Winners and losers from the Buccaneers preseason loss to the Bills

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended their 2025 preseason with a 23–19 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Despite the loss, Tampa Bay finished 2–1 in the preseason and got to see just who helped, or hurt, their roster chances before Tuesday’s 53-man deadline.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from Saturday night.

WinnersKyle Trask, Quarterback

If the goal was to make the Bucs’ final decision at QB2 difficult, Kyle Trask did exactly that. In his final preseason appearance, he went 13-of-17 for 93 yards and a touchdown, showing command of the offense and comfort in the pocket. He may not have locked up the job behind Baker Mayfield, but he absolutely solidified his place in the conversation with Teddy Bridgewater.

Tez Johnson, Wide Receiver

Rookie Tez Johnson had his coming-out party in Buffalo. He caught 8 passes on 8 targets for 58 yards and a touchdown, consistently creating separation and showing reliable hands. With Chris Godwin Jr still ramping up and Jalen McMillan sidelined, Johnson may have earned himself a real role when the regular season kicks off. The production was real, as was the hype.

Josh Williams, Running Back

One of the biggest surprises of the night was Josh Williams, who made the most of every touch on special teams. He logged 108 yards on three kick returns, including a 42-yard burst that flipped field position. Special teams value often makes the difference for fringe roster players, and Williams brings even more as a rusher. May have locked himself a spot.

Elijah Roberts, Defensive Line

Elijah Roberts made his preseason sack debut, bringing down Shane Buechele in the second half. It was a standout moment for a young player who has shone all summer, and could be the next gem that Jason Licht has found in the later rounds of the draft.

LosersShilo Sanders, Safety

The biggest self-inflicted wound of the night came from rookie safety Shilo Sanders, who was ejected in the second quarter for throwing a punch at Bills tight end Zach Davidson, just one play after being flagged for pass interference.

Discipline issues are a quick way off the roster bubble.

Tampa Bay’s Secondary Depth

The Bucs allowed 278 passing yards and a touchdown to a backup quarterback, and they didn’t force a single turnover for the first time this preseason. That’s a concern, especially since the roster depth at corner and safety has already been under scrutiny.

Tight End Group

With Cade Otton sitting out, none of the backup tight ends did much to capitalize on the extra reps. The group failed to make an impact in the passing game and didn’t stand out as blockers.

Red Zone Execution

After three weeks of preseason football, the Bucs still haven’t looked clean in the red zone. Drives that start hot tend to stall near the goal line, often due to penalties, miscommunication, or conservative play-calling. That won’t cut it when the regular season starts. Saturday’s short field goal following a first-and-goal from the 5-yard line was a glaring example.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Winners and losers from the Bucs preseason loss to the Bills

Winners and losers from the Buccaneers preseason loss to the Bills

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