Chris Braswell Gradually Coming Along
August 8th, 2024
Bucs OLB Chris Braswell.
Here is about the best thing Joe can say about a rookie who is not Tristan Wirfs or Antoine Winfield.
Chris Braswell is getting a little bit better each day in practice.
Wirfs was borderline dominant as a rookie right off the bat. Winfield was really good, too. Those two guys are exceptions.
Joe generally gives rookies a pass. They play like rookies because they are rookies. They may be inconsistent. They may not show up early in their first season.
Because they are rookies. Rookies play like rookies because they are rookies.
Early in training, Joe was asked why Bucs second-round pick Chris Braswell wasn’t being metioned much in his daily practice notes. It’s because, like all players, they have to do something to get mentioned. If they don’t make a play, if they don’t flash, or they just exist, it’s hard to type about them.
“(Player-X) stood on the field today in 11-on-11 drills and sometimes ran.”
Not very compelling or informative, is it?
Joe dismissed Braswell’s early invisibility as a rookie adjusting to the NFL. Then, at the night practice to end the second three-day session of practices, Joe began to notice Braswell making a difference with his pass-rushing skills.
Since, Joe has noticed Braswell a bit more and more. Today, Joe saw Braswell make a key interception.
Baker Mayfield dropped back and tried to hit Cade Otton down the right seam, maybe 15 yards downfield. But there was Braswell in perfect position with inside leverage on Otton.
“I think each and every week I am getting better with the detail and the technique,” Braswell told Joe after practice today. “Also, I’m locking in on the plays.”
Of course, Braswell will get a chance to take another step or two forward Saturday night as Todd Bowles said all rookies will play in the first worthless preseason game at Cincinnati.
Joe isn’t the least bit worried about Braswell. In fact, Joe is encouraged by his steady, gradual progress. If, by his second season, he’s not making plays, then yeah, there’s a reason to be concerned.
But rookies play like rookies because — all together now — they are rookies.
August 8th, 2024 at 12:04 pm
You keep using that word “worthless”. I do not think it means what you think it means.
August 8th, 2024 at 12:06 pm
The rookie point is spot on.
But the “preseason is worthless” thing is just silly. It’s valuable for exactly the reason Todd spoke to, when as head coach of the Bucs, he referenced value in the games. What would the head coach know about the value of a preseason game?
August 8th, 2024 at 12:18 pm
If preseason games are worthless shouldn’t Braswell be sitting with the vets to avoid injury? The projected 53 shouldn’t see any action until Washington
August 8th, 2024 at 12:57 pm
I think “worthless preseason games” is just a Joeism. Kinda like Slimy Saints or Stinkin’ Panthers.
August 8th, 2024 at 1:04 pm
Joe … “(Player-X) stood on the field today in 11-on-11 drills and sometimes ran.”
LMAO. When I read that, I was certain that Dave Pear would use it as a springboard for a JTS or Logan Hall slap. But noooo … Dave by-passed that altogether in favor of chastising you Joe. A golden opportunity down the drain (no way anyone’s gonna change your mind on the value of preseason games Joe).
More to the point though, it’s heartening to hear that Chris Braswell is steadily improving. Doesn’t matter how good he was at Bama playing for Nick Saban; Todd Bowles defense is a whole nuther animal. I’m still anticipating though that Braswell will get significant reps starting early in the season, and be a full-time starter by mid-season at the latest. Chris and Ya Ya are gonna be a handful.
August 8th, 2024 at 1:07 pm
In fact…10,000 years from now…when the game is played with rocket packs…Joe(s) the 199th will still be calling them worthless preseason games. LOL
August 8th, 2024 at 1:25 pm
@Joe – do you have any intel on why Calijah Kancey was held out of practice today?
August 8th, 2024 at 1:27 pm
But Joes write like JOes because — all together now — they are Joes.
Seriously tho,
Bazwell will be fine, in time
August 8th, 2024 at 2:25 pm
Haven’t heard anything.
August 8th, 2024 at 2:27 pm
Joe is very, very confident that the NFL will survive if not thrive without worthless preseason games.
Besides, the last time the Bucs won a Super Bowl, they didn’t play in one of those debacles.
August 8th, 2024 at 2:49 pm
The preseason games are worthless to the veterans. To the guys trying to make it in the NFL, to the rookies lke Braswell, it isn’t worthless. To the guys selling hotdogs, it’s worth something. You can’t have a 20 game season, but you can have some summer fun watching your team colors for three throw away games. It is what it is, makes money, then it makes sense. That has to be worth something, right?
August 8th, 2024 at 3:02 pm
‘Worthless’ …they don’t count towards season standings. And they have little value for established veterans. For rookies and players on the bubble, it’s a chance to get reps, make a few plays, and get noticed by the coaches during game-time.
For the owners, who pay pre-season wages and charge full price for tickets, it’s highly profitable… therefore, not worthless.
August 8th, 2024 at 3:02 pm
DefR – tempting idea about the male cosmetics guy and the Oaf. But, nooo.
Todd sees value in the preseason games and has said so. If they were eliminated completely, there would need to be another way to get a look at rookies and depth chart guys without them. A way would be found as it was in 2020, but as long as the league keeps them, a head coach would be silly to not take advantage in the best way he sees fit.
Enough on the worthlessness discussion.
August 8th, 2024 at 3:13 pm
As I’ve said before and as others have posted here, preseason games are not worthless. They just don’t count.
August 8th, 2024 at 3:26 pm
About time Braswell did SOMETHING in camp. I’ll be watching him closely Sat night.
August 8th, 2024 at 3:48 pm
BucU Says:
About time Braswell did SOMETHING in camp.
^^^^^^
Braswell has had multiple sacks in camp. He’s even beat Goedeke a few times. Goedeke’s a solid RT.
Today, Braz had an INT. He also forced Baker out of the pocket and blocked a pass. Joe’s reports are the best online accounts of practice, but he can’t see the entire field on every play. You can read other reports on camp to get a few additional tidbits. Braswell is developing faster than Yaya did a year ago. Good things ahead.
August 8th, 2024 at 3:52 pm
Not worthless to the owners. Making the pass holders by worthless tickets to the worthless preseason games. It makes them money. Players and coaches get more out of scrimmaging with other teams. Owners not so much. It’s a profit/greed thing. Go BUCS!
August 8th, 2024 at 4:13 pm
Saturday can’t come fast enough! Come on Braswell make some plays!! LFG
August 8th, 2024 at 4:43 pm
Joe is no rookie. He is certainly a vet after 16 years of mastering his “joes” craft.
Joe gives us material to read with golden nuggets to keep the comments going.
I have to say the nuggets are not worthless.
Joe is an old pro now.
Thank you Joe. You even got me commenting.
Go Bucs!!!!
August 8th, 2024 at 5:20 pm
Only Joe is being fully sincere. When coaches consider joint practices more productive than those worthless preseason games — and if they don’t count, them what the hell are we talking about? — what is Joe supposed to say, teams will crumble without them?
When the Bucs lifted the Lombardi Trophy amid confetti on that February Sunday night in Tampa, did you know anyone that believed the season was incomplete because they didn’t have a preseason game? After the Bucs beat the slimy Saints in the playoffs, did you hear or know of one person that said, “Damnit, if we only had preseason games… ”
The NFL is the only level of football that has these worthless things. If they weren’t worthless, you’d have college and high school coaches screaming to have preseason games. Ever hear Nick Saban when he was at LSU or Alabama bellyache because there were no preseason games in college?
And the year the NFL didn’t have them, the NFL did just fine. Did any franchise fold in 2020? Did any franchise collapse in 2020? Did the league disband? Of course not.
No. Preseason games are worthless. Sorry if so many have been duped by the NFL hype machine.
August 8th, 2024 at 5:41 pm
For those new here, chastising Joe for saying worthless, which I also think is kind of silly, only emboldens Joe. I got exasperated with the constant mention of underwear football. When it’s clear that they are wearing shorts over their underwear. That’s like calling tennis underwear tennis. But I digress.
August 8th, 2024 at 5:52 pm
We’ll never know how many good players got away with out the 2020 preseason.
August 8th, 2024 at 5:55 pm
I tend to agree with Joe about the worthlessness of pre season games.
But Joe gets it. It’s not worthless to the NFL OWNERS who rake in big bucks for a glorified practice game that frequently doesn’t show as much as the closed practices with other teams.
What I don’t get however is “football shape”. WTF does that even mean. Getting over football “nerves”, getting used to working out and running in pads?
Assuming in today’s league with billions motivating everybody players come to camp in good physical shape. Perhaps they need to rework their muscle memory?
But HITTING does not create a SAFER environment for the players later on in the season. It may help with technique.
But no ligament ever grew stronger from getting hit repeatedly. And no brain cell ever regrew once it got destroyed by a hit. Sadly we all focus on the big blows but research shows the CTE is caused as much or more by repeated hits to the head not just a big play where a guy gets destroyed.
Play the freaking game. The fake games are unneccessary.
August 8th, 2024 at 5:58 pm
Raheem Morris sarcastically called it underwear football once, in part, because it’s not real football. Joe liked the term and began using it and will continue to do so.
August 8th, 2024 at 6:06 pm
Pirate,
Thanks for the info on Braswell, hope he tears it up!
Kancy and YaYa should break out too. Maybe JTS and the other dog will take notice.
August 8th, 2024 at 6:14 pm
Joe –
“Ever hear Nick Saban when he was at LSU or Alabama bellyache because there were no preseason games in college?”
^^^^^
That argument doesn’t really work. Bama typically plays “cupcake” games to start every season. It’s the same thing as a scrimmage but with a fictitious W to pad their record by EOY.
Bama 2024
Game 1: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Bama 2023
Game 1: Middle Tennessee
Bama 2022
Game 1: Utah State
I think these are vocational schools with intermural football.
August 8th, 2024 at 6:44 pm
To each their own. GM’s building rosters and young guys trying to make their NFL dreams come true would not agree with worthless. Also, there are diehard fans who just want to get a glimpse of their team even if it is just preseason. Being free to have your own opinion is what makes this Country great!
August 8th, 2024 at 9:59 pm
Sure it does. More often than not — with Nick Saban’s full blessing — Bama opened their seasons under Saban with teams that were bowl teams the year prior. They may not have been powerhouses but they all were not directional schools.
August 9th, 2024 at 12:38 am
I dunno… in the same way that underwear football isn’t the same as when the pads come on, the same can be said of playing in practices vs playing in live games. It’s gotta help in the evaluation of those guys fighting for the last few roster spots.
Maybe joint practices / scrimmages are better… but those aren’t required and I remember plenty of offseasons where we never had any, or maybe just one.
August 9th, 2024 at 2:00 am
@Joe,
There are a lot of fringe guys who don’t practice well but make plays in game. I’m sure the preseason is not worthless to them or the Bucs when deciding who to cut. Even if some of these guys are going against 3rd and 4th string guys, it still helps trim the roster down to 53 and builds the depth chart.
August 9th, 2024 at 3:46 am
“Besides, the last time the Bucs won a Super Bowl, they didn’t play in one of those debacles.”
And 31 other teams also did not play preseason games…and did not win a Super Bowl.
August 9th, 2024 at 8:15 am
Let’s see someone come up with an even better idea on how to evaluate new players. I’m waiting….
August 9th, 2024 at 8:46 am
I guarantee you that guys like Judge Culpepper are very happy to play in these meaningless contests! Very narrow view.
Go Bucs!
August 9th, 2024 at 6:27 pm
To the teams regular season totals their “meaningless”, to the guys trying to make this team or shine enough to get picked up by another team, and not end up as U.P.S drivers and make life changing money for them and their families, they are invaluable