Training Camp Day 11 News, Notes & Nuggets
August 8th, 2018
Interesting morning at One Buc Palace as your beloved Bucs were back at it in full pads in advance of Thursday’s preseason opener in Miami.
Joe’s got plenty of need-to-know, and more. Enjoy!
*Impressive crowd yesterday for this season pass member day. Indoor facility is nearly full when crowd moves inside. About 3K strong.
*Welcome sight was projected starting right guard Caleb Benenoch in full pads but it didn’t appear he was participating in any team work or contact drills. Still a great sign, versus guys like Will Gholston, Josh Robinson and Mitch Unrein who were in shorts nursing injuries.
*Much of today looks a step slower than usual, and Koetter said after practice the team wasn’t going full speed in everything it’s hard to call winners an losers when it comes to grading whether the offense got the best of the defense, or vice versa.
*Chris Conte flashes coverage skills on a short crossing route, not a usual spot for him.
*Nice connection by Ryan Griffin to receiver Justin Watson, who looks very comfortable and agile for a 6-3 rookie receiver.
*DROP! Bernard Reedy from Griffin. Not the easiest catch, but it was in his hands.
*Jason Pierre-Paul, Gerald McCoy and D-line coach Brentson Buckner seen dancing together to pumping camp music in between periods. Buckner is often dancing, and often McCoy is doing hip-thrust kinds of things on his own. Lot of camaraderie between those three.
*1-on-1 pass rush/pass blocking is firing and it’s a bit of a stalemate between Pierre-Paul and Demar Dotson. Hard to tell if Dotson was driven back too far. A little more left-edge work for JPP this week.
*Easy win for Vinny Curry versus Ryan Jensen, and Curry delivers with a celebration dance.
*Dotson with a W against undrafted rookie DE Demone Harris.
*Donovan Smith handles Noah Spence.
*DaVonte Lambert earns claps from coaches for his W against Alex Cappa (right guard set). Cappa comes back and flattens Lambert on next go, literally puts him on his ass. Crowd approves.
*Ali Marpet stones Beau Allen, and then stones him easily in Round 2. (See home page story on Marpet’s camp)
*11-on-11 indoors and Peyton Barber runs hard up the gut. Not much helmet cracking, might be orders to shave off some intensity. Hard to tell.
*McCoy disrupts a Ryan Fitzpatrick throw, bursting through on Jensen.
*Fitz steps up nicely on a blitz and has a passing lane. Flashing linebacker (?) appeared to register the pass breakup.
*Nothing-special run by Ronald Jones.
*America’s Quarterback rifles a laser in the seam to undrafted rookie Sergio Bailey out of Eastern Michigan. He’s had a good camp. Someone to watch Thursday night.
*Jameis short to Jacquizz Rodgers who jukes Riley Bullough for extra yards.
*BATDOWN! Vernon Hargreaves of Jameis. Hargreaves loves to celebrate everything.
*Nickel blitz earns a sack on Fitzpatrick. Joe couldn’t see the blitzer but Fitz had no visible options.
*7-on-7 gets firing with Griffin underthrowing DeSean Jackson on a bomb deep left. Jackson had at least a few yards on undrafted rookie cornerback Marko Myers. Jackson walks very slowly back to the offensive side of the field. And it wasn’t a hurt kind of slowly; it was the annoyed kind.
*Back in pass rush/block drills, Noah Spence, lined up on the right side, blows past tackle Michael Liedtke like he wasn’t there. Literally. But Liedtke handles Spence on the next try.
*Very nice Fitz to Jackson for a TD, crossing route from the 5 yard line. Jackson liked that.
*Strike! Touchdown! Jameis unloads a fastball from 5 yards out to undrafted rookie Ervin Phillips.
*See Joe’s video and story here on the JPP/McCoy pass rush game that was a thing of beauty against Dotson and Cappa. On the down side, Vinny Curry and Beau Allen running a pass rush game was sloppy and ineffective.
*Vinny Curry gets some disruption of the pocket on Donovan Smith.
*11-on-11 red zone sees a couple of clean TD scrambles by Fitzpatrick and Jameis Winston. Fitz’s competitive juices must take over in those situations and he actually looks mobile.
*Chris Godwin has his way with rookie M.J. Stewart for a red zone TD grab. Godwin sure has all the attitude of a No. 1 receiver, but Joe needs to see him do it consistently in games.
*Tampa Bay icon/embarrassment Hulk Hogan is in the crowd and poses with several Bucs on the field after practice. Hogan tells Joe he wants a one-week, one-game contract.
*As hardcore Bucs fans know, former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano worked with the Bucs in a consulting capacity this week. He’s an old friend of Dirk Koetter and his background is as a defensive backs coach — and player — and a D-coordinator. Joe cornered Pagano after practice and Pagano politely said he wasn’t going to talk to media and it wasn’t his place to comment on the team. Joe asked Pagano if he’d answer a question or two off the record for Joe’s background info. Well, Pagano then proceeded to advise Joe that he learned a long time ago that there’s no such thing as off the record and he wasn’t going to go there. Joe then advised Pagano that not every media guy is a wretched snake and Joe simply had a question about a man Pagano coached who represents one of the great mysteries in Bucs history: Josh Freeman. The last NFL start by Freeman was for Pagano’s Colts, a win that closed the 2015 season. Freeman never even got a training camp sniff in the NFL again. … Yes, Pagano talked to Joe about Freeman and it was all off the record. But Joe can share that Pagano didn’t get Joe any closer to figuring out why 27-year-old Freeman fell completely off the NFL map after a successful return.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:03 pm
Yeah, no kidding. I picked to go yesterday thinking there would be less people on a Tuesday. Nope!
August 8th, 2018 at 12:15 pm
Some things I’ve noticed from the various notes:
Vinny Curry seems like the best kept secret of the defensive line. He’s consistently winning battles and is one of those fired-up guys who play even better in games. I suspect JPP won’t be the only superstar DE this year.
Ryan Jensen seems to be losing a lot of battles throughout camp. I hope this changes in games.
“Cappa comes back and flattens Lambert on next go, literally puts him on his ass.”
Cappa is a guy who does not accept defeat. He was known for knocking opposing players down in college too. This kid is going to be great.
I like Hulk Hogan, but in no way should he be given a one day contract. I don’t blame him for wanting it though. I’d take one in a heartbeat.
“Jackson walks very slowly back to the offensive side of the field. And it wasn’t a hurt kind of slowly; it was the annoyed kind.”
I’m prepared to see a LOT of this behavior and worse from DJax this year. Not because he is the victim of bad throws, but because Godwin is going to steal away the spotlight and he is a diva.
Justin Watson, Ervin Phillips, and other wide receivers are working their tails off to make the team. It would be a shame if the Bucs went with Reedy, Wilson or Martino simply out of loyalty. If these rookies earn a spot, they should get it. I like Martino for now, but if Ervin Phillips plays better in camp, give Ervin Phillips his spot. And Bobo has yet to prove anything.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:18 pm
D-Rome:
That indoor hut is pretty sweet. Especially when it is 90 outside.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:20 pm
Another great reporting Joe! Thanks for the nuggets.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:24 pm
Love the fact Koetter was getting advice from Pagano. Koetter needs to get info from someone other than Smitty on our Defense in case Smitty does not last the year. I wish Koetter would also get input from an expert on the OL and not adopt everything Warhop tells Koetter. Good notes Joe!!! So happy Dotson was involved today and Benenoch was out there. Cappa seemed to be improving at RG too! Watson has a great future with us and it is great to hear him succeed. Godwin can be as good as any receiver we have and has earned a start. Use DJax in the slot except on third downs. Everyone has trouble hitting him on deep throws so limit those attempts in games and do more slants with YAC. Watson should be the backup for our no. 1 and 2 receivers.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:27 pm
sounds like Jenson is being taken to the woodshed
August 8th, 2018 at 12:27 pm
Not hearing much from Kwon and LVD. And all I saw of Bobo on Saturday was drops.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:28 pm
sounds like Jensen is being taken to the woodshed
August 8th, 2018 at 12:29 pm
and yes, Jensen seems to be getting folded over backwards every play I’ve seen.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:30 pm
Owlykat Says
“Watson should be the backup for our no. 1 and 2 receivers.”
I like him too…but I’m always wary of advancing a player too quickly unless he earns it. Doing what you suggest would mean dropping Humphries and Godwin down a notch.
He hasn’t proven he is better than either.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:37 pm
“#1 question for the 2018 Tampa Bay Defense is…
With the upgraded defensive front, what kind of defense will the cornerbacks line up as?…will it be press man on the line or the norm soft zone coverage?
It will be the norm zone coverage and the defensive front will not be effective BECAUSE…wait for it….
BRENT GRIMES
“The 2018 Bucs defense will play much better without Brent grimes. When old man Grimes gets hurt and out of the game, the bucs defense will play lights out!”
Kobe Faker
August 8th, 2018 at 12:38 pm
” Hargreaves loves to celebrate everything.” The guys problem last year is clearly confidence, so this year he is ramping up the confidence, and now he is a showoff? Which is it Joe? I thought the point of this site was to NOT be like the other major media outlets... Joe’s observation is Joe’s observation. View it as you wish. Joe has no idea what anyone else watching practice is saying about Hargreaves’ celebrating. Also, Hargreaves missed half the season last year with an injury, and half of the half he played was at nickel where the Bucs will tell you he was excellent. Doesn’t sound like confidence was his issue.–Joe
August 8th, 2018 at 12:45 pm
IMO…the issue with Freeman is he loves the lifestyle football brings but he’s not a fan of the work that comes with it. These guys have been playing at a high level their entire lives and then they get to the pros where its very much a business…do or die mentality….and it breaks their love for the game. You can talk to many of the players and they’ll tell you, they only hang around for the checks/lifestyle….which you cant blame them but if they could transition to anything else and make the same money, they would quit in a heart beat.
I also thinks its tough for a QB who was on the verge of big things in the NFL, to know that he’s now viewed at best a career back up…..Behind the scenes, Freeman had a reputation of being a tad arrogant where nobody could tell him anything. I think there’s some ego involved as well but mostly i think the dude just is burnt out on the business/politics of pro football. Its a cut throat business that thrives on what have you done lately.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:51 pm
I to like Watson alot. I think we have a lot of good receivers which should make Jackson expendible. Trade option. IMO the OL needs a lot of help. To me Smith is not the answer at LT. Also Gholston is also expendible.
August 8th, 2018 at 1:04 pm
Neal
Have you watched VH from the beginning?
Dude celebrates getting his shoes on the right feet and tying them all by himself ( if in fact he does).
There’s a difference between confidence and false bravado.
August 8th, 2018 at 1:05 pm
What Bonzai said.
I will add that its odd that two guys that never worked together can pull of stunts better than guys that have been on the same team for years. Is it because JPP and McCoy are just better?
Are we forming something special? Or did Curry and Allen run into the brick wall that is Ali and Smith?
Go BUCS!!
August 8th, 2018 at 1:11 pm
‘Ol “finger-wag” Hargreaves!!! I would love for him to just make plays consistently before going back to celebrating the other teams’ overthrows!
August 8th, 2018 at 1:26 pm
Joe,
Alex Cappa seems to get blown up one play and then come back and win. Is this something he has normally been doing? Is this a learning curve for him? Why doesn’t he get the W every time?
As for Barber, does it appear to you that he is going to be the RB1 come start of the season? Seems to be winning that roster battle, IMO.
August 8th, 2018 at 1:49 pm
Nobody is going to take Gholsten’s horrible guaranteed contract. Expect him to be on the roster this year and cut next offseason.
Smith is an average LT, but an average LT is worth a lot in the NFL. I would be shocked if the Bucs do not lock him up for the long term or give him the franchise tag next offseason.
August 8th, 2018 at 2:14 pm
I’ve asked this before, but why is is there no talk of Ryan Griffin starting these 3 games at QB? I like Fitz… seems like a good guy… but you’ll never know if you have a legitimate option QB unless you play the guy with real receivers and real DBs on the field.
IF he’s so far down on the depth chart, why have him as a player and not just give him a coaching internship?
August 8th, 2018 at 2:57 pm
Thanks for the observations Joe!
Today was just some walk throughs – right? Because tomorrow is the 1st GAME.
Pre Season is actually here now.
I’m not a big fan of preseason games by the time late August roles around – but its just good to have live football back for now.
Glad to see our new look DLine starters play together for a few plays.
See if/how the running game has improved
See if these guys know/remember how to full on block/tackle (without getting penalized) when the game is afoot
See how the ’18 draft class (Vea, Rojo, Stewart, Davis, Cappa, Whitehead, Watson, Cinchy) looks on a pro field –
It will be good to see tackling to the ground and playing hard to the whistle and the Bucs trying to win a game. Pre-season may be meaningless in terms of the wins and losses as long as coaches can get their evaluations done. But this team could use some upliftment. Winning becomes contagious. Much better to win 3 or 4 pre-season games than lose 3 or 4.
Go Bucs! Drown the Dolphins!!
August 8th, 2018 at 3:03 pm
I’m sitting on the beach after a great workout this morning, reading the practice notes. Love it! Thanks Joe!
And I love hearing about the camaraderie between JPP, GMC and coach Buck. I think those 2 alone will raise the play of our d line, plus the other pieces around them are at the very least a moderate upgrade from last year. A healthy Spence would be icing on the cake! Linebackers gonna be wreaking havoc!
August 8th, 2018 at 3:23 pm
Neal Says:
August 8th, 2018 at 12:38 pm
” Hargreaves loves to celebrate everything.” The guys problem last year is clearly confidence, so this year he is ramping up the confidence, and now he is a showoff? Which is it Joe? I thought the point of this site was to NOT be like the other major media outlets… Joe’s observation is Joe’s observation. View it as you wish. Joe has no idea what anyone else watching practice is saying about Hargreaves’ celebrating. Also, Hargreaves missed half the season last year with an injury, and half of the half he played was at nickel where the Bucs will tell you he was excellent. Doesn’t sound like confidence was his issue.–Joe
I’m not a Joe apologist, Neal, but go back and watch tape of VHIII…the dude literally celebrates EVERYTHING, even situations he had nothing to do with. The celebrating taking place is nothing new with him, he’s been doing it since he got here. Tipped passes at the line, drops, bad throws, receiver falls down, etc., if VGIII is within 15 yards of the play you will seen him clapping and/or jumping around. It’s definitely pretty ridiculous.
August 8th, 2018 at 3:39 pm
Godwin is gonna light it up this year, and the D-Line is going to wreak havoc! Can’t wait for some football!
August 8th, 2018 at 3:49 pm
@Buccaneer Bonzai
Quite a few of us have noticed Ryan Jensen losing too many camp battles as well.
This is not good, because we are depending on him a bunch this year.
Several of my fellow Buc Fan friends felt that Licht really reached for Ryan Jensen, and paid way too much for a center who was only a 1 year starter.
Let’s hope Ryan plays lights out for us, when the season starts.
Go Bucs !
August 8th, 2018 at 4:02 pm
Damn good work Joe!!!!!
August 8th, 2018 at 4:04 pm
If Hulk Hogan can play Right Guard I say sign him.
August 8th, 2018 at 4:04 pm
Don’t be surprised if DJ gets cut or traded before the end of training camp
August 8th, 2018 at 4:50 pm
Why would they cut DJax when they have already paid him?
August 8th, 2018 at 4:50 pm
There’s no mystery to Freeman.
The only good Josh Freeman was the FAT Josh Freeman.
2010 he was fat. And a great QB.
August 8th, 2018 at 5:30 pm
Ouch!
That HAD to hurt Neal….
August 8th, 2018 at 5:32 pm
Gators are sooo sensitive.
August 8th, 2018 at 5:49 pm
DJ is a cancer that will kill the teams moral.
August 8th, 2018 at 6:40 pm
Everyday notes about Jensen getting ran over by someone. We’ll have to wait and see if the man beast comes out on Thursday night like he told you Joe.
August 8th, 2018 at 6:44 pm
So excited to see what Watson’s about in preseason.
August 8th, 2018 at 6:55 pm
I’m just ready for the pre-season and regular season to begin. I truly hope the play on the field lives up to the hype. MIAMI isn’t exactly world-beaters so I hope we look like SB champs after tomorrow’s game.
August 9th, 2018 at 1:56 pm
I think Freeman had a condition called acedia..a form of loss
Of motivation, ennui, malaise, and different names in different languages and cultures. Some Catholics call it the noonday demon as it takes your ability to do good things away. While blame can be anywhere the worst cases are really sad…
It is a risk for creative people and can follow a period of intensity. It’s not depression in that it doesn’t respond to
Prozac etc.
If so I hope he can begin again in life. Maybe not a full recovery but I hope he gets better.