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Select A Team Baltimore Ravens

Editor's note: These camp previews are up to date as of the start of preseason games. For the latest changes since then, check our updated rankings, projections and profiles.

First, the good news: Tampa Bay has the best passing defense in the NFL, and adding defensive back Aqib Talib, a first-round pick, to the mix can only improve the Buccaneers' success at stopping the aerial attack. Now, the bad news: The offense has so many question marks that author and infomercial extraordinaire Matthew Lesko tried to wear it in his last commercial. While there are clear front-runners for the starting spots at the skill positions, we can't truly say with conviction that any of them will still be there when 2008 is over and done with.

At the quarterback position, Jeff Garcia is an able caretaker, but for how long? Can we be sure that Luke McCown or draft pick Josh Johnson are any better long-term solutions? At running back, Earnest Graham handled duties more than competently when Carnell Williams went down, yet the addition of Warrick Dunn might cut into his third-down playing time … and there's always a chance that the "mechanics" have worked wonders with Cadillac's torn patellar tendon, bringing him back into the picture sooner rather than later.

Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard, if they can stay healthy, will surely be the starting receiver tandem, but behind them there's a large group of guys both old and new who need to do something in the preseason to stand out from the crowd and grab a bigger role. And then there's the tight end position, where Alex Smith will be challenged by new acquisitions Ben Troupe and John Gilmore for the bulk of the action. But wait, there's more! Jerramy Stevens was unexpectedly re-signed by the team despite off-field incidents that will result in a minimum of a two-game suspension. This position, like most of the skill positions, is a muddled one at best.

Key position battles: Galloway and Hilliard have been good for about 100 combined catches each of the past three seasons, but after that? Michael Clayton and Maurice Stovall have had their chances to break through, but neither has done much in the past to think this year will be any different. That's why, in addition to second-round draft pick Dexter Jackson, the team has reached out to troubled Antonio Bryant, who has been given a chance to return to the league after missing all of last season. If anyone in this quartet can step up, even a little bit, that could be all Joey and Ike need to see their own numbers soar.

On the line: Whoever ends up with the ball, they should do well. When it comes to supporting the run, few teams can rival the strength of the Bucs' offensive line. Jeff Faine comes over from the Saints to join the likes of Arron Sears and Davin Joseph on a team that was already posting rushing totals just short of the top 10. Unfortunately, they also allowed 36 sacks in a scheme that didn't really throw the ball too often. Tampa Bay ranked only 25th in the NFL in passing attempts, and there needs to be an awful lot of improvement on the pass protection front, or else we're going to see a return to Gruden's carousel of quarterbacks, due to inevitable injuries from all that abuse.

Fitting in: Dunn makes his return to Tampa Bay after leaving for Atlanta in 2002. At the very least, the 33-year-old Dunn would make a fine third-down back, with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. However, even at his age, Dunn can still get around the corner, something Graham and his bowl-them-over style can't. We wouldn't put it past Gruden to try Graham and Dunn in a two-headed attack in the preseason, and if Dunn does a better job, we don't think he'd hesitate to use him as his primary rushing vehicle … at least until his regular "car" is back from the shop. Which brings us to …

On the mend: … Cadillac Williams, who felt so good that he wanted to take part in Tampa Bay's minicamp. As impressed as Gruden was with his determination, the team wisely exercised caution and didn't let him do so. However, this does seem to indicate that perhaps the timetable for Williams' return will be moved up, perhaps by Week 11, after the bye week, or even sooner. It certainly makes taking a late-round flier on Cadillac an intriguing proposition.

At some point, the NFL rules regarding roster size will prevent Gruden from having a depth chart that reads as long as James Joyce's "Ulysses," but until he starts to winnow the choices down a bit, any Buccaneer you select on your draft day comes with the risk that he may not even be on the team come Week 1.

AJ Mass is a fantasy football, baseball and college basketball analyst for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.