Bucs Training Camp Notes Day 11
August 6th, 2021
Wasn’t nearly as comfortable this morning as yesterday almost was. Summertime in Florida returned, as did the sun.
* Giovani Bernard always does a Doug Martin. Joe remembers how Martin, coached by former Bucs commander Greg Schiano, would continue his run downfield even after a “tackle,” when the play was blown dead. Bernard does this on every touch.
* O.J. Howard drops a Tom Brady pass in the left flat.
* Brady launches a pass down the left sideline for Mike Evans and the pass was just out of his reach.
* Brady double-pumps and throws to Tyler Johnson short right. But on this play, Johnson doesn’t like the ball in his hands. Drop.
* The Bucs are having a bad case of the dropsies early on. Doesn’t matter who the quarterback is.
* Tanner Hudson goes down the right seam and Brady targets him but veteran Ross Cockrell climbs the ladder and picks the ball off before Hudson had a shot at it. Joe thinks it’s pretty much a done deal that Cockrell, who can play both safety and corner, will stick on the final-53. That is unless he totally gets lit up in preseason games. Cockrell hustles; he works; he makes plays.
* Brady goes deep down the right numbers for Johnson and he cannot pull it in. Johnson begins doing a Keyshawn Johnson stunt with his right arm waving up and down wanting a flag. Unlike the NFC title game at Green Bay, no one is buying his sales pitch today.
* Brady goes right back to Johnson, this time in the right flat. But there are a bunch of defenders waiting to bottle up Johnson.
* Travis Jonsen bobbles a pass and drops it.
* Seven-on-seven! Good ol’ Chris Godwin. Brady apparently is getting tired of receivers dropping passes and he goes for Godwin along the right sideline. Of course, Godwin catches the ball. End of the dropsies.
* Scotty Miller catches a pass from Brady along the left sideline but he has a foot out of bounds.
* Brady connects with Howard on a pass short to the right.
* The very next play, Blaine Gabbert throws the exact same pass, this time it is to Codey McElroy.
* Johnson catches a Brady pass down the left seam.
* Brady again goes deep down the left sideline and again it is incomplete. Joe isn’t sure if the Bucs defenders squeezed the route on Evans or if it was just underthrown. Dee Delaney and Cockrell were defending.
* Brady connects with Miller along the left sideline.
* Brady and Goodwin hook up again on the right side.
* Ke’Shawn Vaughn catches a pass from Kyle Trask on the right side.
* Jonsen, on a crossing route from left to right, catches a pass that hits him right in the numbers as he reached midfield. Trask did the throwing there.
* Red zone! Jerell Adams catches a Gabbert offering on the left side.
* Gronk and Brady make it look too easy as the pair join forces for a can of corn catch towards the far right corner of the end zone. How easy? Gronk was back-pedaling when Brady released the ball.
* Brady aims for the left corner targeting Bernard and it’s a touchdown.
* Brady tries to link up with Antonio Brown in the far left corner but Jamel Dean was up for the task. Incomplete.
* Adams runs a crossing pattern along the backline from left to right and skies high to bring in a pass from Ryan Griffin. This despite being well-covered. Coaches notice catches like that.
* 11-on-11! Hudson on a crossing pattern from left to right catches a Gabbert pass at midfield.
* It’s just a matter of time: Gabbert throws for Hudson on the left side and safety Javon Hagan appeared to have a pick. But no! He doesn’t like the ball in his hands.
* Nice pass: Gabbert hits Jaydon Mickens along the left sideline deep but rookie Chris Wilcox prevents Mickens from housing it. With Wilcox as the roadblock, Mickens cuts in and weaves through the defense and crosses the goal line at midfield.
* Troymaine Pope is wide@ss open in the right flat and Trask gets the ball to him. Pope turns this into a touchdown.
* Trask tries to go to the right sideline and Cameron Kinley breaks up the pass.
* Tyler Johnson skies high to grab a Griffin pass. Joe heard someone (not sure if a teammate or a coach) holler, “Nice catch one-eight!” When it starts to creep into your head Johnson may be a bubble player, he makes a huge catch to change your mind.
* T.J. Simmons with a big gain down the right sideline on a pass from Gabbert.
* De’Quan Hampton with a strong catch in traffic from Gabbert.
* Johnson makes a huge gain by catching a Gabbert pass over the middle.
* Jailbreak rush flushes Gabbert out of the pocket to his left and he tucks and runs straight up the middle.
* Again, Johnson with a catch over the middle from Gabbert. Johnson is on fire right now.
* He may be a naval officer, an Annapolis grad and a first class human being, but it seems there is a reason Cameron Kinley is not a receiver. He had a pick in his breadbasket on a Griffin pass but Kinley couldn’t hang on.
* Monster gain by Tanner Hudson on a pass from Griffin down the left sideline.
August 6th, 2021 at 4:22 pm
Maybe Cockrell is the starting nickel? First safety off the bench for sure.
August 6th, 2021 at 4:43 pm
It seems Cockrell should focus on just being a Safety. He’s been making plays all over the place from that position.
August 6th, 2021 at 4:48 pm
I think Mike Edwards will comfortably be the first safety off the bench. Cockrell is the 4th CB. Period imho
August 6th, 2021 at 5:58 pm
Reading the recaps, and listening to other recaps, it doesn’t sound like there’s been much of a flow to anything this preseason. Not sure if that’s true, but that’s the impression I get.
August 6th, 2021 at 6:06 pm
It sound like the trend is that the defense is progressing, and the offense is experiencing some problems, at least with the secondary receivers.
August 6th, 2021 at 6:21 pm
Does OJ look stiff trying to catch the ball b/c of his beach body? He needs to be able to stretch out for the ball
August 6th, 2021 at 6:26 pm
I wish these guys would catch the ball. 🤨
August 6th, 2021 at 7:06 pm
Can’t help but think that many of the players in the Buc’s camp will be snapped up by other teams once the final cuts begin. I’ll bet other GMs are salivating, and waiting for the fruit to drop from the Buccaneer’s tree
August 6th, 2021 at 7:07 pm
Sounds like we’ve got some depth at CB/S……
If 6 WRs make the team….that means there are 43 UPS drivers, Insurance Adjusters, Phys Ed Teachers, Bouncers & Mattress Movers that will be cut & that’s just the WRs…..
August 6th, 2021 at 7:09 pm
Forget about OJ stretching for any balls. He’s back to his old ways of doing the bare minimal to make a play. Two years ago I watched him run “scared straight” with real estate ahead for additional yards run out of bounds against a 180 lb corner. That same year I watched him evade a key block. This guy has no heart. He profit off teammates at Alabama that elevated his opportunity to be drafted 1st round. He’s fragile n soft. He should’ve been kick out of the “boys to Men” club along with Softies McCoy, Hargreaves, Caleb Benenoch, n MJ Stewart. Not far behind should be JWatson n Jamel Dean. JDean need to toughen up. He had a few good plays last year but often he plays passive, timid, n confused.
August 6th, 2021 at 7:37 pm
Thanks for the great coverage.
🏆🍻
August 6th, 2021 at 7:55 pm
Dmatt, I’m not sure your assessment holds any water. I remember plenty of physical catches by Juice, especially last year before the injury.
August 6th, 2021 at 8:37 pm
Agree. Cockrell making play after play.
August 6th, 2021 at 8:46 pm
OJ also consistently grades as one of the better TEs in football on both run and pass blocking. But I’m sure that one time he intentionally evaded his blocking responsibility.
August 6th, 2021 at 8:54 pm
Whose grades? Joe Gilbert? Byron Leftwich? Bruce Arians?
If it is who Joe thinks it is, that would explain someone claiming he’s a good blocker.
August 6th, 2021 at 8:56 pm
“Sounds like???”
Bucs played the second half of the NFC title game with backup safeties due to injuries. There’s no “sounds like” about it. More like “do have.”
August 6th, 2021 at 8:57 pm
Natural………….Im guessing you are using PFF grades since OJ is actually terrible at blocking. Joe has well documented how garbage those ratings are especially in the blocking department.
And if yall notice Cockrell is in these notes everyday which likely means he is standing out. Yes, I would be shocked at this point if he doesnt make the team. If his snaps last year are any indication he wont be letting anybody down in preseason. He played very solid ball for us when his number was called last year……..Heck, if he stand out in games like he is doing in practice he is gonna push our DBs to stay youngry and give us good football. Nothing like somebody nipping at your heels, to take you job, to get you playing your best.
August 6th, 2021 at 8:58 pm
Who the hell calls him Juice?
Dumb
August 6th, 2021 at 9:03 pm
LOL Think about half the team.
August 6th, 2021 at 9:33 pm
JimmyJack:
Remember that Cockrell is making a lot of these plays at safety in practice as well. Given he can play corner or safety, that’s big for a backup defensive back. That pretty much saves a roster spot for someone else/another position.
August 6th, 2021 at 9:46 pm
The Bucs defense got hot in the playoffs — it reminds me a lot of that 2016 defense that got hot and got Mike Smith an extension. I think they’re going to be a lot more like the regular season defense we saw last year, I’m just hoping they can turn it up again when it counts.
I will love to turn out to be wrong and have this being the second coming of the 2002 defense, but I think this is more like a 10th-14th points against type of defense. Which is fine since the offense could very well be a historical one — and even if they’re not, as long as Brady stays healthy, should still be a top 3 offense.
August 6th, 2021 at 9:55 pm
Enjoyed the write-up and Joe commenting on the comments. 🙂
August 7th, 2021 at 12:43 am
Yeah thanx Joe good stuff Camp is all Tyler Johnson this year
nothing about Darden today–seems strange
August 7th, 2021 at 3:08 am
Would love to hear a lot about the O/linemen …once the pads go on! I would like to know what kind of depth that we have this season, hoping we can come up with at least one young guy to make the roster and one on the practice squad for development purposes…Go Bucs!
August 7th, 2021 at 9:13 am
@Joe: What sources suggest OJ Howard isn’t one of the better blocking TEs in the NFL? The expert analysis of your website and a few trolling randos? Bruce Arians has called OJ a powerful blocker. Which you whined about previously. You’re in these pressers, ask the coaches. My bet is you don’t want their opinions documented as they disagree every time the subject is brought up. As do the people who grade all the snaps of all the NFL TEs every season.
August 7th, 2021 at 3:32 pm
Joe, would love to know what a “can of corn” catch is. Maybe I’ve been living under a rock, but I’ve never heard that expression.