Bucs Rookie Minicamp Practice Notes
May 13th, 2022
First day of Bucs rookie minicamp.
Underwear football has returned. And Joe has practice notes.
Today was the opening of underwear football season. It was the first day of Bucs rookie minicamp. Underwear football is not football. It is closer to flag football. There are no pads, other than helmets. There is no hitting of any sort. Strictly verboten. Not even my linemen. So please keep this in mind when asking about individual players.
Additionally, most of the practice was screened by a wall of offensive linemen. So being able to see who did what was very much a challenge. Hopefully, you will enjoy the scene Joe saw today.
* Sixth-round pick tight end Ko Kieft does not look like a guy you want to fool with. He looks like he rolls up to One Buc Palace on a Harley wearing a cutoff-sleeves denim jacket, jeans, boots and has a billy club on his cycle. Looks mean AF. Wears a fullback number (41).
* It was 40 minutes into practice before Joe saw a pass in the air. Fundamentals, fundamentals and more fundamentals.
* Offense just doing drills against air (no defense), largely look-ins and curl-pass routes.
* Defense too is practicing against air. Working on fundamentals, footwork, etc. Same with linemen.
* Alabama A&M quarterback Aqeel Glass fumbles the snap from under center. More and more college guys take snaps from the shotgun, so taking a snap directly from under center may be new to him.
* Not all players have names on the back of their jerseys. Joe is guessing if you are a “tryout,” meaning not drafted or an unsigned free agent, you are not yet worthy of your name on the back of your jersey.
* Jason Licht talks to offensive lineman Luke Goedeke, smiles and pats Goedeke on the chest. Licht seems to be hanging with the big uglies. Once an offensive lineman always an offensive lineman. As Warren Sapp once said, offensive linemen are like cattle. They herd together (Licht was an offensive lineman at Nebraska).
* Glass is working out of shotgun now (behind a wall of offensive linemen). Glass throws a short sideline pass to right side and Kameron Brown of Coastal Carolina botches it. No defense, man. Gotta secure that ball first.
* Players not participating used to wear floppy hats. Now? Guys like fourth-round pick tight end Cade Otton just wear a red Bucs cap. Otton had ankle surgery in November so that may be why he’s being held out of practice. Todd Bowles said he expects him for training camp.
* Finally some defense. Glass looked to have overthrown a receiver but hit a streaking Jerreth Sterns coming across from left to right in stride. Sterns was one of Baily Zappe’s favorite targets at Western Kentucky. Zappe, who threw for 5,967 yards last season, was drafted by the Belicheats at the end of the fourth round. Sterns caught 150 passes from Zappe for 1,902 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2021. Yes, those stats are for one season.
* Lot of chirping from both sides now that there is an offense versus a defense.
* Impressive move by Brown to catch a low pass from Glass. Brown was coming in on an angle from the left side when he dropped to his knees and slid for the catch. Why was this impressive? It’s underwear football and there are no pads. Brown didn’t blink risking sacrificing skin as he raked his knees across the One Buc Palace grass to get a short pass in his first rookie minicamp practice. Whatever it takes so long as you complete the task. That impressed Joe. Determination.
* Glass backpedals from traffic incoming from the right side and hits Deven Thompkins of Utah State down the left side with an over-the-shoulder catch.
* Glass getting the vast majority of throws. This is not the man wearing No. 2 that Bucs fans want to learn is getting so many throws.
* Northwestern QB Peyton Ramsey either botched a handoff or dropped the ball, or didn’t get a clean snap (Joe’s view of the play was screened). But as Ramsey walked back to get the next play, Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich patted him on the shoulder as if to say, ‘forget it and worry about the next play.’
* Glass waits and waits and dodges traffic and launches a ball that appeared slightly overthrown near the right sideline. Coastal Carolina safety Alex Spillum covered the receiver like a blanket. Ball was tipped and Spillum came down with the pick.
* Ramsey on a look-in pass over the middle and Sterns skies for the catch. Sterns is getting a boatload of targets today.
* Wide receiver Tenio Ayeni of Holy Cross either is dinged up or he is really struggling with the Florida climate (it was in the high 80s mostly with cloud cover). Ayeni was bent over his helmet on one knee so much Joe thought he was going to keel over and nosedive onto the turf. Joe saw Justin Watson doing that at his rookie training camp once. Dude was folded over. That’s what this reminds Joe of. They are still wearing coats in Massachusetts, aren’t they?
May 13th, 2022 at 6:06 pm
Those one season numbers for sterns is pure filth
Tiny guy. We shall see if he can take a pounding very soon
May 13th, 2022 at 6:19 pm
Yes they are Joe. Talked to my Mom Sunday.
May 13th, 2022 at 6:34 pm
Landry to saints
Saints will be tough this year. Not sure why or how they still have money to spend
Makes you wonder if bucs really want to spend money on suh / jpp cause teams are doing it. Crazy that saints have kicked the can down the road for like 7 years
May 13th, 2022 at 6:48 pm
Thanks Joe’s, I love this stuff.
May 13th, 2022 at 7:35 pm
You are a Good Joe. Like this.
May 13th, 2022 at 7:39 pm
Northeast resident here, we’re still wearing hoodies, light jackets, and barely cracking 70 degrees with any consistency.
May 13th, 2022 at 7:54 pm
Are there only two QBs in camp, can Trask even participate since he is not a rookie? What about RGIV, he doesn’t get any real run (what a life he has had)
May 13th, 2022 at 8:13 pm
Go NU. Suh.
Also Joe should recruit an 8’ dude to wear a hidden spy camera in his glasses to see above the wall of men.
May 13th, 2022 at 8:14 pm
@Dooley: Far Northwest fan here (Montana). It has snowed every day here for the past week at least and we are lucky to crack 50 on a sunny day. Still wearing hoodies and light jackets but what a weird spring it is!?!?!
May 13th, 2022 at 8:16 pm
Jerreth Sterns is a small school guy with a poor 40 time, which is why he was overlooked as a late Day 3 pick.
Pros:
1. Great 3-cone time, which means he has good lateral speed and short-distance shiftiness. That’s what you want to see in a slot receiver, which is position of need for the Bucs as Goodwin isn’t expected back for a while.
2. He was a decent return man in college as was Darden who was underwhelming. It is way early, but if Sterns outshines Darden when making returns, he might have a shot at making the roster.
May 13th, 2022 at 8:37 pm
Can the Bucs re-work anymore contracts or are they basically stuck with the available money they have?
May 13th, 2022 at 8:38 pm
Thanks Joe love the practice notes.
I keep hearing people say Godwin won’t be available until late October or November. Where are people getting this? This speculation is never sourced. Of course he won’t be full go in training camp and I doubt he plays in the preseason. But Until I hear otherwise I’m going to expect him to be ready week 1 in Dallas.
May 13th, 2022 at 8:46 pm
Love the notes. Thank you so much Joe’s. Been here in the shadows a long time. Ready for this season and our fun schedule. Anyone that has been watching our beloved Buccameers long enough to see both superbowls should know… DO NOT TAKE THIS SEASON FOR GRANTED AND ENJOY EVERY SECOND.
May 13th, 2022 at 9:53 pm
Landry to the saints? Man they’re trying hard. So much for that salary cap lol. I still feel they need gronkowski and get a wideout out there.
May 13th, 2022 at 10:29 pm
I just spent all afternoon outside in Southeast WI. 70+ degrees all day. No clouds. Gorgeous with a good breeze. Been like that pretty much all week, which is not common this early.
May 13th, 2022 at 11:15 pm
Former Badger. Spring in Wisconsin. Snow today, hot Tomale. Don’t like the weather today? It will change tomorrow. Jump into Lake Mendota today and your balls will shrink and your voice goes up two decibels. Ice just went out a few weeks ago. Bored after Super Bowl ? Go chop a hole in the ice on Lake Mendota and catch a few perch for dinner. Then go for a few brews on State St. Lunch on the patio at the “Rat” also known as Rathskellar (student union). Walk up Bascome Hill to class with temp below zero and the wind howling. Class of 67. Roll a tight one and hit a blues or jazz joint. Chat with Chicago blues man Paul Butterfield between sets. Zone out with Ravi Shankar live on campus. Get goose bumps while 100k fans sing Varsity at half time in Camp Randall stadium. Future brother in law a starter on offense and defense for the Badgers. Yooh, rah, rah Wisconsin!
May 13th, 2022 at 11:50 pm
i watched some sterns tapes and he doesn’t really look like an nfl receiver…
but you never know…
his last years college stats are just wild…
if brady sees that “certain something” in him, brady will find a way to maximize his potential
May 14th, 2022 at 3:18 am
Thanks for the notes Joe, I always appreciate the notes from training camp. Also a thank you to the intern who transcribed them.
May 14th, 2022 at 7:32 am
We can still restructure D. Smith….& maybe Shaq Mason.
May 14th, 2022 at 7:46 am
I think we already did Smith
May 14th, 2022 at 12:04 pm
Sounds painfull to watch My Gawd!
May 14th, 2022 at 12:06 pm
You are welcome. And Joe’s no intern.