Anthony

Nelson

The Bucs declared Wirfs out with a toe injury; they will likely lean on Graham Barton to shift over to left tackle in Wirfs’ absence. Also out is Anthony Nelson (knee), who did not practice this week. Sterling Shepard is a healthy scratch with the Bucs’ receiving group now fully healthy.

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the deal is worth up to $12 million, meaning Nelson can make an extra $2 million via incentives. Nelson has been with the Bucs since they drafted him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He re-upped with the team two years ago on a similar deal. Nelson appeared in all 17 games last year and was credited with six starts. He totaled four sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

Nelson was drafted by the Bucs in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He had made four starts until 2022 when the team elevated him to a larger role. Nelson was credited with eight starts last year and earned a career-high, 57 percent snap share on defense. He has 10.5 sacks and 11 TFLs over the past two seasons.

Without Vernon Hargreaves (waived) and Stewart available, Bucs are expected to start Carlton Davis, No. 39 overall pick Sean Murphy-Bunting, and No. 94 overall pick Jamel Dean. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin should also have an easier time roaming free without Marshon Lattimore (hamstring, out) covering either.

The injury is to his right knee. Nelson, who hasn’t practiced since August 5, is looking at a 4-6 week absence. While the former Iowa Hawkeye seems likely to miss the remainder of Tampa Bay’s preseason slate, he should be back sometime during the opening month, if not by Week 1.

Nelson (6’7/271) turned pro as a redshirt junior after starting for two years as a Hawkeye, tallying 31 career TFLs with 23 sacks and four forced fumbles and earning second-team All-Big Ten in 2018. Nelson’s athleticism popped in Indy with 79th-percentile SPARQ results, including 4.82 speed and a twitched-up 6.95 three-cone time, incredible for a 271-pound lineman. He also aced the Wonderlic Test (39). With nearly 35-inch arms, Nelson’s strengths are length and motor, but his height can work against him in the trenches, and he likely doesn’t project as a double-digit sack pass rusher. Still, Nelson’s tools and movement skills raise his floor as a probable rotational asset at worst.

Nelson (6’7/271) turned pro as a redshirt junior after starting for two years as a Hawkeye, tallying 31 career TFLs with 23 sacks and four forced fumbles and earning second-team All-Big Ten in 2018. Nelson’s athleticism popped in Indy with 79th-percentile SPARQ results, including 4.82 speed and a twitched-up 6.95 three-cone time, incredible for a 271-pound lineman. He also aced the Wonderlic Test (39). With nearly 35-inch arms, Nelson’s strengths are length and motor, but his height can work against him in the trenches, and he likely doesn’t project as a double-digit sack pass rusher. Still, Nelson’s tools and movement skills raise his floor as a probable rotational asset at worst.

It’s not the first time we’ve heard Nelson being an underrated part of this class, with Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports mentioning that Nelson was a “plan B” for teams who couldn’t get a player like Nick Bosa. “Nelson recorded 23 sacks over his last three years at Iowa,” Moton writes. “A club desperate for a pass-rusher will find a spot for him on the defensive line, but his combination of size and traits may cause some debate in draft rooms.” Don’t be surprised if Nelson goes on Day 2, and he could be a steal there or early on Day 3.

Bosa is likely going in the first five picks -- it’d be an upset if he falls out of the top three right now -- but Nelson (6'7/271) could be a nice fallback option, as Trapasso mentions. "[Nelson] has the most advanced repertoire of pass-rushing moves at the edge rusher spot in this class after Bosa and demonstrated high caliber athleticism at the combine with a three-cone drill time in the 92nd percentile at his position as well as a broad and vertical in the 82nd and 87th percentiles respectively,” he writes. Right now, it looks like Nelson will be a Day 2 pick, and he could be a steal in that range.

Nelson (6'7/271) had the fifth-fastest time in the 40-yard dash among defensive linemen, and he also tested well in the 3-cone drill (6.95 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (4.23 seconds). The negative for the former Iowa DE when it comes to his testing numbers was the bench press, with his 18 reps being the fewest for a defensive lineman. Nelson has been projected to be a Day 2 selection in next month’s NFL Draft.