NFL roster cuts 2021- 5 biggest surprises in Bucs' initial 53-man squad
It's that time of year when NFL dreams continue for some, and dramatically end for others. For the Bucs and their rookies and veterans, the 53-man cutoff could be met with joy or sorrow.
The hard slog that is training camp and then pre-season separates the rookies from the veterans. While there is always a feel-good story, for some their dream ends, and ends quickly.
The reigning Super Bowl-winning champions, the Bucs, led by Tom Brady, have narrowed their squad to 53 as per league rules. While some cuts were expected, others were not, and certainly raised some eyebrows in the process.
One key factor is that of the squad that manhandled the Kansas City Chiefs in last year's decider is that all of them have returned. This means the Bucs are well placed to have another shot at a Super Bowl.
On that note, here are five surprises from the Bucs' 53-man roster cuts:
#1 Chris Cooper made the cut
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises came when the Bucs announced their 53-man squad after Tuesday. Why is this surprising? Because Cooper only arrived in Tampa when training camp first started.
During the preseason, Cooper has impressed while on special teams, and it appears he has won one of the last remaining spots on the roster.
#2 Bucs only have three tight-ends
This might not seem like much of a surprise to fans outside of Tampa. But when you factor in the fact that the Buccaneers went with four tight ends last season, it does make the ears prick up just a bit.
Other tight ends in McElroy and Hudson did offer much to the team in terms of special teams and not as blockers. That has apparently been a major decision why the Bucs have gone with only three tight ends.
Nevertheless, both are good in the passing game and have good hands, so it is not inconceivable that both could be around on the practice squad come game one.
#3 Four running backs
For other teams, three-backs is normally enough. One as a starter, the other pinch-hitting and a reserve in case of injury.
For the Bucs, they have decided to go with four. That could partially be due to how Tom Brady likes to use his backs in the passing game. Moreover, the Bucs boast some great backs.
Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones, the clear No.1 and No.2, they produced some great football last year, operating as one of the best one-two punches in the entire NFL.
Now you add in veteran Giovani Bernard, who at the time of writing, seems to have snatched a good role as a third-down back to help ease the load on the other two. Then there is the Bucs' third-round pick from the 2020 draft, Ke'Shawn Vaughn. By being a solid player in special teams, he has nailed down a spot as a gunner heading into the season.
#4 Only ten players are new to the team
When you consider how few players left the Bucs' in free agency this off-season, it is not all that surprising.
But when out of the ten, seven are rookies, that makes the Bucs a well-rounded team. Only three new veterans made the cut, with them being Chris Cooper, Giovani Bernard and Dee Delaney.
What is surprising is that of the other 43 players currently on the roster, they have all either been on the Bucs' practice squad or have played for the team already.
#5 The Bucs are a much older team
No, this isn't because of Tom Brady. The trend has been noticeable for Tampa Bay since the 2019 season.
In 2019, there were three players who were 30 or over. Last season, that skyrocketed to nine, and as you can predict, that number has increased again this season.
After going from three to nine, the Bucs now boast as many as 15 players who are 30 or older, making them one of the most experienced teams in the NFL.