseason action ahead of the 2024 season.

However, it's never about the score of the game as much as it is about who stood out - and who didn't . There were a number of Buccaneers who had noteworthy performances and helped their chances of either making the roster or earning a key role. Of course, a number also fell short of expectations and put themselves in a spot where they need to bounce back next weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here's whose stock is rising (and falling) after Saturday night.

Stock Rising

1) Graham Barton

The rookie center had a strong first professional showing. The run game was noticeably better when he was in there. He worked well in tandem with Ben Bredeson and Cody Mauch alongside him.

Oh, and that block on the Bucky Irving touchdown run was a thing of beauty. Manhandled his defender and drove him into the ground.

Round 1 certainly went the way of the rookie in the battle for the starting center spot.

2) Sean Tucker

Tucker ran hard, fast, and with a purpose on Saturday night. He was the Bucs' best runner on Saturday, although Irving also had a solid showing. He totaled 68 yards on 10 carries with a long of 26 yards.

Right now, he's looking like a player who's trending towards a roster spot, and one that could actually be useful as a part of the running back rotation this fall.

3) Kyle Trask

It was kind of a mixed day for Trask because of a couple of mistakes he made, with one interception on a terrible throw and another that should have been picked but hit the ground.

However, the good outweighed the bad. He more often than not made the right reads, finding the open receiver. He hit guys in stride and threaded the ball into a few tight windows.

For backup quarterback play that you'll see around the league this weekend, this was better than most.

4) J.J. Russell

The veteran linebacker made a strong case to make the 53-man roster. He flew around the field and tackled well, with a team-high seven tackles for the game. He was no small part of the Bucs' run defense keeping the Bengals running game at bay (13 carries for 36 yards).

He also was credited with a pass breakup. An all-around solid effort from Russell.

5) The Bucs' reserve wide receivers

I could list one player here to keep the "player" status quo, but so many made plays that I turned this into a group effort. Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, Ryan Miller, Tanner Knue, Raleigh Webb, and Rakim Jarrett all turned in catches of at least 18 yards, with Jarrett's going for a team-high 28 yards.

The Bucs have a good top three in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Palmer, and really four with McMillan, who's played like a guy who could end up at WR3 when the preseason is over. But the competition for the last spot or two is fierce right now, and a handful of guys made cases for those against Cincinnati.

Stock Falling

1) Robert Hainsey

Hainsey had a bad snap that led to a loss of yards that exacerbated his play, but really, he was outplayed by his competition in Barton. There's little doubt that the rookie won the day on Saturday in the fight for the starting center job.

We'll see if #70 can match Barton's level of physicality in the run game, because it now looks like an uphill fight for the Bucs' 2023 starter to keep his job.

2) Chase Edmonds

This might seem kind of unfair, but that's the nature of things in the NFL. When you're not on the field, someone can take your job, and both Tucker and Irving were productive and looked good with the ball in their hand on Saturday.

Edmonds really needs to get back on the field and show he's both healthy and as productive as the young Buc(k)s looking to play early this season.

3) CB Josh Hayes

Hayes was put on skates by Tee Higgins on a short pass in the red zone. Higgins shimmied and sent Hayes to the ground, trotting past him for the last five yards into the end zone.

Sure, Higgins is one of the better wide receivers in the league, but that was a brutally poor attempt at keeping him out of the end zone.

4) Brandon Walton

Walton had the worst day of the offensive lineman by a good stretch. The third year tackle out of Florida Atlantic was called for a hold in the second half that wiped out a first down run by Tucker that would have put the Bucs in field goal range. The Bucs had to punt instead.

He also was beaten soundly on the right side for a sack, with the Bengals defender blowing past him on the outside. A bad start for the veteran who may be looking to hold onto his roster spot after making the 53-man roster the last two seasons.

5) CB Andrew Hayes

The other cornerback named Hayes was flat-out exposed during the fourth quarter by Bengals QB Logan Woodside and rookie WR Jermaine Burton. Burton simply ran past Hayes on a go route with the Bucs leading 10-7 for a 37-yard touchdown, something no defender should let happen when holding a slim lead.

Then, after the Bucs reclaimed the lead, he let Burton fly by him on the same route again for a 38-yard gain. A rough quarter for the rookie from Central Arkansas.