Bucs Training Camp 2024: Day 8 Practice Notes
August 2nd, 2024
“Hey Bowles, you gonna drug test me?”
Todd Bowles might be busy this afternoon. Early in training camp Jamel Dean had a pick and the Bucs coach joked in his post-practice press conference that he may have to get Dean drug-tested.
Dean, to the dissatisfaction of fans and Bowles, has a nasty habit of dropping cans of corn picks.
Well, Dean one-upped Bowles today. More about that in today’s practice notes from the eighth day of Bucs Training Camp 2024.
* Friday was the second of two practices open to the general public. It was a very good crowd. Joe walked out for practice 15 minutes before practice was to start and already about 85 percent of the bleachers were full. Seems quite a few folks took Friday off for a three-day weekend and squirreled away time for a Bucs practice.
* Baker Mayfield on the first play of 11-on-11 hits Mike Evans on what looked like a slant, but it was a flat slant. Zyon McCollum tried to jump the route and he whiffed and Evans took the slant a good distance.
* High snap and Mayfield fields it but it still blew up the play as it was whistled dead.
* Sterling Shepard takes a short pass from Kyle Trask over the middle. After watching eight practices Joe is convinced of one thing: If practicing with the second team, Shepard is Trask’s favorite target.
* Trask steps up in the pocket and hits Ryan Miller in a crowd.
* Mayfield tries to connect with Cade Otton down the left sideline and the pass is way over his head.
* Rachaad White takes a handoff, tries going up the middle but is met with a season of bodies. He quickly bounces and gets a nice gain out of it. Where was that last year?
* Bucky Irving is wide-ass open on the right side and Mayfield takes advantage.
* Irving runs to the right but there’s nothing there.
* Jalen McMillan catches a Mayfield pass over the middle.
* Rakim Jarrett got a boatload of targets today. One was very pretty. Trask threaded a needle and connected with Jarrett down the left seam for a big gain.
* Trask pumped… pumped… pumped… and sees that Jarrett got behind the defense. Trask hits Jarrett down the right side for six.
* UDFA D.J. Williams (Arizona/Florida State) slams up the gut and maybe got two yards.
* Chris Braswell came in fairly clean and rushed Trask into an incompletion. The past three practices Braswell is starting to show up. Before the Tuesday night practice he was pretty invisible. Things must be starting to click for him.
* Otton hauls in a Mayfield pass short and to the left.
* Payne Durham brings in a Mayfield pass down the right seam.
* Durham the past week is getting more and more snaps with the first team. Just based on how many snaps he’s getting with the first team, Joe is going to guess that Durham breaks camp as the No. 2 tight end.
* Mayfield tries again for Durham and the pass is off Durham’s hands. Mayfield may have been rushed as Tykee Smith was bringing the heat.
* Mayfield hands off to Irving and after a second of indecision, Irving is tackled a step ahead of where the handoff took place. Not sure if Mayfield and Irving were on different pages or the defense confused Irving or what. The result was just ugly. Maybe a four-yard loss.
* Run Kyle, Run! Trask pumps twice and has second thoughts. He pulls the ball down and motors for 15 yards up the middle.
* Trask fake a handoff and flips the ball short to Shepard. Bryce Hall had good coverage, too.
* Pretty: Mayfield throws to Otton along the right sideline and hits the third-year tight end right between the two eights on Otton’s jersey. And this despite Otton being sandwiched by a pair of Bucs defenders.
* McMillan goes low to dig up a Mayfield offering near the left sideline.
* Mayfield tries to connect with Durham on the right sideline but couldn’t make it happen. Jose Ramirez brought serious pressure.
* Veteran free agent corner Vi Jones picks off John Wolford and houses it down the left sideline for a pick-six.
* As Joe stated earlier this morning, the way Wolford has practiced lately, Joe isn’t sure he’s going to make it past cutdown day Aug. 27. Right now the way he is practicing, he reminds Joe of former Colorado quarterback and Bucs camp meat signal caller Sefo Liufau.
Red zone
* Durham catches a pass from Mayfield on the right side for a touchdown.
* White up the middle for a score.
* Trask rolls right, pumps and decides to keep it.
* Williams up the middle for a score.
* Christian Izien blitzes and forces Trask to throw an incompletion.
* Mayfield finds Godwin over the middle. Godwin twists away from Izien (who had good coverage) and scores.
* Mayfield throws too high for Godwin along the right sideline.
11-on-11
* Durham catches a pass from Mayfield short left.
* Trey Palmer catches a short Mayfield pass on the right side.
* Mayfield rolls right, pumps three times, just long enough for Otton to get open and they make the connection on a short pass to the right.
* Trask completes a pass to his favorite target Shepard on the left side.
* UDFA outside linebacker Daniel Grzesiak (Cincinnati) chases Trask out of the pocket and the play is blown dead.
* McMillan hauls in a Mayfield pass over the middle. Tyrek Funderburk had good coverage.
* Chris Godwin catches a Mayfield pass where he broke away from Izien — who blanketed Godwin — with a spinning move down the right season. Izien jerked his head back in frustration. Sometimes, you just have to tip your cap to a baller making baller plays.
* Mayfield throws a rainbow pass to Godwin down the left sideline.
* White dances away from a defender and runs up the middle for a short gain. See!
* Godwin again takes a pass from Mayfield down the left seam.
* Mayfield pitches to Irving running left and rumbles for a huge gain down the left sideline.
* Get your drug test out: Mayfield throws down the middle (looked like maybe for Ryan Miller but Joe couldn’t make out the number) but Mayfield’s pass was about eight yards short. And there was Dean to grab and pass and house it down the left sideline.
* Trask goes deep to Jarrett down the middle. Jarrett reacted as if he thought he was going to be hit. He sort of hunched over after he caught the ball. Jarrett still makes a beeline for the goal line.
* Sean Tucker tries to barrel up the middle but there’s nothing there.
* Trask throws to the right sideline but no one is home.
* UDFA receiver Latreal Jones (Southern Miss) makes an unreal grab of a Wolford offering. Jones had to sky high at the right sideline and fully extended straight up to grab the ball and come down with both feet inbounds.
* Mayfield throws a screen pass to White on the right side for a good gain.
* Mayfield to Palmer to the left side.
* Mayfield tried to get a pass to McMillan down the left sideline but it was broken up by UDFA corner Rashad Wisdom (Texas-San Antonio), who celebrated after the play. To Joe, it appeared Wisdom got away with a very unwise interference.
Two-minute offense
* Trask to Jarrett down the left sideline.
* Trask passes to Tucker deep over the middle.
* Trask to Devin Culp over the middle who was wide-ass open.
* Trask throws deep to the back end of the end zone near the goal post but there wasn’t a red (offense) jersey in the same neighborhood. Izien was the closest player to where the ball was aimed for.
* Trask tries to connect with David Wells but the pass was wide and outside.
August 2nd, 2024 at 12:49 pm
Jose is in midseason form with the practice notes. Amazing that I get to read them 90 miles away. Thanks again Jose.
August 2nd, 2024 at 12:56 pm
“Mayfield throws a rainbow pass to Godwin down the left sideline.”
Calling Rod Munch! Calling Rod Munch!
August 2nd, 2024 at 12:58 pm
Wolford is really sucking wind and Trask is fire what say you Dave Pear?
August 2nd, 2024 at 1:09 pm
Nice! Seem like Trask is threading the needle and running more.
Good to see Shepard being consistent
August 2nd, 2024 at 1:11 pm
Love these articles.
McMillan, Tucker, Bucky, Payne … a lot of new playmakers this year. Gonna be tough to defend us.
August 2nd, 2024 at 1:14 pm
I don’t know how we can keep him but anyone who thinks we should cut or trade Godwin has their head in the sand.
August 2nd, 2024 at 1:15 pm
You don’t want him running on designed rollouts. Trust Joe on this. Ever see a horse run on a bum leg?
August 2nd, 2024 at 1:27 pm
I can’t wait to see Trask in the preseason.
August 2nd, 2024 at 1:35 pm
Just wondering from Joe’s perspective, after 8 Days of camp which is he more concerned about the Offense or the Defense?
August 2nd, 2024 at 1:49 pm
I’d like to see the Bucs get ahead of an opponent by 3 or 4 TD’s in the 4th quarter of a regular season game so we can see some Trask. They need to get him some playing time in the regular season. I’d hate to see a situation where he’s needed in the playoffs and comes in with his experience of 10 passes thrown during his career.
I’d love to see him stay in Tampa in 2025 and beyond because I believe he could come in and win some games for us if needed. But he may want an opportunity to compete for a starting job. If so then this will be his final season here in Tampa.
August 2nd, 2024 at 1:59 pm
Mayfield better stay healthy. Trask’s nickname is Wally Pip.
August 2nd, 2024 at 2:00 pm
Thanks, Joe. I guess no injuries today. HOORAY!
Did Dean learn to catch? Inquiring minds wanna know.
August 2nd, 2024 at 2:01 pm
Hey Joe, are Baker and Trask both playing against the first team defense in 11-on-11, or is it first against first and second
team against second team? Just curious.
August 2nd, 2024 at 2:22 pm
I am really glad that we are finally seeing Trask play. At least we all have some material with which to gauge our opinions, now.
August 2nd, 2024 at 2:40 pm
Great to see a screen called. Our RB screens were great last year and we need to keep running them.
Hey Joe, are the refs still out there? I hope so: “To Joe, it appeared Wisdom got away with a very unwise interference.”
August 2nd, 2024 at 2:54 pm
BucsFanSince1996 Says: “I’d like to see the Bucs get ahead of an opponent by 3 or 4 TD’s in the 4th quarter of a regular season game so we can see some Trask.”
That would likely be meaningless as you can take it to the bank that in that situation the Bucs will have Trask playing with all backups. How do you think Tampa Bay came to be known as the “Quarterback Development Capital of the World”?
August 2nd, 2024 at 3:00 pm
First vs. first more often than not.
August 2nd, 2024 at 3:41 pm
Hoping Trask has a great camp. We will need 2 QBs. Why can’t many on here root for both guys?
August 2nd, 2024 at 3:44 pm
Can you state which center is doing the bad snapping. Hainsey ain’t that good at it but we need Barton to be better
August 2nd, 2024 at 4:20 pm
my favorite thing you do. who’s looking like our third string quarterback then?
August 2nd, 2024 at 4:54 pm
Thank you for the detailed notes! It sounds all really good including the crowd. Read the other post about Todd Bowles stating there was more energy but a lot of mistakes. Sounds like the coaches are watching and taking many mental notes.
August 2nd, 2024 at 6:38 pm
Another great write-up Joe, always appreciated.
August 2nd, 2024 at 6:40 pm
Capt Jimbo Neal Says:
“Mayfield throws a rainbow pass to Godwin down the left sideline.”
Calling Rod Munch! Calling Rod Munch!
——-
“Mayfield throws down the middle … but Mayfield’s pass was about eight yards short.”
Notice the word ‘short’ when talking about Mayfield… it’s not a coincidence.
August 2nd, 2024 at 6:44 pm
Hey Joe, if you happen to see this, how is Durham looking, speed and quickness wise, does he look able to get open if covered, or just getting catches vs zone? I thought he looked better at the end of last year, so wondering if he has further progressed – if anything stood out.
August 2nd, 2024 at 7:48 pm
Jeffrey Becker: “who’s looking like our third string quarterback then?”
Joe: “As Joe stated earlier this morning, the way Wolford has practiced lately, Joe isn’t sure he’s going to make it past cutdown day Aug. 27. Right now the way he is practicing, he reminds Joe of former Colorado quarterback and Bucs camp meat signal caller Sefo Liufau.”
August 2nd, 2024 at 10:00 pm
Not sure that guy is currently on the roster.
August 2nd, 2024 at 10:02 pm
Difficult question. The defense is playing better than Joe expected. The offense seems promising. Maybe the defense? Not by much though.
August 2nd, 2024 at 10:03 pm
Barton is your first-team center.
August 2nd, 2024 at 10:06 pm
He’s slimmed down. Not as plodding as he was last year, but he’s not quick either. He’s getting a lot of targets with the first team.
Just by the number of snaps/targets with the first team, Otton is your starting tight end. That’s not up for debate. Durham is No. 2. Have seen Culp get a few snaps/targets with first team (not many).
August 2nd, 2024 at 10:28 pm
Thanks Joe! Not much mention of Calijah Kancey so far this camp. Seems like he hasn’t stood out much. How is he looking in pads against the oline?
August 2nd, 2024 at 10:46 pm
Unfortunately Joe can’t focus on one player because he then misses the whole play (don’t have access to DVR rewind or instant replay at practice — once a play is done it is done). So, sadly, Joe has to follow the ball. Joe isn’t one bit worried about Kancey and Joe doesn’t know anyone else that is worried about Kancey. He’ll be fine. Probably more than “fine.” 🙂
The fact you aren’t hearing a lot about Kancey should be a good sign. Because that means Graham Barton isn’t getting abused.
August 2nd, 2024 at 11:16 pm
Thank God. Ya Ya will be back week 1. Sounds like the offense is doing well. Trask seems to be holding the #2 spot. Really hope yo see him a lot this pre-season. He needs to show other teams he is capable. Bake sounds like he is still ballen. Go Bucs
August 3rd, 2024 at 9:27 am
Glad to see Durham getting more involved. Could be a great red zone threat for the Bucs. Also hoping Braswell shows out in preseason as he seems best suited to be a future starter for the Bucs much as Diaby last season, but they waited far too long to get Diaby playing time, so hopefully they won’t make that mistake with Braswell (he has to earn it of course).
August 3rd, 2024 at 7:39 pm
Joe Says:
He’s slimmed down. Not as plodding as he was last year, but he’s not quick either. He’s getting a lot of targets with the first team.
———
Thanks for the feedback Joe. That’s great to hear. I wasn’t a big fan of Durham coming out of college, his last year, he looks so sluggish and lumbering, but looked better by the end of last season. Glad to hear he’s further worked on it. But yeah, I’m more worried about if he can be a legit #2, unless he can suddenly pull an extra gear out of his rear.