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Tez Johnson
Bucs 2025 seventh-round pick Tez Johnson out of the University of Oregon entered the NFL as an experienced punt returner with solid fourth-down success on his résumé.
The Bucs seemed to want him to win the job, primarily because they didn’t have a seasoned punt returner in last summer’s training camp.
Johnson dazzled with a near-touchdown punt return in preseason against Pittsburgh, but Johnson botched a punt later that game and it led to a Steelers touchdown.
After the game, head coach Todd Bowles seemed very sympathetic to Johnson.
“A muffed punt, I think is a good learning experience for him as a rookie,” Bowles said. “You know, you got to take care of the ball and you got to manage the game back there. That’s one of the prime responsibilities of a punt returner. So it’s a very good lesson for him that he’ll get better with going forward, but I thought he played fast and I thought he played hard.”
Two weeks later, the punt returner gig was handed to Kameron Johnson, a Division II returner who returned one punt for the Bucs in 2024.
Tez Johnson didn’t return a punt in the regular season.
Joe brings this up for two reasons — because there’s a new sheriff in town leading the Bucs’ special teams, seasoned coordinator Danny Smith, and because Joe’s not sure the Bucs want to keep Kameron Johnson on the roster.
They likely _want_ Tez Johnson to win the punt returner gig to preserve a roster spot.
The Bucs currently have receivers Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and Ted Hurst, the rookie third-round pick. Do they really want six receivers on the roster, the total if both Johnsons make the team?
And don’t forget about handpicked free agent receiver David Sills, who caught 18 balls last season for the Falcons, where new Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson called plays last season.
Joe expects Tez Johnson to get every opportunity to win the punt returner job this season. But if he muffs a preseason punt again, well, Bowles showed he has zero tolerance for that.