Bucs Training Camp 2024, Day 2 Notes
July 25th, 2024
Offensive coordinator Liam Coen and Baker Mayfield meet during Day 2 of the Bucs’ 2024 training camp.
So in Day 2 of Bucs training camp, though it is early, very early, Joe suspects there will be a three-way battle for the No. 3 receiver spot, Backup quarterback Kyle Trask improved somewhat from an awful first day of camp, and a high draft pick logged a bunch of reps with the first team.
Again, as a reminder, we’re still in underwear football where hitting is absolutely prohibited. The pads are scheduled to come on Monday, but that is subject to change.
* How much are guys selling out in practice to win a starting job? Rookie safety/corner Tykee Smith busted his tail so hard, Joe saw two trainers after practice carry Smith to the walk-in fridge the Bucs use to cool down. Joe learned that Smith was just cramping up bad. Smith had an arm around each trainer and his body was fully limp. Looked worse than what it was.
* During quarterback-wide receiver drills, Trey Palmer had a bad case of the dropsies. After dropping a can of corn pass in consecutive routes run, Palmer dropped and gave the Bucs 20. (Translation: Did 20 pushups as self-punishment for the drops.)
* When 11-on-11 began, Graham Barton was at center with the first team.
* Chris Godwin goes low for a short Baker Mayfield pass.
* Though he is not running around a lot, Mayfield has slimmed down this summer and looks to be a bit more nimble.
* Rachaad White busts up the middle. The Dave Canales influence remains.
* Mike Evans on a look-in pass drops the ball.
* Good Kyle: With Kyle Trask at quarterback, Jalen McMillan somehow finds space over the middle between four or five Bucs defenders and got open. Trask hit him perfectly. Pretty play.
* Bad Kyle: Trask tries to throw a pass toward the right sideline in the flat and Bryce Hall bats it down.
* Trask is flushed to the right and dumps the ball off to Tanner Knue.
* UDFA running back D.J. Williams (FSU, Arizona) blows through the middle for a nice gain.
* Trask launches a pass deep down the left side and overthrows everyone. It almost looked to Joe like he was throwing the ball away as there was heat coming in on him.
* John Wolford throws a high pass to the right sideline for veteran free agent receiver Raleigh Webb (Citadel) who skies to bring the ball in.
* There’s a Ko Kieft sighting: Wolford connects with Kieft down the left seam and the third-year tight end scores six.
* As Joe stated above, Mayfield looks more nimble this summer. This is the first example. Mayfield looks and looks and looks and no one is open so he takes off running down the right sideline for about 30 yards.
* Mayfield looks long, pumps and then checks down to Chris Godwin along the right sideline.
* Mayfield connects with Palmer for a short pass to the right.
* Trask overthrows Payne Durham over the middle. How overthrown? Not too bad. Durham got a fingertip on the pass.
* Joe really thinks the Bucs will have a battle on their hands for the No. 3 receiver. Palmer is getting more of the snaps with the first team but Jalen McMillan is making plays. And Sterling Shepard all but said today, don’t forget about me. Mayfield’s old teammate at Oklahoma, Shepard had a much better practice than yesterday making key plays. A pass from Trask over the middle at the same exact spot where Durham was when Trask overthrew him resulted in a big play.
* Sean Tucker runs right and there’s not much there. If the Bucs were wearing pads, Joe would suggest the Bucs run defense has looked solid thus far. Alas, it’s underwear football.
Red Zone
* Mayfield connects with Rachaad White in the right flat and White does what he does best in the passing game: Zig-zags through traffic and scores.
* Godwin catches a Mayfield pass down the right seam, cuts inside and scores.
* With Zyon McCollum guarding Mike Evans, Mayfield tries to squeeze one in for the Hall of Fame receiver and McCollum swipes the pass away. McCollum then celebrates by throwing a No. 1 sign into the air. Nice play by the new starting corner.
* Tucker runs left and there is nowhere to run.
* Run Kyle, Run!: Escaping traffic, Trask runs to the left for about 10 yards.
* Rookie defensive back Tykee Smith flies in and forces Trask to dump the ball off to Raleigh Webb just before he would have been sacked.
* UDFA Ramon Jefferson (Kentucky) runs left, then cuts up the middle for a nice gain.
7-on-7
* Mayfield tries for Cade Otton in the back of the end zone and the connection cannot be made.
* Evans catches a touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone from Mayfield.
* Play of the Day: Mayfield lofts the ball to McMillan who is running to the left sideline in the end zone. With his back to Mayfield, McMillan somehow doesn’t just bring the ball in, but was also able to get both feet down. Touchdown, Tampa Bay!
* Mayfield tries for Evans in the back of the end zone and throws high where the former star high school hoopster can only get it. Despite good coverage from McCollum, this play is Evans’ bread and butter. he hauls the ball in for a touchdown.
* Shepard scores a touchdown from Trask and two plays later, gets wide ass open for Trask for a monster gain.
* David Wells, who seems like he’s been in Bucs training camp for half as long as this site has been alive, is the intended target for Wolford but Josh Hayes breaks up the pass.
* Wolford decides to put some mustard on a fastball and hits Ko Kieft in stride down the left seam for a score. Solid catch by Kieft, too.
Two-minute drill
* Mayfield to Otton over the middle.
* Mayfield to Otton along the right sideline.
* Mayfield to McMillen in the left flat.
* Mayfield to Godwin to the right.
* Doh! McMillan jumps. Illegal procedure.
* Mayfield tries for Knue but cannot connect. Jordan Whitehead bats the ball away.
* Mayfield wanted to throw to Palmer in the right corner of the end zone but he was double-teamed and Mayfield just threw the ball away, way over Palmer’s head.
* Pretty play: Mayfield was under pressure and threw over the middle to McMillen at the goal line for six.
* Trask throws to Williams along the left sideline.
* YaYa Diaby makes his first huge play of training camp. Diaby got loose and raced in all alone from Trask’s blindside. The play was whistled dead (underwear football rules). Had there been hitting, Diaby would have splashed Trask.
* Trask threads the needle throwing over the middle for Ryan Miller for about 20 yards.
* Trask tries for Wells along the left sideline but linebacker Vi Jones breaks the play up.
* Kameron Johnson gets wide ass open down the right sideline and Trask hits him.
* Trask escapes the rush and throws the ball away to live for another play.
* Miller and Trask hook up for a pass down the right sideline.
* Trask had Shepard open in the end zone to the left sideline. All Trask had to do was throw the ball inside Shepard to allow him to come back to the ball. Instead, Trask overthrew Shepard.
* A SirVocea Dennis sighting: Trask tried to connect with Wells over the middle but Dennis breaks up the play.
* Mayfield pumps once then lofts a pass to Palmer in the near right corner of the end zone and Palmer brings it in for six. Excellent play.
* This was fun: Mayfield under intense heat from a pass rush begins to run right and meets a wall of defenders. He reverses field and makes a big, wide looping run to the left corner of the end zone for a score! Joe told ya’ he looked more nimble.
July 25th, 2024 at 1:07 pm
Thanks Joe for the notes. Keep them coming!
July 25th, 2024 at 1:11 pm
gotta give Joe credit, this is a great account of a practice that made me feel like I was actually there, and the Bucs should appreciate how excited I got reading this.
July 25th, 2024 at 1:13 pm
Awesome stuff Joe! Thanks. I’m going to the Thursday joint in Jacksonville. See you guys there! GO BUCS!!!
July 25th, 2024 at 1:16 pm
Yippee 👏 2
July 25th, 2024 at 1:20 pm
Love these notes!!!
July 25th, 2024 at 1:24 pm
Sounds ugly.
July 25th, 2024 at 1:34 pm
The wolford wagon is on the move!! Next qb2!!! Go bucs
July 25th, 2024 at 1:34 pm
Seems like the offense is humming
July 25th, 2024 at 1:57 pm
Sounds like pass rush got some pressure.
Sounds like trask had a lot of misfires.
Sounds like wolford did ok.
Sounds like McMillan is a big play waiting to happen (no pads, we will see).
Sounds like they are expecting a LOT out of McCollum.
July 25th, 2024 at 2:13 pm
McCollum on ME is going to be one of my favorite matchups to read about all of camp.
I’m a big believer in the Bucs depth in the backfield. With Neal and WhiteD gone coupled with the return of Jordan Whitehead and the additions of Tykee Smith and Tavierre Thomas the Bucs can finally play more man coverage and not be forced to play so much fire zone/cover 3.
The biggest question mark is JTS…. Can he put it together with his Bucs career and a pay day on the line?
Finally, I also cannot wait for pads to see the rookies. Especially Barton, J-Mac and Bucky.
July 25th, 2024 at 2:17 pm
Great notes Joe! My notes are trash compared to yours, I don’t know how you do it, keep it up!
Stars: JMac, Shephard, Zyon. YaYa
O no! Trask. Palmer. Goedeke false start.
Dark Horses: Wolford (fast too!) . DJ Williams.
July 25th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
Great insight Joe’s!! nice to hear. Especially up hear in Upstate NY, all Bills,Giants non-sense!! keep up the great work, thanks.
July 25th, 2024 at 2:33 pm
Joe says: “This was fun: Mayfield under intense heat from a pass rush begins to run right and meets a wall of defenders. He reverses field and makes a big, wide looping run to the left corner of the end zone for a score! Joe told ya’ he looked more nimble.”
It was VV who shut down the run to the right and really looked quick chasing Bake to the left. VV was moving!
July 25th, 2024 at 2:37 pm
As always…thanks Joe!
July 25th, 2024 at 2:41 pm
Trask and Palmer …. Depressing
Especially Trask !
Need to find a older proven veteran QB before the season starts
There is a reason Palmer couldn’t hang at LSU and lasted till the scratch and dent rounds.
July 25th, 2024 at 2:42 pm
Great notes as always, Joe – thank you. Are your stenographer’s hands all cramped up now, or do you inscribe these copious notes yourself?
July 25th, 2024 at 2:43 pm
Thanks for the report, Joe.
July 25th, 2024 at 2:43 pm
Great notes!
Mayfield scoring in the end zone, love it!
July 25th, 2024 at 2:49 pm
Yes.
Not like yesterday. Trask had a better day today.
He’s been smooth and consistent through two practices. Not saying he’s starting material but he appears comfortable with Coen’s offense, which he should. He played for Coen in Los Angeles.
He’s going to be hard to keep off the field.
So far it seems McCollum has risen to the challenge. He’s gotten beat by Mike Evans a couple of times. Welcome to the party. But he’s had good coverage on Evans. You know, Evans is just, well, Evans. There’s a reason he’s going to the Hall.
July 25th, 2024 at 2:52 pm
Williams didn’t embarrass himself. Joe will put it this way: If Williams keeps this up, Sean Tucker better pick things up.
July 25th, 2024 at 2:59 pm
Sounds like camp is off to a good start! 😎
July 25th, 2024 at 3:00 pm
* Rachaad White busts up the middle. The Dave Canales influence remains.
* Mike Evans on a look-in pass drops the ball.
🙂 🙂 no words needed
July 25th, 2024 at 3:38 pm
Worried that Palmer hasnt gotten over the dropsies.
McMillan sounds like the real deal and a perfect fit – was a steal in the draft.
Zyon is going to be a top rated corner. Our secondary could be special this year.
Can’t wait til the pads go on to get a better idea of what we’ve got, especially line play, offense and defense.
All signs pointing upward 🏈
July 25th, 2024 at 3:45 pm
Sounds like the WR group is going to be dangerous this year!
July 25th, 2024 at 3:46 pm
It was amazing to hear the words “pass rush” but Mayfield got clearly away and scored. Sigh. Was LVD playing at all?
July 25th, 2024 at 5:45 pm
Love the notes, Joe. Reads like Mayfield is being Mayfield and that Trask is doing a little bit better. Go Mayfield, Trask, and Bucs!
July 25th, 2024 at 8:22 pm
Fantastic write-up as always.
Good to hear Mayfield is in better shape. Last year he made some big runs for a few yards, but way too often he’d have a huge hole, look like he’s moving fast in that his legs and arms are booking, and you’d think he just picked up 13, then you look up and he gained 0.2 yards and it’s 3rd and 9. I’m not busting on Baker, I just thought it was more funny than anything since you’re watching it going, what the hell just happened – I thought we got a first down. Baker had a good 40 time in college, so I’m not really sure what happened, but regardless, more quickness is better.
…Unless it comes at the sake of durability. I think of Winston who really didn’t have any issues with durability until he slimed down here, then suddenly he’d get dinged up – then when he went to the Saints he got ‘into the best shape of his life’, and then could never stay healthy. Some guys need that extra padding. But, with that said, Baker doesn’t really have that body type so hopefully it’s not an issue.
July 25th, 2024 at 8:45 pm
Rod Munch don’t jinx our QB. And if something knocks Baker out for a few games then Wolford will pick it up until Bakers ready to go.
July 26th, 2024 at 12:31 am
Kenton Smith Says:
July 25th, 2024 at 8:45 pm
Rod Munch don’t jinx our QB.
———-
There’s no jinx there, it’s just that whenever I hear about a QB ‘in the best shape of their lives’, I think #1, How good Fat Josh Freeman was, and #2, How Winston was known for being durable, then suddenly became injury plagued.
I think it was Big Ben who said you need that extra fat to keep you healthy and absorb hits (or maybe it wasn’t Big Ben and I made it up, I can’t remember).
However, as I also pointed out that Baker has a much different build, so I doubt it makes a big difference with him. Not wishing ill or anything, obviously -it’s just what comes to mind.
July 26th, 2024 at 1:23 am
I’ll be SO glad when the pads are on, cause these people get off a little to much seeing real athletes kinda in the flesh. I’d have to have a complex about some of these funny mf’s and a sly comment coming out of their mouths. Underwear are technically what the lol are wearing. What is 5 pounds really gonna do except let everyone know that they’re protected? Barely really..
July 26th, 2024 at 2:17 am
Thanks as always Joe
July 26th, 2024 at 10:55 am
Excited to see mccollum’s advancement taking over, earning, and owning his part as a starter. And having to cover Mike Evans every practice with Mayfield as quarterback should help sharpen him and get him ready for this season. I am more excited about this book’s team than it was in 2020 with tompa Brady. We are so loaded with young talent and most of our vets are in they are prime. LFG IT FOOTBALL TIME 🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈