“Bubble Wrap” Approach
July 22nd, 2019
The 19th-century news delivery service that operates in town had a thought-provoking nugget in their print edition yesterday.
In a preview of Bucs training camp, author and beat writer Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times said a “bubble wrap” approach is coming this preseason for Cameron Brate and Justin Evans, meaning the team will limit their contact since they are coming off injuries.
Well, Joe wonders if that’s speculation or hard news from the Bucs, or somewhere in between. Both guys are young players (Brate turned 28 this month) and will be fighting for playing time.
Brate says he’s 100 percent, and Joe suspects Bucco Bruce Arians and trainers will get that message from him loud and clear, over and above his medical evaluation after recovering from hip surgery.
Evans, if he is even healthy, also will want to let it out to prove himself for the new staff after a rough 2018 season.
Joe gets the concept of protecting players, but where should the line be drawn? The No. 1 priority for the Bucs is to find a way to a 3-3 record at the bye week. That simply has to happen; anything less would be a disaster for a team in need of a culture change.
Evans and Brate are two of the top pure talents on the roster. Joe hopes Arians finds the perfect touch to have these guys mentally and physically ready to contribute on Day 1.
July 22nd, 2019 at 1:23 pm
RAISE YOUR EXPECTATIONS JOE!!!!!!….4-2 before the bye!!!!!!
imo, only 2 players need to be protected….mike evans and suh…..
GO BUCS!!!!
July 22nd, 2019 at 1:36 pm
You what I find funny back in the day guys would literally have a laceration and tell the team medical staff cut the dang finger off coach I’m going back in!! Now it’s bubble wrap SMH.
July 22nd, 2019 at 1:39 pm
Joe you must have a real grudge against Gutenberg.
As a consumer I can tell you that it’s just the delivery system nothing more. Ira’s thoughts are just the same here as they were in the print version…just more conveniently accessed.
Print ruled the 20th Century not the 19th. Internet and blogs are a 21st Century phenomenon. We are now 19 years into the 21st Century…papers SHOULD be an outdated system.
Some people still have landlines…not much longer…Verizon actually dumped their landline business. It’s just technology.
July 22nd, 2019 at 1:44 pm
“Bubblewrap” may be in the CBA… 😉
July 22nd, 2019 at 1:49 pm
Millennial safety standard over “mental toughness” and grit fueled by competitive desire to win, now it’s flashy me me me dollar dollar bills y’all teams filled with check cashers. “Vh3” a prime example IMHO time to produce or get out!!!
July 22nd, 2019 at 1:54 pm
It’s been said a million times before but that pic of Brate reminds me of just how FREAKING UGLY those numbers are. Who ever thought that would be cool? My damn digital devices don’t even screw the numbers up like that anymore.
What are these numbers? Are they throwbacks to an older digital age when electronics couldn’t produce real looking numbers?
July 22nd, 2019 at 2:01 pm
brate is an easily replaceable popular backup nothing more.
July 22nd, 2019 at 2:17 pm
20th., not 19th. century. But I take your (good) point. Arians must find the right practice balance for these two important players. I suspect he will.
July 22nd, 2019 at 2:38 pm
Who knows, they might want to protect Brate’s trade value, and not want him hurt. After all we all know what Brate brings to the table. Evans better get his arse on the field, there are other young safeties on the roster, and BA, Bowles didn’t draft him. I would hope he has to earn a spot on the roster this year, and not be handed to him because of his draft status.
July 22nd, 2019 at 2:50 pm
@casual observer
The 19th-century news delivery service (newspaper) that operates in town.
_______________________________________________________________
Newspapers were established before the 20th century and now they are going the way of the dodo bird. This was the point Joe tried to make.
July 22nd, 2019 at 2:51 pm
tmaxcon Says:
July 22nd, 2019 at 2:01 pm
brate is an easily replaceable popular backup nothing more.
This is why nobody listens to you.
Dude is a touchdown machine who is one of the best TEs when it comes to scoring TDs and contested catches. Sorry he doesn’t “look” like a starter.
July 22nd, 2019 at 2:56 pm
Don’t care that Arians past playbooks he doesn’t use TE. That’s going to change. Brate and OJ together in the red zone could create a mushroom cloud if Jameis can make the right throws.
July 22nd, 2019 at 3:22 pm
Lafitte – I stand corrected. I thought Joe was referring to the 20th. century newspaper standard of reporting the news unbiasedly. Unlike the current (21st. century) newspaper reporting.
July 22nd, 2019 at 3:50 pm
3-3? Can we get some new writers? You need a culture change!
July 22nd, 2019 at 4:19 pm
Let’s punt this loser mentality. BA wants none of that old trash. 6-0 before the bye! Anything less is loser talk.
July 22nd, 2019 at 5:11 pm
“Like Kobe has stated
Chronic Brate is done. Finished
Hips is 65% of 2 years ago
Watch… He will look like Tom Moore without the hands”
Kobe Faker
July 22nd, 2019 at 6:40 pm
Kobe you are a douche bag. Take your Brate hate and get the hell out of Tampa.
July 22nd, 2019 at 7:35 pm
Don’t understand the Brate hate, Kobe. You don’t really appear to be a Buc fan with all your trash talk. Maybe you should consider another team to root for.
July 22nd, 2019 at 8:49 pm
“Brate should never be paid 7 mill with his injury and production. This 7 mill can be used to obtain an good off lineman which we desparately need
Yes i blame Gump for giving this gurateened money to Brate while we are in salary cap hell. We lack talent and depth which we will need when injuries come like every year and to every team
210 lber Chronic Brate is going to be bubblewrapped in TC is because when the fans finally see what we have in this damaged goods we will be livid
First steps to winning and turning a franchise around is…
Angry posting”
Kobe Faker
July 22nd, 2019 at 9:05 pm
Still not sure why we decided to spend 7-8 mil on our backup TE who isn’t much of a blocker, and is a real health question mark. You’d think that money would be better spent keeping Humphries around.
We talk about a need to feed OJ more targets, and that’s a great idea. Logically, that probably comes at the expense of Brate.
Just a lot of money being paid to a backup receiving TE when your starting TE is one of the best receivers in the league. That said, lets hope he stays healthy. 28 isn’t young. Hopefully his best days aren’t behind him, but the jury is out.
July 22nd, 2019 at 10:21 pm
T M A X I P A D your wrong again an again an once more again back ups don’t lead all TEs except Kelce in touchdown catches over the last 3 years an he’s bin in the league for 4 maybe 5 years now. GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE WITH THAT TRASH