The Bucs obtained again to work Saturday morning on the AdventHealth Coaching Heart with kickoff of their preseason opener simply seven days away. The workforce was in shorts and helmets for its ninth follow of coaching camp, working by means of a lighter day after 4 practices in pads this week.
Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles mentioned they are going to have a walkthrough Sunday earlier than Monday’s off day. That was already deliberate with the schedule forward of camp, however it coincidentally works out effectively given the climate forecasts over the weekend in Tampa.
Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds and Bailey Adams had been in attendance for Saturday’s follow. Listed here are their observations:
One other Key Bucs Defender Suffers An Harm
Simply 4 days after left guard candidate Sua Opeta suffered a season-ending ACL harm and beginning security Jordan Whitehead picked up a quad harm, and solely two days after beginning outdoors linebacker Yaya Diaby suffered a excessive ankle sprain that may hold him out of the preseason, the Bucs noticed one other key participant depart follow with an harm.
About half-hour into Saturday’s follow, third-round defensive again Tykee Smith walked off the sphere with a coach and didn’t return, with Pewter Report studying that he has a gentle ankle sprain.
#Bucs rookie DB Tykee Smith has not returned to follow after spraining an ankle throughout particular person drills. He obtained his ankle taped up, however he’s accomplished for the day.
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) August 3, 2024
Todd Bowles confirmed after follow that Smith “tweaked his ankle a bit of bit.” That definitely seems like a manageable harm for the rookie and never one to be overly involved about, however it merely added one other banged-up Buc to the listing from this week. And whereas it is probably not overly critical, a sprained ankle might nonetheless put Smith’s standing for subsequent Saturday’s preseason opener doubtful.
We’ll know extra subsequent week, and the walkthrough Sunday and break day Monday come at a great time for the previous Georgia standout who has shortly emerged because the seemingly starter at nickelback on the Bucs protection.
Bucs Who Had been Not Working towards
The identical group of injured Bucs missed out on Saturday’s follow, with Kameron Johnson, Chase Edmonds, Shaun Peterson Jr., Jordan Whitehead and SirVocea Dennis all watching on from the sidelines. There was a brand new non-participant, although, and that was fourth-year outdoors linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.
Joe-Tryon Shoyinka and Kameron Johnson (rib) are amongst those that usually are not working towards at the moment. Chase Edmonds stays out as effectively. pic.twitter.com/ZLy2EepXta
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) August 3, 2024
With Tryon-Shoyinka out and Yaya Diaby therapeutic up for Week 1, rookie Chris Braswell obtained elevated reps on Saturday, beginning at outdoors linebacker with veteran Anthony Nelson.
Bucs End Off A Sturdy Week, As soon as Once more Avoiding A Sloppy Follow
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
With out the pads on, it was a lighter follow for the Bucs on Saturday. However that doesn’t imply they didn’t get some useful work in. The workforce had a fairly crisp follow, one thing that has been a theme — if not a continuing — all through coaching camp to this point. Not all the pieces has been excellent, however Tampa Bay’s first 9 practices of camp this yr have felt manner completely different than 2023, when there have been loads of sloppy practices because the workforce obtained again along with a whole lot of query marks.
“The penalties are a piece in progress,” Todd Bowles mentioned Saturday. “We’ve obtained to get that taken care of. After we’ve been in camp for every week, you’ve obtained to get used to your pads, you’ve obtained to get used to the warmth, you’ve obtained to hold out your task. That’s a piece in progress. I’m actually happy with the psychological focus the blokes have are available with. We haven’t had any sloppy days. We’ve had psychological errors, however we haven’t had any sloppy days. Guys are locked in and making an attempt to get higher.”
The primary week and a half of Bucs coaching camp has featured a whole lot of forwards and backwards between the offense and protection, which has been enjoyable to see. Even with the offense studying a brand new system below Liam Coen after studying and working Dave Canales’ offense final yr, all the pieces appears to be coming collectively faster and contributing to a extra aggressive environment in comparison with final August.
What definitely helps is that this yr’s Bucs already know their id. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is settled in and main a bunch that surpassed expectations final yr and feels nice about its probabilities of taking the subsequent step ahead this yr. In consequence, practices have been enjoyable — but additionally business-like. The errors are there, however issues don’t appear disjointed the best way they did at occasions final summer season.
Observations And Highlights From Day 9 Of Bucs Camp
Listed here are some quick-hitting observations from Tampa Bay’s ninth coaching camp follow:
Lavonte David and Mike Evans continued to get some further relaxation throughout 11-on-11s, opening up some alternatives for youthful guys. Vi Jones and Kalen DeLoach obtained further reps at inside linebacker with the first-team protection, whereas Rakim Jarrett and Ryan Miller benefitted from some extra snaps at broad receiver.
Talking of Jarrett, he had a powerful follow on Saturday. It was in all probability his greatest of coaching camp to this point, catching a few passes in visitors from Baker Mayfield and later making a diving catch over the center of the sphere. Todd Bowles had some reward for the second-year receiver after follow, however famous that he must be extra constant.
Rookie tight finish Devin Culp had one other spectacular follow, showcasing a few of his velocity and separation potential. Late in follow, he caught a ball over the center from John Wolford and raced to the top zone for a landing.
Tavierre Thomas and Christian Izien each had spectacular go breakups in the course of the 11-on-11 interval.
Bucs DT Logan Corridor – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Bucs defensive sort out Logan Corridor has had a very strong week of follow and he ended it on a excessive observe. Corridor has accomplished a pleasant job penetrating the backfield in 11-on-11s and had some good go rushes in one-on-one go rush/go safety drills on Friday. Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles wished to provide Eric Banks a glance with the starters in base protection on Saturday, so Corridor was relegated to second string. However he made the play of the protection on protection, dropping into protection throughout the center and selecting off backup quarterback Kyle Trask and taking the interception again for a pick-six. As soon as he obtained into the top zone, Corridor punted the ball to rejoice. Even with the No. 2 protection on Saturday Corridor was taking advantage of his alternatives.
New outdoors linebacker Jay Individual is definitely the lightest edge rusher the Bucs have. The rookie from College of Tennessee-Chattanooga was signed on Friday to assist bolster the skin linebacker room with Yaya Diaby’s harm and Randy Gregory’s absence. Individual is 6-foot-2, 237 kilos and obtained shoved round fairly a bit in his first follow in Tampa Bay. It’s apparent that his head is swimming having simply arrived and never understanding the protection, however he’s extremely mild and never notably quick across the edge. Individual seems extra like a camp physique than an precise contender for the roster or the follow squad at this level.
Bucs working again Rachaad White was broad open the flat within the crimson zone and waltzed into the top zone for a straightforward landing in the direction of the top of follow. After he caught the scoring strike from Baker Mayfield, White obtained on the bottom and began rowing the boat, which is the celebration the Bucs protection sometimes does after making a turnover. White, who’s a famous trash talker, was taunting the Tampa Bay protection. Vast receiver Trey Palmer joined in on the enjoyable and began rowing the boat together with White.
