Practice Notes From OTA Day 1
May 23rd, 2023
So Joe was at OTAs today when the Bucs, (most) veterans and rookies alike, had a voluntary underwear football practice on the sunny fields of One Buc Palace.
For those unaware, underwear football is guys in shorts. No pads other than a helmet. There is no hitting of any sort. Think flag football without the flags.
Let’s hop to it:
* The Bucs are running a strip drill. No, this has nothing to do with the clothing-optional establishments on Dale Mabry Highway. Yes, Joe has seen teams work on stripping the ball before, but not to this detail. A ballcarrier jogged and a defensive player would run from behind, place on hand on the ballcarrier’s shoulder and use that as leverage to rip the ball out with the defender’s free hand.
* With Russell Gage hurt (again), rookie receiver Trey Palmer got a lot of work with the first team. In one play he was lined up with Chris Godwin in a twins formation. Godwin ran an inside route, Palmer outside. Joe hopes to see more of that this fall.
* Baker Mayfield hits Cade Otton in the hands down the left seam but the ball bounces off Otton’s hands.
* If Joe had to guess, Baker Mayfield had maybe 70 percent of the snaps until the final 20-25 minutes of practice where competing Kyle Trask took most of the reps.
* Kade Warner takes a short pass over the middle from Mayfield.
* Mayfield to Taye Barber right in the breadbasket along the left sideline.
* Godwin hauls in a Trask pass pass over the middle.
* Patrick Laird hauls in a Trask pass along the left sideline.
* Trask throws to the right sideline where Godwin houses the pass.
* During a water break, Joe saw offensive coordinator Dave Canales and Mayfield have a private one-on-one. Canales would mimic the footwork and throw of a pass and Mayfield would repeat the gesture.
* Yes sir: rookie linebacker SirVocea Dennis flushes Mayfield out of the pocket to his right and Mayfield dumps the ball off to Otton near the right sideline.
* A new Joe Tryon-Shoyinka? The third-year outside linebacker seems more vocal and in charge. He’s directing guys and making sure teammates are in the correct position.
* Red zone work: Mayfield hits Palmer over the middle as Palmer came in from the left side.
* Highlight of practice: Mayfield targets Palmer along the left sideline but the throw was high. Palmer skies and hauls the ball in with his fingertips and Joe thought he got two feet in but not sure as there were so many players around the play blocking the view. It created a roar from the players on the sideline watching.
* Here is what Trask does well: This is a Bill Parcells method. When passing over the middle, Parcells demanded his quarterbacks throw low to prevent tipped passes or worse, a pick. Trask always seems to throw low over the middle, cock-high or lower.
* Joe is thinking Trask wanted a wet ball drill. He throws a rainbow to the right that was so dang high Joe is thinking it got wet in the clouds. It almost looked like a punt. Tight end Tanner Taula (Illinois State) caught the touchdown. The Bucs’ offensive linemen were so happy with the play they came and hugged Trask.
* Mayfield hands the ball off to receiver Deven Thompkins who runs right and meets a wall of linebackers. He quickly reverses field and runs left and Joe thinks he may have gotten five yards out of the play.
* Ke’Shawn Vaughn runs up the middle for a few yards. Then cuts right for a few more.
* Ryan Miller (Furman) catches a pass from Trask over the middle.
* Trask is flushed to the left and he maybe gets five yards.
OTAs are in session đ#GoBucs pic.twitter.com/fJGZBimmtn
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) May 23, 2023
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:01 pm
I just learned a new way to describe a throw to a receiver’s⌔midsection” !
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:05 pm
Big thanks for keeping us involved…appreciated!
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:08 pm
Joe, Iâm glad you bring up Parcells. Brady was also trained to throw the ball low. He mentioned in part it was to protect his receiver. Belicheat is a disciple of Parcells. I bet you Trask picked up that method from Brady. People think because itâs low itâs a bad throw. Itâs actually mitigating risk and it helps to not get your receivers blown up. Love Parcells, by the way.
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:09 pm
Thanks for the notes, Joe!
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:15 pm
Keep the notes coming Joe, some of my favorite stuff to read on this site.
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:15 pm
Trask=the next GOAT!
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:22 pm
Was David Moore in attendance? Also what’s the word if any on Sean Tucker & Chase Edmonds? Diaby looks humongous as well, idk if it’s because he keeps a low pad level, but on tape he doesn’t look as big as he has in the photos the Bucs media dept post on the teams’ site. The audio on the interviews the team posted was terrible
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:28 pm
Didnât know OTA was today, but thanks again for the great notes. I think the Bucs are going to surprise some folks this year.
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:48 pm
Cock-high… LOL thanks the visual Joe!
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:55 pm
It sounds like Palmer can actually catch a ball…..that’s very encouraging.
May 23rd, 2023 at 3:55 pm
Awesome coverage, thanks! Sounds like it’s shaping up to be a good QB battle!
May 23rd, 2023 at 4:00 pm
According to Joe’s notes Trask completed all his passes.
May 23rd, 2023 at 4:11 pm
So we now know that one of the Joes is Pete Rose.
May 23rd, 2023 at 4:14 pm
Trask sounds like he’s off to a good start.
May 23rd, 2023 at 4:27 pm
Wow, so few comments. If Trask had thrown lots of incompletes and picks this story would have 100+ comments attacking him. As someone else commented recently, this is really an FSU website. LOL.
May 23rd, 2023 at 4:31 pm
Brady regularly used the Parcells method as you call it. Glad to see Trask picked up a trick or two from the goat. Hope he pans out. It would be great for the Bucs to actually hit on a QB for once.
Love these practice notes, Joe.
May 23rd, 2023 at 4:32 pm
Form only those notes, looks like Trask is getting the job done in a smart way, looking good for a QB competition!
May 23rd, 2023 at 4:36 pm
Still think the Bowles cleaner will step in and anoint Mayfly to start.
But it looks like Trask wasn’t just getting the coffee, he was paying attention.
That is good for the longer range outlook of this team.
May 23rd, 2023 at 4:47 pm
Keâ finally getting his chance to shine up the middle, and he will.
May 23rd, 2023 at 5:11 pm
Not sure about Dave Moore. Joe doesn’t pay much if any attention to the third-team/teamsters. Didn’t do anything to stand out. Joe knows there are reporters who take attendance. Joe always thought that was more a less a waste.
Sean Tucker, Todd Bowles said, doesn’t have a timetable when he can begin practicing.
Didn’t notice Chase Edmonds.
May 23rd, 2023 at 5:13 pm
Including a truly ugly one which was caught by a guy in a red (defense) jersey.
May 23rd, 2023 at 5:17 pm
Love these articles, Joe.
May 23rd, 2023 at 5:22 pm
Thanks as usual for the camp notes! OMG!! Has anyone spoken to coach Bowles about his weight? Dang, is this dude hitting wendy’s everyday for dinner? His face is very thin so you dont realize how “robust” he is.. hahah
GO BUCS
May 23rd, 2023 at 5:24 pm
i guess we will roll bowles out in a wheelbarrow opening day?
May 23rd, 2023 at 5:31 pm
Love it Joe, first time ever in a sports column. âCock Highâ.
May 23rd, 2023 at 5:45 pm
Might be just the angle Joe, but that photo of Vita Vea makes it look like he’s slimmed down some. Here’s hoping …
May 23rd, 2023 at 5:49 pm
The pic speaks a thousand words, but the biggest takeaway is they all have their heads down .. oh and TB stands weird.. The start of Lost Years 2 coming soon
May 23rd, 2023 at 5:49 pm
Got to cheer for the Illinois State guy.
May 23rd, 2023 at 6:02 pm
As always thanks for the time & effort that goes into practice notes.
Is it just me, or possibly the angle, but from the picture it looks like Vita might have lost some weight? Precursor to a shift in D-Line philosophy?
May 23rd, 2023 at 7:54 pm
From what I read elsewhere, the Bucs are running bootlegs, play action, waggle plays. More like Seattle, which will really help the OLine this year. More short passes while the QB is in motion. Should be an interesting offense this year.
May 23rd, 2023 at 8:05 pm
Cock high
May 23rd, 2023 at 9:25 pm
Sounds like Trask is balling out. Just hope he doesn’t get too cocky.
May 23rd, 2023 at 9:51 pm
Cock-high……(post is under moderation)
May 23rd, 2023 at 11:51 pm
thanks joe…much appreciated
May 24th, 2023 at 12:09 am
Thank you Joe much appreciated for the notes. Looking forward to more đ high commentary
May 24th, 2023 at 6:19 am
QB hugged by Olineman ? Seems obvious qho they want to see starting at QB. Perhaps actually count the snaps each QB gets Joe as a fair competition must ensured by the scribes.
May 24th, 2023 at 7:36 am
That pass looks like a punt.
May 24th, 2023 at 7:44 am
“The Bucsâ offensive linemen were so happy with the play they came and hugged Trask.”
The couldn’t hug Mayfield because Joe was hugging him. đ
May 24th, 2023 at 7:48 am
Cock-high havenât heard that since I was a kid at my grandpas farm
May 24th, 2023 at 10:30 am
LOL at Joe hugging Mayfield.
Come on man!!!
What I love is Trey Palmer getting mentioned a lot.
It appears Canales knows talent when he sees it.
Lefty would have him on a different field because he hadn’t “EARNED” it yet!!
May 24th, 2023 at 11:46 am
Appreciate the updates here Joe. Thanks!!!
May 24th, 2023 at 5:17 pm
Why is everyone commenting on the stock photo NOT from OTAs?
Vita Vea isn’t even there and they aren’t practicing in pads.
May 24th, 2023 at 5:40 pm
“During a water break, Joe saw offensive coordinator Dave Canales and Mayfield have a private one-on-one. Canales would mimic the footwork and throw of a pass and Mayfield would repeat the gesture.”
Joe, did you see Canales give any instructions to Trask when it comes to his mechanics?