PFF Grades from the Buccaneers preseason win over the Titans

 

Andrew Harbaugh

Buccaneers Wire

August 11, 2025

 

The NFL season will sometimes show us what we want to see from players; other times, we may see something bad when it isn't there. For fans and media, it's essential to have a way to verify and balance information to prevent favoritism or bias from being portrayed in a negative light.

Thanks to PFF, we will always have an extra set of eyes to examine the football game.

The Bucs had few high grades or performances in Week 1 of the preseason. The good should outweigh the bad, as they were able to make it a one-sided showing for the team in a dominant performance against the Titans and Cam Ward.

Here are the best and worst from the PFF grades for the Bucs' win over the Tennessee Titans.

Best offensive grades

TE Ko Kieft 91.3

WR Jalen McMillan 87.6

QB Kyle Trask 86.7

WR Ryan Miller 81.1

TE Tanner Taula 77.7

Worst offensive grades

LG Raiqwon O'Neal 38.2

C Elijah Klein 44.3

RB Rachaad White 46.7

C Ben Scott 51

TE Payne Durham 52.7

Rushing grades

Sean Tucker 73.8

Kyle Trask 73.2

Owen Wright 72.9

Rachaad White 48.2

Best run blocking grades

TE Ko Kieft 89

TE Tanner Taula 88.4

RT Tyler McLellan 80.8

WR Jacob Harris 77.1

WR Jaden Smith 61.9

Worst run blocking grades

WR Ryan Miller 34.8

C Elijah Klein 39.9

TE Devin Culp 42.2

LG Raiqwon O'Neal 42.7

LT Charlie Heck 44.8

Best pass blocking grades

Luke Haggard 84.5

C Ben Scott 83.5

RT Michael Jordan 79.6

LT Charlie Heck 79.4

RB Sean Tucker 78.6

Worst pass blocking grades

LG Raiqwon O'Neal 32.3

TE Payne Durham 34.7

RT Tyler McLellan 41.9

RB Owen Wright 50.7

C Elijah Klein 69.9

Best defensive grades

CB Roman Parodie 90.3

LB Nick Jackson 90

LB Warren Peeples 81.9

LB John Bullock 80.3

CB Jacob Parrish 73.6

Worst defensive grades

DL Dvon J-Thomas 35.6

LB SirVocea Dennis 39.5

Edge Adam Gotsis 41.3

LB Markees Watts 42.2

LB Chris Braswell 43.2

Best run defense grades

CB Josh Hayes 76.4

LB Nick Jackson 73.6

Edge C.J. Brewer 71.6

LB SirVocea Dennis 69.9

Edge Mike Greene 69.2

Worst run defense grades

DL Elijah Roberts 29.5

LB Chris Braswell 31.9

LB Jose Ramirez 40.6

LB Markees Watts 45.7

DL Eric Banks 45.9

Best pass rush grades

DL Elijah Roberts 81.6

SAF Shile Sanders 79.8

LB Warren Peeples 78.1

LB Jose Ramirez 74.1

LB John Bullock 68.3

Worst pass rush grades

LB Markees Watts 50.6

Edge C.J. Brewer 51.6

DL D-Von Thomas 52.3

Edge Mike Greene 52.8

DL Greg Gaines 53.2

Best coverage grades

CB Roman Parodie 90.5

LB John Bullock 88.5

LB Nick Jackson 81.1

CB Jacob Parrish 73.3

CB Bryce Hall 68.6

Worst coverage grades

LB SirVocea Dennis 30.4

Edge Anthony Nelson 49.1

DB Christian Izien 55.2

SAF Shilo Sanders 56.3

 

The Gritty Work Of Ko Kieft

 

The Gritty Work Of Ko Kieft

November 19th, 2022

Reputation growing.

At Sunday’s game in Munich between the Bucs and Seahawks, Joe laughed out loud early in the game.

Joe didn’t exactly see what happened but Joe saw the aftermath. A Seattle linebacker was furious with Bucs rookie Ko Kieft and had him by the shoulder pads and tried to swing him around and throw Kieft on the ground (it didn’t work) well after the whistle.

Why did Joe laugh? Well, if Kieft got under someone’s skin that quickly and that badly, it meant to Joe that Kieft was doing a helluva job.

Dudes usually don’t get that angry in the first half unless a cheap shot is involved or the guy just got flat-embarrassed. And Kieft isn’t a cheap shot artist.

It seems Joe isn’t the only person who noticed Kieft’s gritty play. So too has Ben Muth of Football Outsiders. Muth a former tackle at Stanford, and he focuses on offensive line play for Football Outsiders. Not long ago, Muth thought the Bucs’ offensive line was playing awful football.

Now? Muth is of the mind the line played its best game against Seattle. The way the Bucs ran the ball was proof, he typed. An underrated key was how the Bucs used Tristan Wirfs and Kieft as a double-team on a Seattle linebacker to spring Playoff Lenny.

Muth highlights a specific play with video and gave Kieft a standing-O.

I do want to point out the tight end Ko Kieft here that’s working with Wirfs. Because the linebacker attempted run through, Kieft doesn’t get much help from his tackle. That’s a tough block to get inside that defensive end and seal him off, but Kieft makes it. Look at how he emphasizes driving his inside leg up the field, fighting to keep it in front of the defender. That’s a hell of a job from the tight end.

Kieft is a helluva steal for a sixth-round pick. Kieft shows vicious blocking ability and in time, Joe thinks Kieft would be a weapon in the short passing game. He has good hands, despite what the draftniks thought when he came out of Minnesota.

Kieft is the kind of glass-eater type like Ryan Jensen that Joe knows Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht covets on the offensive line.

Bucs Midseason Rookie Report Card: Day Three Edition

 

Home » Bucs Midseason Rookie Report Card: Day Three Edition

By Joshua Queipo

Recently we covered the Bucs “Day Two” rookies and how they have performed about half-way through the season. Now we will take a look at the later round editions the team made earlier this year.

Most teams are looking for situational players and special teams ace’s when they start selecting on the third day of the draft. Every so often a team will take a swing on a toolsy prospect who has the athleticism to be an eventual starter but lacks the resume to be confident they can step into that role right away. The Bucs looked for a little bit of each with their day three picks this year. Let’s check in and see how those players have looked through almost the first half of their rookie years.

TE Ko Kieft

Sixth round sensation. Cult hero. Ginger icon. What other platitudes can we put on the no-nonsense blocking badass out of Minnesota? I would argue we can add one more. How about play maker? Kieft was immediately heralded for his ability to put defenders on their backsides as soon as the Bucs selected him in the sixth round. And he has delivered on that hype. Kieft has been a plus pass blocker, registering a 78.8 PFF grade in that area on the season. He has been more inconsistent as a run blocker, although the Bucs offense requires so much of him in both assignment and usage where he is often required to take on large defensive ends in formations where the run is being advertised like a Geico commercial.

That is why it has been a breath of fresh air to see Kieft’s usage become less predictable over the last three weeks. Over that time period Kieft has been in on 49 snaps. 25 of them have been runs to 24 passes. This is a stark contrast to the previous five weeks where only 21 of his 74 offensive snaps were pass plays. And Kieft has come up with some big catches in these situations. After catching only 12 passes over four years in college, Kieft already has three catches for 46 yards early in his rookie season.

Kieft has added to that offensive play with good special teams reps as well. Kieft has six special teams tackles over 123 snaps on coverage unit that has been solid overall.

Kieft isn’t the second coming of Rob Gronkowski, but he is proving to be a capable number two or three tight end who can effectively block and has surprisingly good hands.

That could mean a ten-year career of being a solid contributor in the NFL. Not bad for a sixth round pick.

Overall Grade: B

Buccaneers should be happy with 2022 draft class so far

 

by Brandon Thornton | October 12, 2022

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to have struck gold with their draft class. The Buccaneers rookies have looked good, and only getting better.

Despite not having a first round pick due to trading back for the first pick in the second round, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still appear to have gotten a haul in the 2022 NFL draft. The Buccaneers, and their fans, have to be happy with what they’ve seen so far.

Logan Hall, the defensive lineman the Bucs drafted with the aforementioned second-round pick, has been coming along nicely in the playing time he’s received. The injury to Akiem Hicks has granted Hall with more playing time, and at any time there is a sack while he’s on the field, it always seems like he’s in the backfield for it if not getting the sack himself, which he’s done twice so far this year.

On the other side of the ball, the Buccaneers are getting usable production from their offensive rookie says well. Fellow second-round pick Luke Goedeke hasn’t been perfect at left guard, but due to the preseason injury to projected starter Aaron Stinnie, Goedeke has started every game so far. Despite his imperfections, the Buccaneers do still have a winning record as a result, which is perfectly fine for a second-round rookie guard that was a college tackle.

Elsewhere, Cade Otton has been improving every week, and has seen his role grow after Cameron Brate suffered a concussion, and Kyle Rudolph has been suffering from his age. We don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves, but with the way Otton is projecting upward, the Bucs very well could’ve found their tight end of the future in the fourth round. Sixth-round tight end Ko Kieft can also be seen as the Bucs blocking tight end, or even H-back on the goal line, and has looked VERY good as a blocker so far.

Then there is Rachaad White. The third-round rookie he has not only been returning kicks, and there’s work to be done there, but he has also filled the role of the change-of-pace back for Leonard Fournette, and has done so with great aplomb. White is bigger than you would think given the way he plays, and is a very good receiver out of the backfield. White has seen his role grow more and more with each passing week, to the point where he even gets goal line work on occasion.

Of course special teams is also a third of the game, so we have to mention them as well. While rookie punter Jake Camarda certainly has room to improve, if your rookie fourth-round punter is the “weakest link“ of the draft picks seeing ample playing time, then there are certainly worse problems to have.

At the end of the day, there is still a lot of football to be played, both this season, and in the careers of these rookies. However, both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise and their fans alike, have to be pleased with what they have seen so far from their 2022 draft class, despite the inconsistent, and some may even say frustrating, start for the team as a whole. The future looks bright.

Bucs OC Has High Praise For Rookie TEs

 

By Bailey Adams

Oct. 7, 2022

 

One of the main themes of the Bucs’ offseason was the question of whether future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski would return to the Bucs or not. He ultimately chose to retire, which is why it’s a good thing Tampa Bay invested in the position in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Bucs knew that even if Gronkowski did decide to return, they would need to start thinking longer-term with the tight end position sooner rather than later. Gronkowski and Cameron Brate would’ve been one of the older tight end tandems in the league, after all. And that’s why the team spent a fourth-round pick on Cade Otton and a sixth-rounder on Ko Kieft.

Bucs TE Cade Otton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Both Otton and Kieft have yet to really take off, though both have shown some impressive flashes of their respective strengths. Otton flashed as a pass-catcher throughout training camp and the preseason, while Kieft has shown how impressive of a blocker he is. He also made a great 19-yard back-shoulder catch in Week 4 against the Chiefs, marking his first career reception.

Yes, Tampa Bay isn’t getting enough from the tight end position right now. It’s clear that this team misses Gronkowski, as you don’t replace a Hall of Fame tight end overnight. But the Bucs’ coaching staff clearly feels good about what it has seen from the two rookie tight ends so far this season.

Their ability to contribute on special teams certainly helps, and that’s been a big reason why they’ve been active on gamedays. Kieft has been active for the first four games, while Otton has been active for three of the four (he missed Tampa Bay’s game against the Packers due to the loss of his mother). That has left veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph, who signed with the Bucs at the start of training camp, as the odd man out.

Leftwich Offers Praise For Bucs’ Rookie TEs

Sure, special teams contributions have been the main plus for Otton and Kieft in the coaches’ eyes. But it’s clear that they think highly of both guys. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich had plenty to say about them during his press conference on Thursday.

Bucs TE Ko Kieft – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Asked if Kieft would get more looks in the passing game after his catch against Kansas City, Leftwich was honest about where the big man is in the team’s pecking order. But he still praised his skill set and what he offers to the offense.

“He’s probably seventh or eighth on the list with the guys, but that’s why I don’t see him as a fullback as I said earlier in the year,” Leftwich said. “I don’t just see him as a fullback. He has certain skill sets that he can bring from a tight end position.

“But you can put him in the backfield and you can put him at the line of scrimmage. Ko [has] a skill set that’s unique to Ko – he can do more than you really think he can do. It’s good to see him get his first catch.”

From there, Leftwich was asked about Otton and he circled back to discussing how special he thinks both tight ends are.

“Yeah, and you watch these two guys (Kieft and Otton) that we’re talking about – you wouldn’t even know that they’re rookies,” he said. “These two guys are rookies in the huddle, playing at a high level [and] able to get the job done. That’s a special, unique thing – to get two guys in the same position, rookies, on the field at the same time and being able to trust in them.

“The way that they practice every day, they don’t have [mental errors], they don’t do the wrong thing – they always do the right thing. That’s what’s special about these two – you can put them in the huddle and feel comfortable that they’ll do the right thing. That’s unique, especially when you’re talking about rookies and tight ends because that’s a tough position to be a rookie at with all of the different things you’ve got to do from a position standpoint.”

It’s Time For Otton And Kieft To Give The Bucs More

Based on all of that, it’s certainly no surprise that the young rookies have been chosen over Rudolph on game days. Rudolph hasn’t done enough to take snaps away from them. And with Brate in concussion protocol, Sunday’s game against the Falcons figures to feature Otton and Kieft even more. Otton in particular appears primed to have an increased role as the season goes on. He played two-thirds of the team’s offensive snaps last week, due in part to Brate missing the second half.

Sooner or later, we’re going to see more out of Otton as a pass-catcher. He appeared to develop a solid rapport with Tom Brady during training camp, and that now needs to carry over into game action. Meanwhile, Kieft will continue to be Kieft. His blocking ability is extremely valuable, especially in the absence of Gronkowski. Both guys will need to give the Bucs even more, especially if Brate’s absence is a prolonged one.

Somehow managing to lure Gronkowski out of retirement at some point this season would still be extremely beneficial (even if it’s still in the “dream” phase rather than anything concrete). But early returns have shown that these two day-three picks have a little something special to offer Tampa Bay as the year progresses — and into the future.

Buccaneers drafted Ko Kieft to be Ko Kieft, and that’s perfect

 

by Brandon Thornton | July 12, 2022

 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Ko Kieft for his strength in blocking. All the Buccaneers need is for him to excel at what he does best, and that is ok.

With Rob Gronkowski now retired (for real this time, we think) Cameron Brate is the penciled-in starter at tight end for the Bucs as of this writing. While this writer is perhaps admittedly a bigger fan than most when it comes to Brate thanks to his durability and availability coupled with his underrated ability as a receiver, it’s no secret that his blocking has left much to be desired.

Behind Brate are two rookies. The Buccaneers’ fourth-round pick Cade Otton out of the University of Washington, a school that’s become a factory of sorts for the Bucs in recent years, is getting the most pub due to his Gronk-like run-after-catch skills and being a natural receiver. He is also a pretty good blocker in his own right. Obviously this isn’t saying Otton will be Gronk, but the similarities are there from a skillset perspective.

With these two tight ends getting the glamour work with Tom Brady, another rookie will do the dirty work.

The Bucs also drafted tight end Ko Kieft Kieft out of Minnesota in the sixth round. Kieft is an absolute bowling ball of a tight end. He stands at 6’5″ and tips the scales at 265 pounds and is a throwback in every sense of the word.

Kieft’s biggest strength is his blocking. He’s been called a blocking specialist leading up to the draft, so it’s easy to see why the Buccaneers made him the second tight end they drafted. As it stands, it looks like Kieft can fill out the “Luke Stocker role” while Otton and Brate handle the majority of the receiving work, but that’s not to say Kieft isn’t a capable receiver when called upon either.

With new head coach Todd Bowles stating the Bucs will be running the ball more, and Byron Leftwich and Brady on board, Kieft’s skills as a blocker could pay off in dividends for Tampa Bay.

Now sure, it’s entirely plausible that Kieft could be on the outside-looking-in for the final 53-man roster, especially with the Bucs potentially shopping for another veteran at the position, but if they go to battle with these three tight ends, they’re in far from rough shape.

While a veteran with limited starting experience and two rookies may not seem ideal on the surface, with Brady anything is a possible, and it’s a tight end room makeup he’s found success with in the past anyway.

Ko Kieft may not be the dangerous receiving threat other tight ends are, but he doesn’t need to be. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted him to be himself, and his skillset is exactly what they needed, whether it’s at the forefront of people’s minds or not.

Rookie Minicamp Day 2 Notes

 

May 14th, 2022

Today was the final day for media availability at Bucs rookie minicamp. There is a closed minicamp/underwear football practice scheduled for tomorrow but often those are just enough to get the players to break a sweat — if they are held at all.

For many of the rookies, today is the final time Joe will see them on a Bucs practice field. For several, their football careers end tomorrow.

But let’s not be dour. Joe has a few highlights from today.

* Jerreth Sterns, who caught passes from Bailey Zappe at Western Kentucky and put up insane numbers, plays larger than his 5-9 frame. In an offensive drill, he meandered around a couple of tackling dummies and was heading for the far left corner of the end zone when the pass headed his way was overthrown. He skied and sold out for the ball and caught it with both hands as he tumbled to the ground. Nice job. Bucs coach Todd Bowles said after practice that Sterns has flashed and the number of catches he made in college proves his durability. In four seasons at Western Kentucky (1) and Houston Baptist (3), Sterns had 370 catches for 3,873 yards and 35 touchdowns in 41 games.

* In a seven-on-seven drill, tight end Ko Kieft took a pass over the left seams. Not only did he look smooth doing it, when he turned upfield he just didn’t tuck the ball away, he covered it up with both arms as he squared his shoulders with the line and leaned forward as if ready to get hit. Even in underwear football, Kieft was expecting violence. Solid fundamentals.

* Tight end Ben Biese (Wisconsin-River Falls) catches a quick slat from the left from Peyton Ramsey (Northwestern).

* Aqeel Glass (Alabama A&M) with a beautiful pass about 20 yards down the left seam that dropped in the bucket for tight end Sean Dykes (Memphis) who got a half-step past double-coverage.

* Ramsey to Jace Jordan (West Georgia) to the right sideline out of the backfield and Bronson Massie (Kansas State) races over for the touch tackle. Remember, this is underwear football where there is no hitting or tackling of any sort.

* Glass on a coverage sack. He backpedaled escaping pressure but no one was open.

* Kieft tries to catch a very high but short pass down the right seam that bounces off his hands high in the air and J.J. Russell (Memphis) nearly had a pick.

* Glass makes up for it on the next play with a pass in the numbers to Kieft, short right in traffic.

* Devin Thompkins (Utah State), from Fort Myers, skies high for a catch on the right side.

* Patrick Laird (California) looks very smooth coming out of the backfield to his right to haul in a pass.

* Glass drops the snap and tries to get the pass to the left for an open Sterns. But in rush to get rid of the ball, Glass didn’t have enough mustard on the pass and it falls short.

* Joe isn’t sure if this is bad or good. As Ramsey rolls right, Sterns hits the turf near the right sideline. Ramsey still throws the ball to Sterns and the pass hits Sterns in the numbers as he’s sitting on the ground.

* Kieft is getting open play after play.

* Glass would have had his world lit up if there was hitting. A linebacker came racing up the middle untouched and since it is underwear football, the linebacker pulled up at last second to avoid blowing this guy up to kingdom come. The linebacker? DeCalon Brooks.

 

Grinding The Tape: Bucs TE Kieft Edition

By Joshua Queipo | May. 6, 2022

Certain players transcend their role and impact. Through their dynamic personality, commitment to their limited role, or some other factor, some guys become Bucs fan favorites even if they aren’t elite or great all-around players.

You will often hear attributes like “gritty” and “grinder” associated with them. They aren’t the fastest or most athletic. But they wind up with some of your favorite highlight reel plays because they do one thing well and usually are willing to sacrifice more than the guy they are facing to succeed. Well Bucs fans, allow me to introduce you to “exhibit A” for your 2022 Tampa Bay Bucs: Ko Kieft.

Kieft was a surprise selection for most and was not on anyone’s “Big Board” when the Bucs traded up to select him in the sixth round. But at that point in the draft team draft boards will differ greatly from public one’s as they tend to hone-in on very specific skill sets that their particular teams needed. Enter Kieft who is known for one thing and one thing only. The man is committed solely to the craft of blocking. And it was for this reason the Bucs drafted him.

So, let’s dive in and see what specifically the Bucs saw in Kieft.

Technical Blocker

I kind of gave it away in the intro, didn’t I? No matter. A simple Google search would have given it away. But you come to Pewter Report for more detail than that. And detail you shall have! Let’s go to clip one.

Kieft is lined up at the bottom of the offensive line as a wing back. As soon as the ball is snapped, he knows exactly where he wants to get to as he fires off the line towards his assignments inside shoulder. He gets to his mark and explodes from a leveraged position up and out to create a seal and blocking his guy out from the line. This creates an ideal seam for Minnesota’s running back to run through and get to the second level.

While this is a play that will end up on a highlight reel at the end of the game, this block would not be the featured part of the play. But it is important to remember 95% of blocking isn’t and shouldn’t be a highlight in and of itself. It’s the technical aspect of football that allows highlights to occur. Get to your mark before your opponent does, gain leverage, control your man. Kieft executes his assignment in masterclass fashion. The Bucs have to love seeing plays like this.

Becoming A Bully

Did the last clip leave you wanting? Technically sound, pancake-less blocks not your thing? Was it boring? Well, I am working towards a crescendo that will be worth the wait so bear with me. Clip two will show Kieft can go beyond the simple, technically sound block.

Are you starting to get more excited? Here you see Kieft build off of his technical prowess and add some real oomph. In this play Kieft is lined up outside the left tackle (on the right of your screen). Again, he fires off to attack his man going forward. However, there is a big difference in what Kieft is being asked to do this time that allows him to have more fun.

This time instead of walling off to isolate his man away from the play, he gets to engage his lower half and drive through 6-foot-6, 270-pound Zach Harrison (No. 9). By the time Harrison was able to get off the ride the return period had elapsed, and he was not allowed to get his money back. Plays like these show Bucs coaches that Kieft is dedicated to this craft and consistently successful.

Life Coach

Sometimes people are called to a higher walk of life. They are destined to help others become the best versions of themselves. Some people are gifted at helping those around them find their true callings. Kieft may be one of those lucky few.

When you watch this clip, you will see many and assume many things. You will see Kieft lined up at the bottom of your screen in a wing back position just outside the right tackle. Then you will see him lock up linebacker Dallas Gant. Following this, you will see him then win the leverage battle, push through Gant’s reach and get a strong grip at his chest. Finally, you will then see him manhandle Gant forwards, backwards, and side-to-side for a total of 10 to 12 yards before depositing Gant on his back – in the backfield!

And you will assume things like “he stole Gant’s soul!” or “he broke his spirit.” But I will offer up a different narrative for what happened on this play. Kieft knew that football was not the path Gant needed to devote his life to. And so, he set out to have a heart-to-heart with Gant. He wanted to talk with Gant about his hopes, his dreams, and what he wanted to get out of this life. Kieft helped Gant realize that his true path in life was that of an accountant. Immediately following this play Gant gave up football forever, changed majors, and dedicated himself to helping others understand the difference between deductible and non-deductible expenditures.

(*For the record, I have no actual knowledge this took place, but it seems entirely plausible based on the length of time from start to finish of this delicious pancake.)

Understanding The Why

The Bucs drafted Ko Kieft to do one thing and do it well. He is an elite blocker at the tight end position. These players aren’t sexy. But they are useful. They have an important place on a team’s roster.

And rather than try a dart throw for a player at a different position with a tool or two that you hope develops, the Bucs decided to use their newly acquired sixth -round pick on a guy who will have a specific, defined role that they are very confident he can execute from day one. There is value in that. Kieft is going to pave the way to becoming a fan favorite.