It didn't take long for RB Bucky Irving to reassume a prominent role in the Buccaneers' offense in Week 13 after he had missed the previous seven games with shoulder and foot injuries

Scott Smith

Each week during the regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' communications department publishes a "Game Release" to aid the media in coverage of their upcoming game. Within that release are a number of documents regarding the player roster, including a depth chart, which lists the pecking order at every position on offense, defense and special teams.

Each game week, we will be taking a closer look at that depth chart, pointing out any changes or relevant notes from the previous game and which players saw notable action in that game. Let's start on offense. Rookies are marked with an asterisk. Players we will be discussing in depth are highlighted in bold text.

OFFENSE

WR:Chris Godwin, Tez Johnson*

WR: Sterling Shepard, Kameron Johnson

LT:Tristan Wirfs, Benjamin Chukwuma*

LG:Ben Bredeson, Michael Jordan

C: Graham Barton

RG: Dan Feeney, Luke Haggard, Elijah Klein

RT: Luke Goedeke,Charlie Heck

WR: Emeka Egbuka*, Ryan Miller

TE: Cade Otton,Payne Durham, Devin Culp

QB: Baker Mayfield, Teddy Bridgewater,Connor Bazelak*

RB:Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker

Second-year running back Bucky Irving made his much-anticipated return from a seven-game absence due to foot and shoulder injuries, and while the stated plan was to ease him back into action, he quickly regained a prominent spot in the Bucs' offense. While Rachaad White started the game in the Bucs' backfield, Irving eventually got 32 snaps to 23 for White and nine for Sean Tucker. Irving led the team with 81 yards from scrimmage and scored on a 13-yard run in the third quarter. On Monday, Head Coach Todd Bowles said that Irving getting 52% of the snaps was "more or less game flow."

After playing just 25 snaps in his return from a lengthy injury absence in Week 12, wide receiver Chris Godwin started against Arizona and played 40 snaps, or 66% of the total. Only rookie Emeka Egbuka had more snaps among the Bucs' receivers, with 52. Godwin led the team with 78receiving yards on three carries, generating 44 yards after the catch. The Buccaneers started the game in a three-receiver personnel package but ended up using a lot of two-TE sets, with Payne Durham joining Cade Otton and gaining 11 yards on his first catch of the season.

Left guard Ben Bredeson returned to the lineup after missing two weeks with a hamstring strain and played all 61 offensive snaps. All five of the Bucs' starting offensive linemen played every snap, but reserve tackle Charlie Heck also played one, and it was very consequential snap. On third-and-goal from the two-yard line in the second quarter, Heck came onto the field as a sixth lineman but it was Wirfs who declared himself eligible. Wirfs still appeared to be playing his usual left tackle spot because the Buccaneers put Heck outside right tackle Luke Goedeke in an unbalanced line. At the snap, Wirfs briefly blocked outside linebacker Zaven Collins before releasing into the end zone and catching a touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield.

The Bucs do have two changes to their depth chart after a pair of roster moves made last Saturday. Rookie quarterback Connor Bazelak has been added as a third option behind Baker Mayfield and Teddy Bridgewater, and running back Owen Wright has been removed after being waived from the 53-man roster.

DEFENSE

DL: Elijah Roberts*, Greg Gaines

NT:Vita Vea, Elijah Simmons*

DL: Logan Hall, C.J. Brewer

OLB:Yaya Diaby, Chris Braswell, Markees Watts

ILB: SirVocea Dennis, John Bullock*

ILB: Lavonte David, Deion Jones

OLB:Haason Reddick, Anthony Nelson

CB:Jamel Dean, Benjamin Morrison*, Kindle Vildor

CB: Zyon McCollum,Jacob Parrish*, Josh Hayes

S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Christian Izien

S:Tykee Smith, Kaevon Merriweather

Jamel Dean returned from a one-game absence due to a hip injury and played 58 of the 61defensive snaps. He finished with three tackles and a pass deflection that led to an interception by safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Safety Tykee Smith was briefly shaken up in the first half but missed just one defensive snap and ended the game with two tackles and a fumble recovery. Rookie cornerback Jacob Parrish went back to his role in the slot after splitting time between that spot and outside corner in Week 12 with Dean out. With the Cardinals playing a high dose of three-receiver sets, Parrish still played 77% of the defensive snaps.

Outside linebacker Haason Reddick returned to action after missing four games with knee and ankle injuries and played the most defensive snaps, 47, of all the Bucs' edge rushers. Yaya Diaby was right behind with 43 snaps and he recorded his sixth sack of the season to lead the team.

Anticipating a high percentage of pass plays given the Cardinals' recent tendencies, the Buccaneers rotated their five active defensive linemen a bit more than usual. Vita Vea saw his snap count reduced a bit, to 59%, and Logan Hall, Elijah Roberts and Greg Gaines all played between 24 and 35 snaps. C.J. Brewer also drew eight snaps in that rotation. Vea still produced one of the team's two sacks and had three "quick pressures" of Jacoby Brissett.

SPECIALISTS

P: Riley Dixon

PK: Chase McLaughlin

KO: Chase McLaughlin

H: Riley Dixon

LS: Evan Deckers

PR: Kameron Johnson, Tez Johnson*

KR: Sean Tucker

KR:Kameron Johnson, Rachaad White

With Owen Wright's release on Saturday and the return of Bucky Irving, Sean Tucker reassumed a role as one of the two deep men on the Bucs' kickoff return unit. However, all three of Arizona's field goals were directed at Kameron Johnson, who returned two of them for 48 yards.

Cornerback Josh Hayes and linebacker Deion Jones were the Bucs' two most active players on special teams, each logging 19 of the 23 available snaps. Hayes had two special teams tackles for the second week in a row and now leads the team with 13, two more than Jones. Outside linebacker Anthony Nelson also got 17 snaps on the kick and coverage units and turned in a special teams tackle.