Buccaneers - Redskins: Position Battle - Safety

The Buccaneers have a good position battle going at the bottom of the roster. The safeties are all struggling to find their place on the roster. Cody Grimm and Sean Jones are basically guaranteed roster spots, but behind those two things get a little murky. Out of Larry Asante, Corey Lynch and Ahmad Black, who will make the roster? And can Dominique Harris and Devin Holland make a late push? This may be the toughest position to evaluate based on TV footage, because they're simply not involved in so many plays. 

Larry Asante
Larry Asante is a slightly undersized safety who has a little speed and explosion to him, but may be best in the box on run defense. I think he almost certainly makes the roster, but it's always tough to say. He's done some good things this preseason, and I haven't seen him blow anything. He has the physical tools to start, and he's not dissimilar to Cody Grimm in his overall profile. 

Corey Lynch
Corey Lynch has also looked good this preseason, and he has more epxerience than the other safeties at the bottom of the roster. He has a little more range in pass defense than most other safeties on the roster, which helps him. On the other hand he hasn't been all that great in run defense, and that hurts him. Corey Lynch is really a core special teamer, though, and that should ultimately keep him on the roster. But if he has a horrible game tonight, who knows what will happen. 

Ahmad Black
This game is crucial for the Florida product. Black has missed almost all of the first three preseason games, which is why this game is going to make or break him. He's coming off a high ankle sprain and if he can't play this game, I cannot see him making this roster. He has to show up and look at least passable to be on the roster. 

Devin Holland and Dominique Harris
These two guys are basically camp fodder that shouldn't make the roster. I haven't seen Dominique Harris do anything this preseason. I have seen Devin Holland do something, but it wasn't all that good. He blasted a punt returner before he had fielded the ball, which led to a penalty and a $5,000 fine. Then he blasted Danny Woodhead on a special teams play, which looked pretty awesome but was also illegal. He should have been penalized for a blindside block to the head, and he was fined $10,000 for that infraction. While those are two dumb plays that basically just hurt the team, it does show the team one thing: he can play his butt off on special teams and get to a play. Maybe that appeals to the Bucs, though I doubt he makes the roster unless he really shows up this game.