Bucs Training Camp Notes (Practice No. 8)
August 6th, 2022
The pillar of the franchise returns. A future Hall of Famer is a bystander. A former first-round pick flashes at a critical position. A rookie is demonstrating his versatility. An expected future cornerstone continues to struggle. The defense rises up. This and more in today’s practice notes.
* Great news: Tom Brady returned to practice today from his mini-birthday vacation/personal days/tampering retreat looking sharp and refreshed. We can all exhale.
* Encouraging news: Mike Evans was on the sidelines at practice. Afterward, Bucs coach Todd Bowles said Evans is “day-to-day” with a minor hamstring.
* Joe Tryon-Shoyinka is demonstrating all his offseason work is beginning to pay off.
* Kyle Trask didn’t have as awful of a day as he did his two previous practices, but it wasn’t good. Concerning trend. Arrow should not be pointing down for a second-year, second-round pick finishing his second week of training camp.
* The defense is absolutely flying and diving around. Today, the run defense started to dominate.
* Brady tries for Jaelon Darden on the right seam and he cannot hang on. The two will have a better result later.
* Brady tries to link up with rookie tight end Cade Otton on a short route over the middle and Antoine Winfield won’t have that noise in his neighborhood. He breaks up the pass with a diving stop. These Bucs defensive backs are diving around like defensemen in a Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 protecting a one-goal lead late.
* Score! Brady hits Giovani Bernard with a pass along the right sideline and he brings it home.
* Brady bobbles a snap from shotgun (it was a good snap, belt-high) and his pass is tipped at the line.
* Brady steps up in the pocket and throws for Otton in the back of the end zone but it was too high.
* Brady to Tyler Johnson over the middle.
* Playoff Lenny tests the Bucs’ interior line and runs up the middle and is stuffed.
* Signals crossed?: Brady throws to the left sideline and nobody is home. Now Joe is not calling anyone out here. Joe is giving Brady the benefit of the doubt because both Cam Brate and Kyle Rudolph had a vet day. So Ko Kieft and Otton got a ton of work with the first team offense. Given that the rookies may not fully know the playbook, and Brady likely can recite the entire playbook after shots of avocado tequila, Joe guesses someone ran the wrong route.
* Bernard bursts up the middle for a nice gain.
* Mike Evans is not practicing today and is day-to-day with his sore hamstring. He was out at practice and on the sidelines watching and talking to fellow receivers when they came off the field, including an animated conversation with the immortal Cyril Grayson.
* Bernard wiggles through the run defense and once he gets to the second level he kicks it into overdrive.
* Blaine Gabbert throws to the left sideline. Joe couldn’t tell who was targeted as it was on the opposite side of the field but Joe sure did see Logan Ryan sell out diving to break up the play.
* Rachaad White runs through the right side and is lit up by K.J. Britt. Hello, rookie.
* Brady seems to be missing on several throws early. Is this because he has several rookies practicing on first-team offense and they are not on the same page? Joe isn’t sure.
* Brady connects with Russell Gage on the left seam. He got the ball away despite pressure from the left side by Cam Gill.
* White weaves his way through the line. White is getting a lot of touches in the run game the past two practices.
* Gabbert to Deven Thompkins who makes a nice catch while keeping both feet inbounds as he falls over the left sideline.
* White again, this time off left tackle.
* Kenjon Barner gets the call to run this time.
* Kyle Trask tries to go to Tyler Johnson on the right sideline and Don Gardner not only had tight coverage on Johnson as he turned the corner to run upfield, it sure looked like he held Johnson or perhaps had defensive interference. Johnson couldn’t get to the ball as a result.
* Gage catches a short pass on the right side from Brady and the immortal Cyril Grayson follows that up on the next play with a catch from Brady on the left sideline.
* Ko Kieft on a crossing pattern from the right side catches the Brady offering near the left seam for a big gain.
* Vyncint [not a typo] Smith bobbles and drops a Gabbert pass down the right seam. Joe cannot imagine Smith sticking as he has dropped several passes throughout training camp. Too many to expect to make this receiver-loaded team. Not even the practice squad.
* Joe Tryon-Shoykina would have had a sack if hitting the quarterback was allowed as he blew in from the left side and had Gabbert dead to, well, left.
* Gabbert sacked again as the entire defensive line seemed to get to him like a rip current.
* Brady apparently doesn’t like the tight coverage of receivers and he rifles the ball as if he’s trying to drill someone on the far eastern practice field.
* Brady tries for Bernard on the right side and it is incomplete. Did Jamel Dean get away with a hold?
* A faux sack for Anthony Nelson as he too gets to Gabbert from the left side.
* J.J. Howland cannot hang on to a pass from Gabbert on the left side.
* A Gabbert pass to Smith broken up by Gardner.
* Ugly: Trask has a ball tipped at the line and the ball pops in the air and lands in the hands of Schiano Man Olakunle Fatukasi, who houses the pick.
* Bad luck for Trask continues. He throws down in the right flat and hits Kenjon Barner, who was wide arse open, right in the hands. Barner bobbles the pass and cannot hang on. The crowd groans. Apologies for being repetitive: Trask has had an awful week. And that’s a bad trend. Trask was, however, a little bit better Saturday but damn if the camp meat he is throwing to hasn’t dragged him down. These guys just drop pass after pass from Trask. That’s not to excuse Trask’s poor practices of late. But the former Gators star signal-caller is getting no help from these characters.
* Brady to Gage. Joe suspects we will hear a lot of that this fall.
* Playoff Lenny pulls in a pass from Brady along the right sideline for a monster gain.
7-on-7
* Gage hauls in a pass from Brady along the right side for a big gain.
* Thompkins gets a rep with the first team and Brady finds him over the middle. A good quarterback makes lesser players look better some say.
* Gabbert to Kieft down the left seam.
* Thompkins catches a pass over the middle from Gabbert in double-coverage. Antoine Winfield was in there.
* Joe doesn’t think K.J. Britt likes rookies. Brady finds Otton over the left seam and Britt says hello and flattens Otton.
* Interesting play design: Brady throws to Tyler Johnson on a crossing pattern from the right side. The route he ran had him behind a route that Julio Jones ran so where Johnson caught the ball, Julio was a couple of yards in front of Johnson ready to block.
* This may have been Jaelon Darden’s best play as a Bucs receiver: Brady throws to Darden along the right sideline and the pass was way high. Somehow, Darden channeled his inner Dennis Rodman and stretched out and climbed the invisible ladder to bring the ball in and get his feet down before falling out of bounds. Gain of about 15. Excellent play.
* Brady to Gage, right seam.
* Gabbert to Otton for a nice gain.
* While Brady and Gabbert are getting most of the snaps — Gabbert is clearly Brady’s backup at this point in training camp — Trask tries to stay loose by tossing a football with a Bucs staffer. Joe is confident Trask got that from watching Brady.
* Kaylon Geiger catches a Trask pass down the right seam.
* Trask connects with Thompkins over the middle near the goal line and it appeared Thompkins had the ball punched out. It also didn’t appear Thompkins had the ball tucked away either. Gotta clean that up rook.
* Trask attempts to go to Thompkins along the right sideline and it’s too long.
* Kameron Brown catches a pass from Trask along the left sideline for about 20 yards.
* Johnson runs a come-back route to the left side and brings in a pass from Trask.
* Trask to Jerreth Sterns to the right sideline.
* Brady to Playoff Lenny on the left side and he is hit right away. Joe isn’t sure if he fumbled but Carlton Davis had the ball in his hands when the two sides began walking to their respective huddles.
11-on-11
* Bernard tries to run up the middle and it looked like Vita Vea played Moby Dick and just swallowed up Bernard with one big bite.
* Joe Tryon-Shoyinka gets past his man inside and had a free shot at Brady and Brady, just about as JTS was to get in Brady’s face, quickly tossed the ball away. JTS has flashed today. Comforting sign.
* Grayson and Brady hook up on a pass to the left sideline.
* Brady tries for Bernard over the middle but cannot connect.
* Pick! Lavonte David has his second interception of Brady this training camp. The defense hoots and hollers and celebrates. David does not practice like he’s 32. He still has the quicks.
* Trask throws low to USFL star Bug Howard and he cannot come up with it. With a name like “Bug Howard” this guy needs to at least be on a practice squad.
* Trask again has a pass tipped at the line. This time, fortunately, it falls harmlessly to the ground.
* Trask hits Geiger over the middle in traffic.
* Interesting: Trask calls a play in the huddle and Trask lines up under center and Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich halts play to walk up and say something to Trask as he is under center. Joe has seen a lot of Leftwich very much hands-on coaching Trask one-on-one this training camp. Sometimes judging by Trask’s body language, you can tell Leftwich isn’t offering to make a grub run to Alessi Bakery.
* Playoff Lenny tries to run left, gets to the line of scrimmage and Akiem Hicks grabs Playoff Lenny from behind and bear hugs him to stop play. Hicks is quite the large man.
* Brady hits Johnson on the left side as Johnson runs a look-in pattern.
* Brady and Otton link up on the left side. Each day Otton is getting more targets and each day he seems to improve a little bit. This then leads to more targets in the next practice and… well, you get the drift.
Goal line
* Brady for Gage on the left side… no.
* Johnson with a big catch in the back of the end zone for a score.
* Brady waits… waits… waits… then checks down to Scotty Miller along the left sideline for a score.
* Smith skies for a catch from Gabbert in the back of the end zone catching the ball near the crossbar.
* Gabbert’s final touchdown of the day goes to Thompkins who ran a crossing pattern from the right.
From Inside Training Camp: #Bucs QB Tom Brady is back, while WR Mike Evans sat out another practice. pic.twitter.com/ppchmiGrYQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 6, 2022
August 6th, 2022 at 2:51 pm
Joe, could you see us keeping Griffin over Trask for 2022? I would love your thoughts on that.
August 6th, 2022 at 2:59 pm
It sure sounds to me that Tyler Johnson & Russell Gage are doing quite well…..
August 6th, 2022 at 3:02 pm
Sounds like none of the qbs had a good day.
August 6th, 2022 at 3:14 pm
As Joe Twittered yesterday, the question with Trask isn’t that he may No. 2 QB. The question now is (after this week), can he beat out Ryan Griffin for No. 3? Right now, don’t think that is far-fetched.
August 6th, 2022 at 3:21 pm
Whats julio up to?
August 6th, 2022 at 3:29 pm
Sounds like Trask never has a good day. Deven Thompkins has a chip on his shoulder…undrafted, undersized, n unestimated. Watch out for this guy!
August 6th, 2022 at 3:36 pm
The good news is JTS is looking better. I hope the bad news isn’t that it’s because our new O-line sucks. Great job Joe, almost as good as being there. I can’t help but wonder though, if you could see them far side line plays better with a pair of Leopold 10×50 high definition binoculars.
August 6th, 2022 at 3:41 pm
Joes, was it more of the DL having a good day or is it our make shift OL that isn’t doing what they need to be doing?
August 6th, 2022 at 3:58 pm
🤷♂️
Six in one hand; half a dozen in the other.
Tend to give credit to the winner.
August 6th, 2022 at 4:03 pm
When the QB were taking snaps in pairs Trask was 1/2 second slower then the other 3 quarterbacks. He will have to improve that if he wants to play in our style of offense. However, Trask arm strength is the same or better the other quarterbacks. This is from todays practice.
August 6th, 2022 at 4:32 pm
Who is playing center and snapping all of these passes? Thanks for the narratives!
August 6th, 2022 at 4:32 pm
Just when we weren’t sure what Darden is, he be showing up and showing out this camp. Great to hear.
Arrow still pointing down for Trask. I thought the NFL motto is, “1% better each day…?” If coach is following him into huddle and barking at him, that’s not a great sign. Maybe it’s what Trask needs and he’s a slow learner.
Love the note about the crossing patterns with Julio and Johnson. Can you imagine 2 crossing patterns on each side of field with our top 4 WR’s? Someone GONNA be open.
As always, great notes and thanks for keeping us fans in the loop, Joe!
August 6th, 2022 at 4:36 pm
“Joe doesn’t think K.J. Britt likes rookies.”
Good. Bring that fire and lay that wood, to our opponents. Sounds like Britt is getting better this year.
August 6th, 2022 at 4:39 pm
PS: Thank you, Joe. You correctly sense our angst over our starting C going down, and are apt and quick in describing every C-QB snap bobble. We wanna know how that’s going, as our season depends on a reliable C. Great job!
August 6th, 2022 at 4:56 pm
This is not surprising to here about a quarterback the bucs drafted struggling in camp . This franchise just don’t know how to develop a quarterback. Look at the players that Trask is throwing the to and you expect him to become a good quarterback throwing it to those guys lol 😆? I told yall that Tampa is where young quarterbacks careers come in die . This franchise is about to fail another young quarterback just like they did to all the other quarterbacks they drafted . And some of yall have the nerve to call Jamies a bad quarterback lol 😆. That’s why I say yall can’t talk about no quarterback the bucs drafted in the pass until they develop our own quarterback.
August 6th, 2022 at 5:05 pm
Thanks Joe. I’m hoping he’s not our version of Christian Hackenberg.
Hackenberg is one of only three quarterbacks selected in the first or second round of the common-draft era (since 1967) to not play a game in his first two seasons. (Rich Cimini, E$PN article 6/13/20)
Assuming no one else met this criteria following the 2020 or 2021 seasons, Trask could become #4 in modern draft history to not have the ball hiked to him in the first two years.
August 6th, 2022 at 5:13 pm
Joe this is the best coverage so far. THANK YOU!
August 6th, 2022 at 5:15 pm
Oneilbuc,
Please learn how to speak and spell before you condemn anyone ok?
My big question:
How’s that WARRIOR, DURABLE DONNIE doing Joe?
August 6th, 2022 at 5:19 pm
Julio don’t think was running a crossing pattern. Just where his pattern led him placed him in position to get a block and spring Johnson.
August 6th, 2022 at 5:25 pm
Joe, we need to know, preferably for every practice, how the center and LG are doing, and who is out there.
As for Trask. I think his days are numbered. He has never looked “good”. Ryan G is a decent backup. In fact, I’d take him over Gabbert, who has been wildly inconsistent throughout his career, no matter who is on the field with him. No excuses. They just love him here.
August 6th, 2022 at 5:30 pm
@Joe,
Forgive my fumbling of the proper terms. I meant to convey excitement/intrigue about 2 doubles on each side of the field, and the many route patterns those 2 could perform. The “chemistry” of the offense dictates that the underneath pattern catches the pass, allowing the WR most downfield to instantly block. Out on the perimeter with limited defenders, this pattern should be pretty sick.
Imagine if the coaches actually planned such patterns?
August 6th, 2022 at 5:34 pm
Doosh . That’s what you call typing to fast but at the same time all I’m speaking is the truth. This franchise just don’t know how to develop a quarterback and that’s just truth I’m not making up a story or pushing a narrative. I’m tired of this franchise not developing a quarterback . And I’m sick of yall complaining and talking bad about all those young quarterbacks the bucs drafted in the past. None of yall want to hold this franchise accountable for not being able to develop a quarterback. Until the bucs develop a quarterback Tampa is where young quarterbacks careers come in die . And hate to say that about my bucs because I’ve been a bucs fan for 27 years but I have to tell the truth about the team and organization.
August 6th, 2022 at 5:39 pm
Oneil,
Whomever the Bucs have or have not drafted, and groomed, at QB isn’t really that important. What’s important(er) is whom the front office signs and what talent they bring. As a fan, I don’t care whom drafted whom (per se) but I do care about the final roster each year. JW is gone bro. We’ve all moved on, so should you. Life is too short.
GO BUCS!!!
August 6th, 2022 at 5:50 pm
Oneilbuc Says:
August 6th, 2022 at 4:56 pm
This is not surprising to here about a quarterback the bucs drafted struggling in camp . This franchise just don’t know how to develop a quarterback.
Dude every coaching staff is different. It only matters how good a staff this one is. The historic staffs do not matter when talking about Trask’s development.
August 6th, 2022 at 6:00 pm
Doug Williams
Buc fan for 45 years…..
August 6th, 2022 at 6:29 pm
Don’t be crazy, he’ll be the #3 QB whether he’s actually better than Griffen, or not.
August 6th, 2022 at 7:25 pm
Doosh- Doug Williams, that would be correct lol
But after his wife dying and an owner that would not pay him fairly, he left after 5 years. Doug goes on and wins the Super Bowl with the Redskins 5 seasons later. Glad Doug won.
So yeah he was developed in Tampa, but overall Oneilbuc is stating a reality for this franchise so far. I hope it changes.
But with that being said, most teams have not been great at it historically either.
There has been few really good QB.s and even fewer great QB’s in the history of the NFL when compared to the huge amount of QB’s drafted or signed as free agents by teams since the birth of the NFL in the 1920’s. It really is a rarity to get a QB and develop them for any team.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
August 6th, 2022 at 7:49 pm
Bucfan13
He just changed his name to 13 men inside him
August 6th, 2022 at 8:01 pm
No tight spiral and you see more bobble balls off the guys hands. A knock towards Trask. I say we move on from him. He is what he is. I learned my listen with Jamies. He either has it or doesn’t. Go Bucs!
August 6th, 2022 at 10:23 pm
It’s true the Bucs, historically speaking, haven’t done a very good job of drafting/developing qbs-Doug was a winner but they never really developed him into an all around qb like in Washington. Vinnie struggled here and a decent career in NY, Dilfer was never any good despite having a great defense. The Bucs have won 2 Super Bowls with veterans and probably should have 3 if they didn’t have Shawn King under center. There have been several teams that have developed QBs- as a matter of fact most. Think about our own division; Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, Drew Brees (he was mediocre in San Diego).
August 6th, 2022 at 10:31 pm
Actually I’ll take that back about Williams statistically speaking he was much better in Tampa but Culverhouse was such a short sighted, cheap ass owner didn’t really give Doug a chance.
August 6th, 2022 at 11:08 pm
Everyday it’s JTS and TJ. Just think if Hall and/or Hicks show up.
August 6th, 2022 at 11:11 pm
As I said above…..
But with that being said, most teams have not been great at it historically either.
There has been few really good QB’s and even fewer great QB’s in the history of the NFL, when compared to the huge amount of QB’s drafted or signed as free agents by teams since the birth of the NFL in the 1920’s.
It really is a rarity to get a QB and develop them for any team.
I was talking recently about the NFL with a friend about drafting a QB and developing them. It is a very imperfect science lol to say the least. Very few actually ever become good, and even fewer become great. Brady 199th pick says it all.
Imperfect science.
But It still would be nice if the Bucs somehow can develope Trask or any other QB.
I do not care if it is Trask, or someone else. In spite of what has transpired in camp with Trask, we still know zilch about Trask actually playing NFL games that count.
Bradys days as a BUC are few, 1 year, or some miracle 2, if he does not go to Miami and play a year or something whatever, a QB is needed very much to take over when the day comes.
GO BUCS!!!!
August 7th, 2022 at 12:04 am
Doug should never have been allowed to leave and Culvernose is hopefully rotting in hell for his many transgressions including with David Brinkley’s wife.
Other than Doug, every QB the Bucs have drafted has sucked. Winston still may pan out, jury is undecided but I’ll take the last two seasons with Brady over watching Jamiss demoralize the defense with a 40 pick season.
August 7th, 2022 at 8:50 am
August1976. I heard from the pewter report that Trask didn’t take a snap in practice during the 2021 season after the preseason. No player will develop regardless of the position if he don’t practice and I blame the coaches on that. He don’t practice none during the season last year and he suppose to be doing good this year it don’t work that way. That’s why I said they are doing a bad job on developing Trask. You don’t get better not practicing you get better by practicing. They waste a whole year on Trask by not letting him practice he don’t have a chance being our franchise quarterback because of not practicing during the season last year and I think that’s probably why he’s been frustrated in practice. Trask probably feels he ain’t getting a fair shot to becoming the franchise quarterback especially throwing the ball to camp bait receivers. I had a lot of hope in Trask being our first franchise quarterback until I heard what how he didn’t practice since training camp in 2021.
August 7th, 2022 at 12:58 pm
Osqueelbuc- you can try to develop an eggplant. Try and try. It still won’t be a good NFL quarterback.
Trashk is who he is. A feel good try hard guy who has peaked. He never was and never will be NFL caliber.
August 7th, 2022 at 1:07 pm
Great reporting. As usual.
August 7th, 2022 at 2:07 pm
Gooffarmer. If you don’t let him or any other player regardless of the position practice for a whole year will never develop into a good player. This is the only franchise in the NFL that has never develop a quarterback that’s a problem with the organization not the quarterbacks.