TAMPA, Fla. — John Spytek can create all the backup scenarios he wants for the draft and free agency, but the Bucs’ vice president of player personnel said it’s difficult for a Plan A, B or C to account for nights like Oct. 8, 2020.
Late in the fourth quarter of a Week 5 loss to the Bears in Chicago, linebacker Devin White rolled across nose tackle Vita Vea’s right leg, breaking it. With a limited window to find a replacement, the Bucs traded for veteran Steve McLendon. He turned into an option for not only the short term — 17 combined tackles, including two for loss, in 2020 — but also the following season, when he re-signed with the team.
Spytek and his scouting staff have time to prepare for offseason events on the NFL calendar. But their ability to navigate the “daily churn” of a season — which resumes with the initial 53-man roster set and the Sept. 11 opener creeping closer — is one of the more underappreciated parts of roster construction, Spytek said.
“Your ability to pivot and come up with a plan — whether it’s a trade, a guy to sign, to know who’s out there — I think can save seasons,” Spytek said late last month.
The deal for McLendon helped the Bucs miss “as few beats as possible” during their Super Bowl 55 championship season, Spytek said. The weekend after the Oct. 18 trade with the Jets, McLendon had five total tackles, one for loss, and played 38% of the defensive snaps in a 45-20 win over the Raiders.
A similar scenario occurred earlier this preseason, when outside linebacker Cam Gill suffered a Lisfranc injury. He wasn’t slated to start, with Shaquil Barrett returning and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka developing, but Gill impressed in camp and the first preseason game, with two tackles for loss across three first-quarter plays.
Gill’s injury caused Spytek and his staff to search for the next-best option, and a few days later they settled on Carl Nassib. He had played with the Bucs for two seasons, including 2019 under then-defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, and left a positive impression on the defensive staff. Plus, Nassib already knew the Bucs’ system.
Those successful last-minute pivots — via trades and signings — are a testament to the work of the Bucs’ scouting staff, said Spytek, who enters his seventh season with the team and second as vice president of player personnel.
Director of player personnel Rob McCartney and assistant directors of pro scouting Alex Smith and Shane Scannell put together lists of the best-available players at each position. The right guy sits at the top, Spytek said, so there’s a “seamless” plan at hand when needed.
Last year, the Bucs signed cornerback Richard Sherman and longsnapper Carson Tinker after mid-season injuries to Sean Murphy-Bunting and Zach Triner, respectively. Other contributors — like wide receiver Breshad Perriman — were signed to the practice squad before joining the 53-man roster to help with positional depth.
But the reality for 2022, Spytek said, is that it’s “gonna be hard for somebody to come in and make our team right now that hasn’t been here.”
That doesn’t mean they’ll stop looking for players. Injuries always threaten to expedite that process. But it’s important to find balance between that approach and being realistic about the amount of time before the opener against Dallas, Spytek said. In July, general manager Jason Licht said the Bucs continue to put their lists together “non-stop,” both for players without a team and those who could get released or traded.
Asked Thursday if he expects the roster to stay the same for next week’s game, Bowles said that right now he doesn’t anticipate much change. But “you never say never,” he added. Next week, it could be different.
“You know there’s gonna be injuries,” Spytek said. “You can’t predict when or where, but you better have a plan for how to fix it and fix it fast, because the game is coming really fast the next week.”
