Bucs Training Camp Notes (Practice No. 7)

August 3rd, 2022

Practice was held in the Glazer Shed this morning.

It seems Bucs coach Todd Bowles believed his team needed a break from the blazing Florida sun and moved practice into the Glazer Shed despite clear, sunny skies this morning.

Tampering Tom Brady, Lavonte David, Giovani Bernard and Cam Brate were among the players who had a Vet Day, and Joe believes they got cheated. You think they wanted to take off one of the few days practicing in air conditioning as opposed to getting a day off from practicing under the roasting Tampa sun?

That’s enough to make a starting quarterback want to try to squeeze his way to Miami in the middle of December.

And Bowles gave all his players a break by returning to the rigors of underwear football after a grueling two-day stretch of padded practices.

On to the notes!

* Granted there would have probably been a linebacker to greet Rachaad White at the line on this play in real football, but White demonstrated patience and a good sense reading the line. He took a handoff from Blaine Gabbert and ran to the two-hole, or between center and right guard. Then, White paused to allow a hole to develop and before darting through.

* The perils of underwear football: Reserve defensive lineman Mike Greene would have easily had White with a four-yard loss. But alas, you cannot hit, and tackling is absolutely verboten. So White escaped and got a few yards running right off tackle.

* Since Brady had the day off, Gabbert got a lot of snaps. His first pass in 11-on-11 was thrown to Tyler Johnson over the middle for a touchdown. Johnson waved to the crowd as the roar sounded louder in the packed Glazer Shed, (capacity about 3,000)

* Gabbert throws to Playoff Lenny on the left side and Playoff Lenny got a huge gain.

* Kyle Trask throws to JJ Howland in the end zone just to the left and the ball is just off Howland’s right hand as he ran left. Trask had mostly a lousy day albeit with a couple of bright spots. To be fair, the camp meat he was throwing to did him (and Ryan Griffin) no favors by dropping a lot of passes.

* Trask redeems himself by hitting Deven Thompkins along the right sideline who was wide-@ss open.

* Trask dumps off to Howland on a screen pass to the left.

* Trask to Johnson over the middle for a nice gain.

* Russell Gage hauls in a Gabbert pass on a crossing pattern from the left. All Gage does on short passes is get open.

* Scotty Miller had a sh!tload of targets today and his first was a 20-yard catch down the left seam.

* Johnson with catch on the right side. Johnson is getting a lot of targets this morning.

* Ryan Griffin to Miller over the middle for about a 15-yard gain.

Red Zone drills

* Gabbert to Johnson in the back of the end zone and it appeared initially Johnson had an acrobatic catch as he rose over the crossbar. But Johnson couldn’t hang on. Joe wasn’t fully sure of the ball was knocked out of his hands or if Johnson just flat dropped the ball.

* Gabbert to Kyle Rudolph to the left side for a touchdown.

* Trask was simply awful in this red zone session. His first pass went through the back of the end zone untouched. His next two were picked. The first by Troy Warner and the second by Jamel Dean. At this point in practice, Trask looked like the Bucs’ fourth-string quarterback.

*  Gabbert throws to Ke’Shawn Vaughn and “Sneak” nearly pulls in the pass with one hand. Incomplete.

11-on-11

* Gabbert to Miller deep down the right side. If this were real football, Dee Delaney would have had a sack as he raced in on a blitz.

* Griffin throws to Kenjon Barner and it sails right through his arms. C’mon, man.

* Griffin throws to Kameron Brown along the right sideline and he cannot hang on. Camp meat is making Griffin’s numbers look bad.

* Hey, how about some special teams? The Miami mauler, kicker Jose Borregales, boots what looked to be a 52-yard field goal right down Central Avenue with plenty of room to spare. It’s all about The U!

* Coverage sack? Gabbert drops back and pats the ball and pats the ball and pats the ball and is finally flushed to the right. He then pumps and fakes a throw into the dirt (Gabbert’s Dan Marino moment?) and then throws down the right sideline for Miller who came back for the ball for a catch. Gabbert is teasing folks today.

* Gabbert connects with Gage down the right seam. All Gage does is get open.

* Awesome throw! Trask trying to redeem what has been an awful practice by rifling a ball down the left seem to tight end and USFL star Bug Howard for a touchdown. With a name like “Bug Howard” the Bucs have to keep him on the practice squad, no? Finally, Trask had a good pass.

*  Trask throws a pretty pass right on the money in Vyncint [not a typo] Smith’s bread basket and the Limestone University product flat drops the ball on the goal line. You could see Trask’s body language just droop. Bucs teammates jog up to him and pat him on the shoulders to offer encouragement letting him know that drop was no way on him. Even the Bucs could see Trask was struggling today.

* Gabbert finds Cade Otton wide-@ss open on the right side who takes it some 15 yards into the end zone.

* Gabbert to Howland in traffic.

* Gabbert to Johnson over the middle.

* Gabbert throws too short for Miller as the ball hits the turf.

* Griffin fires to Kaylon Geiger along the right sideline but that would have been a coverage sack in real football. Bucs pass defense is having a strong morning.

* Griffin throws high to Brown along the left sideline and Brown skies but cannot come down with the ball.

* Griffin throws deep to Jerreth Sterns over the middle and Sterns makes a crazy catch. He elevated in double coverage, came down with the ball and was (accidentally) clobbered in the process.

* Gabbert to Playoff Lenny along the left sideline.

* Gabbert throws and is lucky he is not picked. The ball was off K.J. Britt’s hands. Pass may have been rushed as Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was breathing down Gabbert’s neck as JTS raced in from the right.

* Almost a wild play. Gabbert throws to Jaelon Darden to the left and it was too hot for him to handle. The ball ricochets forward about seven yards right into the hands of Playoff Lenny who was along the left sideline. It appeared that Playoff Lenny turned to run too soon, bobbled the ball and couldn’t hang on.

* Johnson catches a Gabbert pass over the middle near midfield and he does a Keyshawn Johnson first down move.

* Jet sweep with Miller who runs right and gains about 11 yards.

* Miller again the target from Gabbert along the right sideline.

* Trask connects with Howland and on the next play throws over the middle and no one is home. Trask is lucky because Schiano Man Olakunle Fatukasi should have had the third pick of the morning on Trask.

* The Benn’ed Around lives! This time it is Miller running around left end.

* Trask to Geiger on a slant pass from the left and Geiger drops it again. Yes, Trask is having a really rough day but he’s getting little help from the camp meat. Trask needs to go out tonight and pound beers. Get it out of his system.

* Trask aims for Geiger down the right seam but it is too high. Rookie cornerback Zyon McCollum and Nolan Turner collide while going for the ball. Each had a shot at a pick but canceled each other out.

* Trask is pressured and he rolls right and throws to the left sideline. It appeared he was throwing the ball away and Thompkins instead pulled the ball in.

Two-minute drill

* Gabbert to the immortal Cyril Grayson deep down the right sideine.

* Gabbert to Darden down the right sideline.

* Gabbert to Rudolph on a short completion.

* Gabbert to Miller on the right side to the end zone, too long.

* Gabbert to Otton in the back of the end zone, too long.

* Trask to Sterns to the right side, complete.

* Trask finds Geiger along the right sideline and this time Geiger catches it and he is a very, very lucky man. Keanu Neal was on a beeline toward Geiger and was able to pull up two steps away. Had this been real football Neal would have absolutely Ronnie Lott’ed this guy so badly Bucs staffers would still be picking up Geiger’s pieces.

* Dean breaks up a Trask pass intended for Sterns along the left sideline.

* McCollum breaks up another Trask attempt for Sterns.

* Gabbert to Miller left sideline.

* Gabbert to Darden over the middle and Carlton Davis on the stop.

* Johnson catches a Gabbert offering over the middle.

* Miller with another catch over the left seam, again from Gabbert.

* Trask connects with Brown down the right sideline.

* Trask aims for Thompkins down the left sideline and the Utah State product by way of Fort Myers nearly makes a circus catch.

* The power of Peter King: The NBC NFL analyst shows up and magically in the media workroom, the soda machine comes to life and there is a chilled water dispenser.

* No practice tomorrow. Next time the Bucs take the fields at One Buc Palace will be Friday at 8:30 a.m.

18 Responses to “Bucs Training Camp Notes (Practice No. 7)”

  1. D-Rok Says:

    Awesome notes, thanks!

    So, you’re saying Trask had a bad day, eh? (sarcasm). Maybe once the camp meat gives way to the ones, Trask will have a better day?

    Sounds like the D was on their P’s and Q’s today. Good to hear.

  2. SB~LV Says:

    Thanks J’z

  3. Dewey Selmon Says:

    Awesome! No one cover the Bucs like youz twos.

  4. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Sounds like Gabbert is getting ready….for 23.

    Julio must be another vet day absence….

    With all our WRs……hard to believe we still have camp meat at the WR position…..

    Surely, some of them will be scooped up by other teams…..

  5. NeverGIVEup Says:

    52 Yards indoors vs the south end of RJS is a HUGE difference. I prefer the vet over the rook in this battle 10 out of 10 times.

    Good to know he can kick though, maybe he can handle the Kick Off duties and take over FGs once TB12 leaves town for that 3rd world country in South Florida.

  6. Just Saying Says:

    Doesn’t sound like Trask is throwing to any NFL caliber receivers. Julio is a no show?

  7. MadMax Says:

    And Trask is not the answer….dont know how many times i have to say it, ive seen it. Maybe it will take a few years to learn as a 3rd string backup, i dont know….

    big miss there Mr Licht, im sorry….move on

    Will Levis if he continues and stays healthy, yes its going to cost trade up value…is what it is but we’re not done building a dynasty here!

  8. steele Says:

    Joe, please provide at least one observation on Hainsey/center with every practice report. That OL is the key to the season, trumping all else.

  9. dmatt Says:

    Anyone out there in Buc land think Devin Thompkins make the team. From the highlights I saw in college n what I’m hearing about his performance in camp, he appears to be a diamond in the rough. For his size, he’s a natural for catching the ball at its highest point n plays physical. On pass plays n kick return I saw him get hit by guys 50+ pounds heavier n he didn’t flinch, hesitate, tip toe, or trip over himself, he seems to enjoy n embrace contact.

  10. Walter Says:

    “Tampering Tom” has a nice ring to it

  11. Dewey Selmon Says:

    I would also keep the young kicker. And if Devon Thompkins can return kicks i would keep him over Darden.

  12. CleanHouse Says:

    no idea if Brady or his people read this website, but guaranteed he’s not going to be as cooperative with your questioning if you talk smack Joe’s

    Be glad he’s here- no wonder he wants to leave this decades old dumpster fire…It is the Bucs after all– Do you think we would even make the playoffs without him and all the talent he recruited?

  13. David Says:

    DMATT.

    No chance. They are already 9 deep at WR. Hell, he has to beat out Grayson and Darden just to make the practice squad probably

  14. Rod Munch Says:

    Thompkins and Geiger both have some great highlights. Thompkins reminds me a ton of D-Jax, while Geiger has a remarkable highlight real, just go google it, he looks like Devin Hester with the ball in his hand (albeit vs guys I’ve never heard of).

    The Bucs badly need a dedicated returner, that’s the situation where you might actually keep 7 WRs since Julio and Gage and Evans and Godwin aren’t playing special teams.

  15. Joe Says:

    Anyone out there in Buc land think Devin Thompkins make the team.

    He’s done more in training camp than Darden but the shot-callers at One Buc LOVE Darden. Not sure Thompkins can overcome that.

  16. THOMAS PFALZ Says:

    Excellent report & no to Darden. Yes to Miller & Johnson.

  17. Radsy Says:

    Joe, does McCollum look as athletic as his combine profile says?

  18. Joe Says:

    Joe, does McCollum look as athletic as his combine profile says?

    Guess so. He’s not running a straight line very often. He seems quick enough. Doesn’t seem out of place.