Studs and Duds From the Bucs' Preseason Win Over Bengals

See who we thought shined and who lacked luster in Tampa Bay's win.

Aug 10, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Studs

RB Bucky Irving

Bucky Irving showed Tampa Bay fans what they were looking for — the ability to break tackles and the ability to get in the end zone, He ended his day with 4.7 yards per carry with 28 total yards and a touchdown, which he was able to earn with the next player on our list. If Irving keeps playing like this, he'll definitely see the field quite a bit in 2024.

C Graham Barton

Graham Barton was Tampa Bay's first round pick, and he;s technically in a center competition with Robert Hainsey. He certainly looks like the man based on how he played Saturday.

Barton was handling his blocks very well in the time he played and he had no snap mishaps, either. He also was a huge contributor to Tampa Bay's first touchdown, blocking two different Bengals players to help Irving get in. He had a great game and will look to compound on that in the future.

S Kaevon Merriweather

The first drive saw the Bucs give up a touchdown to Joe Sheisty himself, btu Merriweather showed out — and continued to do so all game. He had two tackles, one for loss, and also got some pressures on blitzes that caused some good plays. He was all over the field and was one of the defense's bright spots in the win.

READ MORE: Bucs Win First 2024 Preseason Game vs. Bengals

Duds

CB Andrew Hayes

Hayes had a bit of a rough outing, and the Central Arkansas product will have to do a lot more to try and make this roster. He slipped on a play that allowed the Bengals to get a decent gain and then gave up a 37-yard touchdown on a ball from quarterback Logan Woodside. He'll need some really strong showings from here on out to make the 53-man roster.

OL Lorenz Metz

The German player Tampa Bay added this season wasn't having a good time. He was getting beat consistently on the offensive line, making John Wolford's job much harder than it needed to be. He's a very big human, but it doesn't seem like he's got the play to match.

QB Kyle Trask

Trask had a good drive when the Buccaneers punched the ball in on a Bucky Irving run, throwing some nice passes to Jalen McMillan and Trey Palmer during that drive. But there were negatives that outweighed the positives.

He frequently threw players into dangerous coverage, and one of his throws almost resulted in a concussion for TE Devin Culp. He also still struggles with ball velocity, and his one interception tonight resulted in a slow football that couldn't find an open Ryan Miller. Trask occasionally shows flashes, but he still doesn't look like an NFL starter.

READ MORE: 3 Key Takeaways From Day 12 of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp 2024

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