The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have finalized their 53-man roster heading into Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. There are some surprises, but they have one of the better rosters in the NFL, and when healthy, this is a group that is ready to compete for a Super Bowl.
Jason Licht and Todd Bowles combed over the roster starting on Sunday, following the preseason finale, and before practice on Tuesday, they appeared to be done with cuts.
Some of the cuts and waiver moves they made came as a surprise, although nothing was truly shocking. Jason Licht has this Bucs roster ready to compete, and that is reflected in the players the team has released. That being said, three players stuck out as surprises to us.
Kyle Trask, Quarterback
While it may not have been a true surprise, it was still shocking to see them finally pull the plug on the Kyle Trask project. After being a second-round draft pick in 2021, the idea initially was that perhaps he would take over for Tom Brady, as he would then be the new project at the position under then-head coach Bruce Arians. Instead, he remained the backup as Baker Mayfield came in and lit up the league with renewed energy. In the preseason, Trask never looked as sharp as he should have, and that led to the end of his tenure in Tampa Bay.
Anthony Walker Jr., Linebacker
Signing with the Bucs this offseason, the idea was that Walker Jr. would be a veteran presence in the Bucs’ linebacker room. Instead, he was sadly injured throughout the entire training camp and preseason, so the team never got to see what he could do. Despite that, some folks expected him to stick around regardless, as the team would be patient, as his leadership was what they were looking for.
Desmond Watson, Defensive Line
Another player we never got to see during the preseason was former Florida Gator defensive lineman Desmond Watson. The largest player in NFL history was working to lose weight all preseason and training camp, and the team wasn’t putting him in practice until he did. He was a UDFA signing and flashed at moments in the rookie minicamp, but from there, we never got to see him again. It is possible he lands on the practice squad, but for now, he remains in limbo.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 3 Most surprising roster cuts made by the Buccaneers heading into 2025
Reporting by Andrew Harbaugh, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
