Buccaneers OTA Practice Notes & Observations
May 26th, 2016
Joe’s got all kinds of underwear football nuggets for you Bucs junkies.
*Not a cloud in the sky over One Buc Palace. Drills start after stretching.
*Floppy hat duty for recovering hogs Ali Marpet and J.R. Sweezy. Rookie fourth-round pick Ryan Smith also sporting a floppy hat.
*Drop! Rookie free agent running back Russell Hansbrough.
*Man, Charles Sims is wicked silky smooth catching the football. He stands out big time among the running backs and, today, the receivers.
*Doug Martin hauls in a laser from America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston.
*Mike James somehow grabs a ball way behind him without halting his forward progress.
*Bucs shift to 11-on-11 work. Media is asked to turn off video and photos. Incomplete! Jameis to Mike Evans.
*Doug Martin runs right.
*Adam Humphries jumps in as a third receiver — in the slot. Evans and Vincent Jackson out wide. Complete to V-Jax for 10 yards.
*Charles Sims run. It’s underwear football. No pads or hitting. Touchdown for all!
*Your second-team wide receivers: Kenny Bell, Evan Spencer and Donteea Dye, Jr. Mike James in the backfield.
*Mike Glennon to Spencer. Complete!
*James runs left.
*Glennon incomplete to Dye. A come-back route in the right flat. Dye slipped.
*A visit to the offensive lineman work area reveals Gosder Cherilus wearing long floppy sleeves and hitting a sled in the broiling sun. Man, it’s too hot for sleeves for a big man. Center Joe Hawley sure does dance a lot when he’s not working.
*Back to drills, and Keith Tandy falls in change-of-direction work. Major Wright struggles with the same affliction. “Stay on your toes!” yells coach Brett Maxie.
*Jameis and Cameron Brate are out of sync in a drill – rarity. Rookie Danny Vitale juggles the next pass and catches it out of bounds. Brate stayed on the field after practice for a lot of extra work, though not with Jameis.
*Defensive coordinator Mike Smith spends a lot of 1-on-1 time with cornerback Jude Adjei-Barimah.
*Drop! Adam Humphries. Athletic grab by wide receiver Andre Davis.
*QB-WR drill is halted by Todd Monken, the new wide receivers/offensive coordinator. You can read all about his freakout here.
*Lots of runs during an 11-on-11 session.
*Drop/tipped! Vincent Jackson with Chris Conte snagging the interception. Jackson likely makes a greater effort on the ball if it’s a real game. Jameis throw was a little behind him.
*Great catch in 7-on-7 work in traffic by Humphries.
*Johnthan Banks recovers from an embarrassing drill session (video here). Banks slaps ball away from Russell Shepard after a catch.
*Safety hopeful Elijah Shumate intercepts a juggle-job by Humphries. Might have been a tipped ball. More traffic underneath from Mike Smith’s defense.
*Drop! Spencer from No. 3 QB Ryan Griffin.
*Doug Martin stiff-arms Adjei-Barimah after the whistle and after a short pass. Martin was practicing damn hard today. He was taking that ball to the end zone no matter what.
*Great touch pass from Jameis to V-Jax in zone coverage over Alterraun Verner. Sweet touch on the 20-yard throw to the sidelines.
*Lots of tempo in Koetter’s 7-on-7. Seems greater than last year.
*Martin heartily celebrates success of the second unit. Runs over and does a jumping chest bump with Mike James.
*Bucs Super Bowl kicker Martin Gramática is at practice with his two young kids. They’re both wearing Jameis jerseys. During a one-minute break. Jameis is seen throwing balls with a Gramática kid. Pretty cool gesture by Jameis.
*Complete! Jameis to Evans, 15 yards with Brent Grimes trailing. Man, Evans dwarfs Grimes in a big way.
*Jameis with a high throw incomplete to Kenny Bell streaking acrooss the middle. Very tight impressive coverage from Verner.
May 26th, 2016 at 2:48 pm
Thanks for the written highlights Joe. Good stuff.
May 26th, 2016 at 2:57 pm
Thanks for highlights Joe. This stuff is gold and is what got me hooked on JBF
May 26th, 2016 at 2:59 pm
Man, Charles Sims is wicked silky smooth catching the football –
our best slot guy is playing RB. Whatevs.
Mike James somehow grabs a ball way behind him –
is this becoming a consistent thing with the messiah? I’ve been noticing a lot of balls thrown behind the rec. come on messiah get the ball out in front.
Brate stayed on the field after practice for a lot of extra work, –
the kid is working to be #1. Wish him the best.
Defensive coordinator Mike Smith spends a lot of 1-on-1 time with cornerback Jude Adjei-Barimah. –
what’s the point? Just cut this dude already. We signed 2 cbs today n I think the kid from FSU must be better.
Martin was practicing damn hard today. –
working to be #1 in the league. You go boy!
Man, Evans dwarfs Grimes in a big way. –
yea about that, hmmm?!? Carolina anyone?
May 26th, 2016 at 3:00 pm
Awesome stuff! Thanks Joe!
May 26th, 2016 at 3:13 pm
But the real question is did Aguayo miss any FGs?
May 26th, 2016 at 3:15 pm
Thanks Joe!
May 26th, 2016 at 3:17 pm
I can remember reading these during training camp last year (BTW, love these recaps Joe) and every single day it seemed like there was bullet point after bullet point noting “drop by X,” “drop by Y,” “drop by Z” and it all played out that way during the season
They need to get the dropsies cleaned up now. I don’t want a replay of this from last season
May 26th, 2016 at 3:20 pm
Great job with the play by play updates.
May 26th, 2016 at 3:33 pm
Joe … Love to hear stuff like “Very tight impressive coverage from Verner.” Big comeback year ahead for him and Banks.
May 26th, 2016 at 3:40 pm
Joe……was there any swearing out there (Not from Miko)?
May 26th, 2016 at 3:53 pm
Lol in all honesty I love miko she awesome but good work Joe tell me is it the defense getting better or is it Jameis just having a shaky start
May 26th, 2016 at 4:27 pm
Practice notes are always some of my favorites. Thanks Joes!
May 26th, 2016 at 4:38 pm
Love that monkens is screaming at the WRs, they need some fixin.
May 26th, 2016 at 4:42 pm
Agree that these practice/camp notes are easily some of the best at JBF.
Keep up the good work Joe!
May 26th, 2016 at 5:06 pm
Man–good stuff–I live in Az and will no time soon be there but your highlights make it real. Jameis to Gramatica—all the way !!!
May 26th, 2016 at 5:08 pm
Love the work guys stay hydrated !
May 26th, 2016 at 5:10 pm
I really appreciate this Joe… Keep up the good work
May 26th, 2016 at 6:14 pm
Thanks Joe, I believe NFL network covering Bucs tonight at 7:00
May 26th, 2016 at 6:37 pm
Joe….ROCKS!
May 26th, 2016 at 10:02 pm
Nice job with practice coverage, Joes!
May 26th, 2016 at 11:54 pm
Niceeeeeee coverage..I really like Andre Davis…I want him to be a top WR in the league one day…
May 27th, 2016 at 12:10 am
Thanks a bunch Joe. From almost 3,000 miles away I still feel close to the action!
May 27th, 2016 at 7:30 am
Rooting for Andre Davis as well. Think he could be a hidden weapon for us this year. Kinda like Humphries was. And that is interesting to hear coach Smith working with the young corner in JAB. I think he’s worth keeping altho it will be hard to make this roster with all the talent at CB now. But when u can be successful as a rookie in Lovie Smith’s Scheme u gotta have some talent and potential. I think it would be a mistake to let him go. Especially when Grimes is set to retire in a year or two. And who knows if Verner will still be here as well. So it may not look like it now, but we need to keep all the young talent we can for the future. I think he could develop and become a very solid no. 4 or come in during a injury and perform just fine. He’s already proved he can do it. I think him and Robinson will be battling it out for the 4th or 5th roster spot.