Fitzpatrick, who's working with the first team during training camp ahead of starting the first three games of the season in place of Jameis Winston (suspension), has been taking advantage of the situation to build rapport a number of different receivers in early practices, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran is naturally getting much more extensive work with the Bucs' top tier of pass catchers than he would under normal circumstances, and thus far, he appears to be putting the opportunity to good use. Fitzpatrick has shown particularly good synergy with DeSean Jackson on a number of throws of varying depth, and Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the veteran signal caller has made nice connections with Cameron Brate, Adam Humphries and O.J. Howard in Sunday's practice. Fitzpatrick generated a solid 248.3 yards per game, 3:1 TD:INT and 2-1 record as a starter last season when Winston was sidelined with a shoulder injury, and the team hopes that preparing him to lead the first unit through a full camp and preseason will yield even better results.

Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter confirmed that Fitzpatrick is the team's planned starter at quarterback for the first three games while Jameis Winston serves a suspension, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Winston will be able to take part in team activities during training camp and the preseason, but the Buccaneers will waste no time getting Fitzpatrick up to speed with the first-team offense, as the 35-year-old worked with that unit during the Buccaneers' first practice Thursday. There was never much doubt that the Buccaneers would go in a different direction at quarterback to begin the year other than with Fitzpatrick, who has made 133 career appearances (119 starts) over 14 NFL seasons. Neither the other two signal-callers in camp (Ryan Griffin and Austin Allen) have taken an NFL snap nor possess any notable pedigree.

Fitzpatrick is slated to start the first three games of the 2018 seasons due to the suspension of the same length received by Jameis Winston, Field Yates of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Fitzpatrick has again found a way to earn starts, only this time it's the result of Winston violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. In three starts for Winston last season, Fitzpatrick completed 57.4 percent of his passes, averaged 248.3 yards per game and posted three touchdowns versus one interception. It's difficult to expect much more of the 35-year-old signal-caller, despite oodles of skill-position talent on the roster.

Fitzpatrick has agreed to terms with the Buccaneers, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

As a result, the 35-year-old QB is poised to reprise his role as Jameis Winston's top backup. Fitzpatrick started three games for Tampa Bay in 2017 while Winston dealt with a shoulder injury, en route to completing 96 of 163 passes for 1,103 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions across six games overall. In his current role, Fitzpatrick is off the re-draft radar, but in the event that Winston misses time for any reason, Fitzpatrick can be a capable lineup plug-in, in both real and fantasy terms.

Fitzpatrick said Monday that he isn't considering retirement and hopes to sign with a team when he becomes a free agent in March, Nick Veronica of The Buffalo News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Fitzpatrick, who turned 35 years old in November, was serviceable in his six games (three starts) with the Buccaneers in 2017, completing 58.9 percent of his passes for 1,103 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. The Buccaneers' decision to retain head coach Dirk Koetter should improve Fitzpatrick's chances of returning to Tampa Bay in 2018 as the backup to Jameis Winston, who is still viewed as the team's franchise signal caller despite his failure to take a dramatic leap forward in his third NFL season.

Fitzpatrick completed 96 of 163 passes (58.9 completion percentage) for 1,103 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions across six games in 2017. He also rushed 15 times for 78 yards.

EDGE Analysis

The 35-year-old was inked last offseason expressly for the scenario he was ultimately deployed in, namely, to spell starter Jameis Winston in the event of injury. Fitzpatrick led the Buccaneers to a 2-1 record over the three full games he started in Weeks 10-12 when Winston succumbed to a nagging shoulder problem, compiling 745 yards in those contests. He actually generated his most productive effort during Week 6 emergency duty, completing 22 of 32 passes for 290 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions over two-plus quarters of play against the Cardinals, a game that marked the onset of Winston's aforementioned health issues. Having played in 2017 on a one-year, $3 million contract, Fitzpatrick certainly made a case to be brought back next season, although a myriad of factors -- including salary, potential personnel moves and the quarterback's own desire to continue playing -- figure to play a part in whether a return comes to fruition.

Fitzpatrick will reprise his backup role in Sunday's game against the Packers with head coach Dirk Koetter naming Jameis Winston (shoulder) the team's Week 13 starter, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Fitzpatrick proved adequate while starting in place of the injured Winston the last three games, leading the Buccaneers to a 2-1 record while completing 57.4 percent of his passes to the tune of 745 yards, three touchdowns and only one turnover. With Winston turning in a full practice and taking every rep with the first-team Wednesday, there's apparently no lingering concern about the health of his throwing shoulder, so the 2015 No. 1 overall pick is expected to start each of the Bucs' final five contests of the season.

Fitzpatrick completed 27 of 44 passes for 283 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in Sunday's 34-20 loss to the Falcons. He also rushed twice for 20 yards.

EDGE Analysis

Although he couldn't get his team into the end zone, Fitzpatrick once again showed good command of the offense, connecting with eight different pass catchers along the way. He continued to lean heavily on the starting wideout duo of Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson (14 receptions on 23 targets for 138 yards combined), but he also once again made good use of rookie tight end O.J. Howard, connecting with the 2017 first-round pick on three occasions for 52 yards. Fitzpatrick has proven aptly capable of leading the Buccaneers in place of Jameis Winston during the latter's shoulder injury, but his starting tenure could well come to an end if the latter is deemed healthy enough to start a Week 13 road tilt against the Packers.

Fitzpatrick will make another start Week 12 in Atlanta, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Jameis Winston (shoulder) was re-evaluated Monday and ruled out for at least one more game. The Bucs don't have much incentive to rush their franchise quarterback back into action, as the team isn't really in the playoff picture even after Fitzpatrick engineered victories the past two weeks. He was impressive in Sunday's 30-20 win over the Dolphins, completing 22 of 37 passes for 275 yards, with two touchdowns and no turnovers against a lifeless defense. Fitzpatrick likely will face more of a challenge in Week 12 against an Atlanta team that still has playoff hopes.

Fitzpatrick completed 22 of 37 passes for 275 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while also rushing three times for nine yards in Sunday's 30-20 win over the Dolphins.

EDGE Analysis

Starting his second game in a Buccaneers uniform, Fitzpatrick looked much more like the quarterback that's enjoyed intermittent success as a starter in the league over the last decade, averaging a respectable 7.4 yards per attempt and connecting with nine different pass catchers on the afternoon. He enjoyed relatively strong protection as well, getting taken down just once on his 37 dropbacks. The 13-year veteran was able to cash in a pair of short drives with second-quarter touchdown passes to O.J. Howard and DeSean Jackson, respectively, and then led a pivotal nine-play, 58-yard march late in the fourth quarter to set up Patrick Murray's game-winning 35-yard field goal. Jameis Winston's (shoulder) status for a Week 12 divisional showdown with the Falcons will be determined at some point during the practice week, at which point Fitzpatrick will learn whether he'll have a chance to build on Sunday's successful effort.