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Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UDFA rookie begins his push for one of the final roster spots as Buccaneers training camp battles start to heat up
UDFA rookie begins his push for one of the final roster spots as Buccaneers training camp battles start to heat up originally appeared on A to Z Sports. Even though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers returned all 11 starters on offense and nearly all its defensive starters from 2024, there are still plenty of questions to answers and positions to fill during training camp. One week into camp, there are a few camp battles that are really starting to take form and several players are starting to make their push for a spot on the 53-man roster. Let's dive in and take a look at what's happened so far and where it could go from here. Buccaneers training camp battles that are starting to heat up after the first week J.J. Roberts is trying to force himself onto the Bucs' 53-man roster Roberts was one of the Buccaneers' prized UDFAs, evidenced by the fact he received $270k in guarantees. He flashed plenty of speed and athleticism throughout OTAs and minicamp, marking himself as a camp darling that could make some waves once everything kicked off in July. Sure enough, he's done just that. Roberts has gotten off to a great start and per reports, saved his best performance of the first week for Day 1 of pads. As we all know, the start of padded practices are when things get real and the fact Roberts turned up the intensity and made plays (he recorded a pick, a sack, and had a huge hit according to Pewter Report) is a big first step toward making the 53-man roster. Roberts is receiving looks at nickel and safety, as well. Versatile defensive backs go far in a Todd Bowles defense (ask Christian Izien) and that only helps Roberts' chances. He could easily make the roster as a safety and then plug in whenever needed. With Marcus Banks missing the last few practices, that leaves Roberts battling Kaevon Merriweather, Shilo Sanders, and Rashad Wisdom for the last two safety spots behind Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith. If he keeps it up, his odds are making the final cut are very good. The cornerback depth from No. 3 to the final spot is going to be fun to watch, including the nickel position Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum have the top-2 cornerback spots handled and while it was logically assumed rookies Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish would take the next two jobs (with Parrish assumedly manning the nickel position), veterans Bryce Hall and Kindle Vildor have done more than their fair share to disrupt that as much as possible. The veterans have shined throughout camp, making big plays on a daily basis. Morrison and Parrish have also flashed in their own right. Then, there's Izien, whom already has a roster spot locked up, according to Todd Bowles. It's a straight-up competition behind Dean and McCollum, with no clear winner, currently. That's a great spot to be in after the first week, though. The last thing a coach wants is a non-competitive camp battle for obvious reasons. If the Bucs secondary can keep progressing and stay healthy then the unit will certainly get back to its pre-2024 form. Elijah Klein is on his way toward becoming the most valuable backup OL on the roster Jason Licht is a wizard when it comes to drafting offensive linemen and Klein is on track to be his next big find based on the fact he's not only been cross-training at center and guard during the offseason, but he's been tacking reps at tackle during training camp, too. Klein has played guard over the vast majority of his career since college, but playing tackle isn't inst' a brand new experience, as he logged a career-high 137 snaps on the outside during his final year. In all, he played 200+ snaps at tackle in college. That's obviously not a ton of experience, but it's better than nothing. "I really think he changed his body in the offseason. . . We try to move everybody around a little bit. He has some flexibility at tackle, he has a little bit at center," Bowles told reporters. "In certain situations, we'll move him around in case of emergency and kind of see how he does.' Having a guy who can play all five spots and play them serviceably is something any NFL team would want. We'll see just how impactful Klein is in practice over the next couple weeks, but he's certainly put himself in a good spot early-on. Devin Culp continues to build toward a big 2025 season Those who follow the Buccaneers closely knew Culp could rise up the ranks in 2025, the question was simply how high he could go. It's fair to say Culp has surpassed Ko Kieft as TE3 and now Payne Durham, the Bucs' TE2 is in his sights. Durham's job isn't in trouble by any means, but there's certainly a world where Culp can start cutting into his snaps. Especially if he develops as a blocker. "He's grown tremendously," Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard told reporters. "You can tell even after the season, when I got the job, the communication that we had and him coming up and watching tape and learning the system and trying to figure out exactly what we were going to do that was going to be different or the same. . . We can all see it out there – the guy can fly. He has a different speed than the vast majority of tight ends in the league. He put the work in there, and now he's seeing the fruits of that labor through [training] camp where he's had a couple of really explosive plays that you've seen. . . ". . . He can now play fast and [we can] try to get the ball to him as much as possible. He's off to a really good start, as well.' Culp can add a whole new dynamic to the Bucs offense by adding a mismatch defenses will have to seriously account for, on top of everything else Baker Mayfield and Co. have to offer. At this point, it looks like that's where we're headed by the time the 2025 season kicks story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
5 takeaways from Day 5 of Broncos training camp
The Denver Broncos had a special guest at training camp on Wednesday. Emmanuel Sanders, who played for the club from 2014-2019, visited Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit with his son for Day 5 of practice. Sanders, who retired in 2022, played under Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints in 2020. A two-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl 50 champion, Sanders hauled in 704 receptions for 9,245 yards and 51 touchdowns during his 12-year career in the NFL. He also rushed for 202 yards and a score and went 3-of-3 passing for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Sanders ranks 10th on Denver's all-time receiving list with 5,361 yards, and his 28 touchdown catches rank 13th in franchise history. Now, here are five quick takeaways from Wednesday's practice. Broncos training camp takeaways Day 5 1. Broncos injury report: Wide receiver A.T. Perry (ankle; PUP) and linebackers Drew Sanders (foot) and Alex Singleton (thumb) are still sidelined. Additionally, receiver Devaughn Vele and rookie outside linebacker Que Robinson did not practice. Payton did not speak to the media Wednesday, so there's no update on the status of Vele and Robinson. 2. Blake Watson adds intrigue to running back battle: J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey are the obvious top two options in Denver's backfield. Behind them? Good luck trying to guess Payton's depth chart. Audric Estime was just drafted last year, Jaleel McLaughlin was one of the team's most productive RBs last fall and the team has praised Tyler Badie this offseason. Oh, yeah, there's Watson, too! The second-year undrafted RB took a big hit from undrafted rookie linebacker Jordan Turner on Wednesday, but he also drew strong reviews for his day on the ground overall. How many RBs will Denver carry on the 53-man roster? Is there room for Watson? We'll find out in late August. 3. Two young linebackers stepping up: We noted yesterday that Levelle Bailey has impressed with Sanders (foot) and Singleton (thumb) injured. Bailey continues to look sharp, but he's not alone. Jordan Turner, a UDFA out of Michigan State, has also stood out at linebacker. It sounds like the Broncos will have a very interesting linebacker battle during preseason this summer. 4. Trent Sherfield buzz continues to grow: When Denver signed Sherfield this spring, the expectation was that he was primarily brought in for his special teams contributions. The 29-year-old receiver continues to make plays on offense, though, and the hype is growing. 'He's tough, and he can run," Payton said of Sherfield last weekend. "The other thing he can do is block, and so we've always had a handful of receivers that can run and stretch the field and when you get one that can do that and then block also, you can set up play action, marries well to the run game. He's pretty competitive.' After losing Lil'Jordan Humphrey this offseason, the Broncos might have found their replacement in Sherfield. 5. Bo Nix's mobility remains a strength: Nix rushed for 430 yards and four touchdowns on 92 carries last season, averaging 4.7 yards per tote. "It's a strength," Payton said Tuesday when asked about Nix's mobility. "I mentioned this before, when the combine came, he didn't shuttle. He didn't do a number of these drills that I thought he would be exceptional at. Later, he told me he had a turf toe, and it made sense. But when you watched him, you thought, 'This guy is tough to sack.' He won a lot of downs for us last year with his feet." Nix only took 24 sacks last season -- an impressive total for a rookie -- as he proved to be an elusive NFL quarterback. The Broncos will be back on the field tomorrow (Thursday) as they continue camp (view the full schedule). Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys UDFA overcame deafness, cancer, now looks to make 53-man roster
Tyler Neville has overcome so much in his life, it's difficult to think a nondescript depth chart is going to be the thing that keeps him from realizing his dream of playing in the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys' tight end position recently inked their leader, Jake Ferguson, to a multi-year extension. There's a ton of energy surrounding second-year UDFA Brevyn Spann-Ford, who impressed as a blocking tight end last year and set about improving his catching ability. Beyond them, though, there's a lot of hope and projection, which means that Neville has a chance to impress the new coaching staff led by head coach Brian Schottenheimer and OC Klayton Adams. Neville is certainly up for the fight, if his medical history is any indication. Neville was born deaf and also overcame lymphoma, all before he enrolled in college. Rundown Position: Tight end Age: 24 Height: 6-foot-4 Weight: 248 pounds Hometown: Williamsburg, VA High School: Lafayette College: Harvard, Virginia Draft: 2025 Undrafted Free Agent Contract: Three-year contract (2025), $2.975 million 2025 Base Salary: $840,000, $90,000 Profile Despite two disappointing seasons, 2023 second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker is likely etched in as TE3, unless he's traded away. Fullback Hunter Luepke has been featured through the first portions of camp as the move player meant to keep defense guessing, being put in motion from tight end to the backfield. John Stephens Jr is a converted wideout who is recovering from a second-straight ACL tear. Rivaldo Fairweather is a fellow two-school UDFA signing from Auburn and Miami. That's who is in the way of Neville and his dream of making an NFL roster this summer. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Vikings training camp notebook, day 7: Depth players emerge to make plays
The Vikings roster has reported to Eden Prairie, and as a result, they have started their journey into the 2025 season. It starts at home in Minnesota, but they hope it ends on the road in Santa Clara, where they have a chance to raise the Lombardi Trophy for the first time. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have new extensions, as do their assistants and coordinators. J.J. McCarthy is finally healthy and ready to take over the controls of a franchise that trusted him enough to stick with him when so many other options presented themselves. All in all, the coaching staff remains essentially unchanged, while the roster sees some position groups infused with youth and talent to solidify them. The sixth day of training camp has wrapped up, with veterans sitting out and allowing depth players on both sides of the ball to showcase their versatility and talents. 2024 UDFA CB making plays For the Vikings' secondary, Byron Murohy Jr. was the consistent playmaker of the group. They needed more from the group in 2024, but they couldn't find it. Perhaps they had the talent, but it wasn't ready. Brian Flores showed he was hesitant to give much responsibility to first-round pick Dallas Turner, and the same was done to UDFA Dwight McGlothern. Much like Turner in 2025, McGlothern is forcing the hand of Flores and is taking matters into his own hands and putting good days together at camp. On Monday and Tuesday, the former Razorback was able to pick off a pass from Sam Howell and tip another that led to it being intercepted. He is constantly finding the ball, and he is proving to be one of the players that Flores can rely on in the new year. Blake Brandel continues to be versatile Whenever a team brings in a plethora of new faces at a position, it is almost expected for the old ones to be replaced. In the case of Blake Brandel, he underperformed in 2024, but his versatility may be what keeps him around. In 2024, Brandel played left guard primarily for the Vikings. So far in camp, he has played right guard and now right tackle after Tuesday's practice. Not many offensive linemen offer that, and while the team added swing tackle Justin Skule in free agency, having someone on the interior who can do that would not be a bad thing to have. Is Will Reichard going to be an issue? Last season, Will Reichard became a fan favorite quickly when he was able to become a consistent kicking presence for a team that has always struggled to find one. However, after a quad injury sidelined him for a time during the season, he was never as consistent, and the thought was that he would come back in 2025 and be his old self. On Tuesday, Reichard went 5 for 7 in the team's practice, with both misses coming in situational drills. One was reportedly off the uprights from beyond 50 yards, and the other, under 50 yards, was missed as well. It is just training camp, but it is not an encouraging sign to see these things in a non-game setting.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Dallas Cowboys training camp: Takeaways from Day 6
The Dallas Cowboys put pads on for the first time on Sunday, their fifth practice of their 2025 training camp. For many players, this is when things turn serious. It's difficult to glean much of anything aside from ability to execute technique without the pads on. The work in the trenches isn't authentic, especially when it comes to the running game. Coaches often refer to the pre-pad days as an extension of the spring installations that take place at OTAs and through minicamps. So how did the Dallas Cowboys fare on Sunday? It's an interesting look into what trends continued, and which players who had begun to stand out kept the momentum. Rising star goes out The biggest injury news of the day is that TE Brevyn Spann-Ford, who is in contention for the TE2 role, had to limp off of the practice field. Spann-Ford made a huge impression on the coaching staff as a UDFA in 2024, and spent the offseason trying to improve his catch instincts to add on to his role as the team's best blocking tight end. Most reports spoke glowingly of his improvement, but he may be out for a while after having to be helped to the locker room on Sunday. He went down on the line of scrimmage and was holding his right ankle. Nick Eatman of floated their is concern it's a high ankle sprain, and apparently not the miraculous kind that Terence Steele suffered earlier in the week. Additional Injury Updates Also of injury note, Patrik Walker reported that CB Trevon Diggs looks a lot closer to being activated from PUP than he had recently, running DB routes and even jumping to secure passes. Diggs was the subject of team owner Jerry Jones' vitriol over missing offseason work with the team while rehabbing his knee injury on his own, but if he's able to get himself into game shape over the next five weeks, it will be well worth the $500,000 fine to have had someone other than the team trainers getting him on track. Safety Juanyeh Thomas (foot/ankle) and running back Deuce Vaughn (hamstring) missed practice today. This isn't a big issue for Thomas, who is slated to have a big role this season, but Vaughn is only loosely tethered to the proverbial bubble and needs every rep he can get to make an impression. Jake Ferguson gets paid, what does it mean? Not an on-field note, but clearly the biggest news of the day is Jake Ferguson's new four-year extension that will pay him $52 million, including $30 million gauranteed. With $12 million in signing bonus and assumed vet minimum base salary of $1.1 million, it seems like the deal that runs through 2029 will at least keep Ferguson in Dallas through the 2027 season. The math seems to indicate some of that year's salary, but not all of it, is going to be guaranteed early in the 2026 season. As for the trickle-down effect, one has to wonder what this means for Luke Schoonmaker. When Ferguson was anticipated to playing in a contract year, Schoonmaker had a shot to be anywhere on the depth chart. TE1 is now off the table and if Spann-Ford isn't out long-term, then what's the long-term prospect for the Michigan product? Cowboys Wire has floated the possibility of a trade off the team to another franchise that eyed him pre-2023 draft. That likelihood could've gotten a small bump with this declaration by the team. Reclamation cornerbacks showing well The Cowboys have made two moves over the last two seasons where they looked to fix highly-drafted cornerbacks who didn't work out for their teams. Last season, the club traded away former third-round pick Nahshon Wright to the VIkings for Minnesota's Andrew Booth, the 2022 second-round pick. This year, they acquired former Buffalo Bills first-round pick Kaiir Elam. Throughout the offseason, the possibility of Elam turning the corner in the final year of his rookie deal was spoken with cautious optimism. That's continued thus far through camp as it appears he is in line to start, at least until Diggs is ready. On Sunday, Booth — who flopped badly when put in regular season games in 2024 — joined the party with an insane day of coverage. Rookie RB Jaydon Blue continues to impress The veteran running backs have been given the majority of first-team reps. Dallas signed both JaVonte Williams and Miles Sanders in the early weeks of free agency, long before the draft. The team then waited until Day 3 to pull the trigger on the position, selecting Texas back Jaydon Blue in the fifth round. Right before training camp started, a weird report from a former coach (not on board in any recent season) that there was talk among the current front office that Blue didn't have the work ethic necessary to thrive. If the first week has been any indication, throw that baby out with the bath water. Blue was extra impressive on Saturday, and continued the trend with the pads put on, on Sunday.
