Training Camp Notes & Nuggets — Day 3
July 26th, 2024
Big Day 3 for backup quarterback Kyle Trask. That and more in Joe’s on-field practice notes.
Patrolling the fields of One Buc Palace today has yielded Joe’s almost world famous practice notes. Day 3 of training camp is in the books. Remember, it’s not real football yet. Players are not in pads and are not hitting each other. Think flag football with millions of dollars in salary on the line.
*Cloud cover to start practice for the second consecutive day. And it lasted all morning! Lucky times for the players – and for Joe.
*Day off for Mike Evans. He’s fine. Just a veterans day of rest. Lots of smiling by Evans on the sidelines as he stayed engaged in everything on the field.
*Bucs co-owner Joel Glazer is in attendance on the sidelines.
*Running back Chase Edmonds is still out with an undisclosed injury.
*WHAT A DAY FOR KYLE TRASK! It may have been the best practice of his career. More on that below.
*Tanner Knue, undrafted rookie receiver out of Eastern Michigan, drops a punt in warmups. Painful moment for a guy with just about no shot to make the roster.
*11-on-11 begins with Baker Mayfield incomplete. No threat of a pick.
*Meaningless misdirection run from Rachaad White. No hitting permitted in camp until Monday.
*Deep & Double Trouble – Mayfield incomplete deep right to Trey Palmer with Christian Izien in coverage. Trey Palmer looked like he misjudged the deep ball and it bounces about 15 yards ahead of him. Mayfield follows up incomplete on a deep ball down the right seam to Jalen McMillan against Izien. McMillan appeared to pull up on the route. Izien coverage was solid on the busted plays.
*Kyle Trask complete short left to rookie running back Bucky Irving.
*Trask to receiver Raleigh Webb for a short gain.
*Play-action from Trask. Pass complete to veteran receiver Sterling Shepard, who had a strong day.
*Interception! John Wolford over the middle is picked by undrafted rookie Antonio Grier, Jr.
*Starting linebacker K.J. Britt is still on the field with 3rd team for some reason and makes a tackle for loss on a wide handoff.
*Mayfield with a 15-yard strike to McMillan for 15 yards. Lotta zip on that ball.
*Mayfield to Miller in traffic, near pick by Tyrek Funderburk, an undrafted rookie cornerback out of Appalachian State.
*Incomplete to Miller, appeared to hit his hands. A laser over the middle from Mayfield.
*Mayfield checkdown to Bucky Irving, who was crossing the field. Quickness on display by the rookie. LOTS of separation from the linebacker in coverage.
*Trask is back. Complete to Johnson short.
*Trask changes play. Reads the defense well. Moves to shotgun for a quick 10 yard throw left to Miller.
*Trask rollout right is complete short to Johnson.
*Wolford over the middle to Johnson in traffic. However, the play would have been blown up by the defender if hitting were allowed. Typical underwear football moment.
*Wolford play-action. He steps up and hits undrafted rookie Latreal Jones in the chest over the middle for 15 yards.
*Mayfield incomplete deep right to Rachaad White.
*Mayfield strike over the middle to Chris Godwin at the goal line in red zone work. Low fastball only where Godwin could get it.
*Trask to Sterling Shepard on a crossing route into the end zone from 10 yards out. Touchdown!
*Another touchdown! Trask to tight end Payne Durham. Easy TD. No defense near Durham.
*Trask to Shepard in double coverage 20 yards over the middle in the back of the end zone. Touchdown! Shepard is barely 5-10 and somehow came up with the ball sandwiched between two defenders. Three TDs in a row by Trask!
*Trask complete for 10 yards to undrafted rookie RB D.J. Williams out of Florida State. He’s a guy with a little juice to his game so far.
*Wolford to rookie seventh-round pick Devin Culp for 12 yards in red zone work. Culp celebrates what he thought was a touchdown by flinging the ball straight up in the air.
*Gear check! Veteran defensive tackle Greg Gaines is wearing tan shorts for some reason while most players in football pants. He also had a dark color shirt under his half-pulled-up white Bucs jersey. Looked like he just came back from a fishing trip and jumped on the field.
7-on-7 begins
*Mayfield complete Cade Otton.
*Mayfield deep to Palmer in double coverage. Incomplete. Jamel Dean could have made a lay out attempt for a pick but didn’t and the ball was overthrown (or Palmer didn’t turn up the jets) Hey, it’s July.
*Trask incomplete to Culp.
*Trask dumpoff to Ryan Miller.
*DROP! Shepard can’t handle an easy 12-yard pass from Trask.
*Trask complete to rookie Cameron Johnson, who skies for a 10-yard pass.
*Interception! Keenan Isaac picks Wolford.
*Tavierre Thomas picks Wolford on the very next play, Wolford gave up on the play after pick, turned his back toward coaches behind him but then seemed to realize play was live and chased Thomas.
*Mayfield – Nothing open downfield. Hits Godwin in flat.
*Palmer jumps off sides. C’mon, man!
*Winfield blitz. Incomplete deep ball from Mayfield. Winfield was in there lightning-fast, his second blitz of the day.
*Trask to Ryan Miller. Diving catch! Diving catch
*Trask to Shepard in right flat.
*Trask to Latreal Jones over middle the middle. A strike from Trask.
11-on-11 returns
*Hurry-up offense.
*Mayfield strike to Godwin short for a first down.
*Strike to Godwin left sideline for 7 yards.
*Joe Tryon-Shoyinka rushing off right edge bats down Mayfield pass. Appeared to be unblocked.
*Mayfield to Otton for diving catch for 6 yards in front of Jamel Dean.
*Incomplete on left sideline to McMillan, who was double covered. Might have been a throwaway.
*YaYa breaks through left tackle and left guard and pulls up his rush, as is customary. Next play? YaYa beats Justin Skule at left tackle. Blows up play. Flag thrown on Skule.
*Mayfield incomplete over middle to Godwin deep. Couple of inches too high.
*Rookie second-round pick Chris Braswell would have hit Mayfield. Play blown dead.
*To end his work for the day, Mayfield throws up a jump ball in end zone for no apparent reason from the 50 yard line. Joe says terrible pass when it leaves his hand. Picked off by Jordan Whitehead.
*Knue drops another ball, this time a pass from Wolford right before camp closes. Poor kid.
July 26th, 2024 at 11:56 am
Thank you very much for the notes, Joe. We really appreciate them
July 26th, 2024 at 12:04 pm
Joe! What happens if Trask continues to play like this?
July 26th, 2024 at 12:21 pm
Seems Shepard has a drop everyday. Good work Joe!
July 26th, 2024 at 12:36 pm
@Joe how does DeLoach look so far? The undrafted LB from FSU.
July 26th, 2024 at 12:41 pm
Haven’t noticed him.
July 26th, 2024 at 12:49 pm
Fantastic notes Joe, although some are worrisome. What I took away …
1 – Trask sounds like he rebounded; good to hear that he’s getting it together (we may need a backup this year).
2 – Rookie RB DJ Williams just might win the #4 RB spot (I’m pulling for him; we need a beastly RB).
3 – Sounded like the Bucs’ defense had their way with the Bucs’ offense most of the day.
4 – Mayfield threw deep 7 times; all Incomplete & 1 picked.
5 – Wolford threw 3 picks on the day (not a good look).
July 26th, 2024 at 12:51 pm
BTW, also pulling for rookie Funderburk to win a CB spot (sounded earlier like Todd Bowles is impressed with the kid).
July 26th, 2024 at 12:51 pm
Yippee 👏 👏👏
July 26th, 2024 at 1:15 pm
@ DR
“Mayfield threw deep 7 times; all Incomplete & 1 picked.”
Well – at least he is consistent… lol.
July 26th, 2024 at 1:21 pm
Trask did the same thing last year: One bad practice followed by a good one.
YAYA, BRASWELL, and JTS all making noise. Good signs.
July 26th, 2024 at 1:23 pm
joe…. chumming for the Trask Cult today, all the Uncle Rico types.
July 26th, 2024 at 1:46 pm
I’m excited about the McMillan/Irving addition to the offense….and it sounds like Shepard gives us some solid veteran help.
Thanks, Joe…..You made me feel like I was there….
July 26th, 2024 at 1:55 pm
Good notes this week. Thanks for posting Joe. Appreciate it. I think it’s great Trask played well today. As a team we should be cheering to have 2 strong QBs on the roster.
July 26th, 2024 at 2:07 pm
With each practice work that players have done in the off season will become more apparent as Football gets closer to being played in real time.
Meaningless Preseason football will be very important to Trask and his future. Can’t count on any real playing time in the season due to an injury so he has to put as much good play on film when he gets a chance.
Andy Dalton’s Contract is up this season and if Bryce Young struggles Trask might find himself in Carolina and competing against Mayfield again in 2025.
July 26th, 2024 at 2:19 pm
Thanks as always Joe.
Sounds like the D-line / OLBs were getting some pressure, and that Mayfield was missing his security blanket out there (Evans).
July 26th, 2024 at 2:26 pm
Sounds like we need to get Wirfs contract done fast or we’ll need more QBs.
July 26th, 2024 at 2:47 pm
@AtlBuc asked….
“Joe! What happens if Trask continues to play like this?”
I’ll answer that.
He solidifies his status as #2.
You (and the other Baker haters) root even harder AGAINST our starting QB.
July 26th, 2024 at 3:04 pm
Smart notes, Joe. No BS.
July 26th, 2024 at 3:10 pm
Once again awesome coverage, thanks Joe!
If Sterling Shepard is healthy, he would be a huge plus for the Bucs since he should be a solid #3. So if McMillan is also a solid #3 – that means you got some a position mismatch at #4 WR with either guy. Just remember how well Adam Humphries did as a #4 WR when he was weapon (and as a #3 WR he was fine, but at #4 he could really take advantage of backup corners, safeties and LBs who were tasked with covering him).
July 26th, 2024 at 3:10 pm
Reads like Mayfield gets the starters and Trask and Wolford get the backups and dregs. Is that correct?
July 26th, 2024 at 3:11 pm
Feel like we need the “it’s practice so they are trying to force things and shake off rust”
July 26th, 2024 at 3:59 pm
Jack Burton^ why wouldn’t the starting QB practice with the 1st string offense?
July 26th, 2024 at 5:12 pm
Man God forbid but I see now if Baker does get hurt and Kyle Trask is starting y’all will hope we lose every game and Trask plays bad . A lot of y’all on here are fans of players more than the bucs. I’ve said it before if anyone on here hope Baker plays bad is not a real bucs fan. And I will say the same thing about Kyle Trask if y’all rejoice when he plays bad you ain’t a real bucs fan. Now I’m to the bucs fans not you fake band wagon Baker fans you guys are the worst fans in sports to me .
July 26th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
I can say I’m a Mahomes fan and go on their page and pretend to be a Chiefs fan.
July 26th, 2024 at 5:16 pm
So I haven’t seen any Baker Haters on this thread yet….. So what exactly are you talking about GG? Haven’t actually seen any hate thrown in Baker’s direction. Does calling Baker an average QB make them a hater? I’m just curious
July 26th, 2024 at 5:16 pm
Thank you so much Joe! Good for Evans being able to take a rest and still enjoy the camp.
Wow to Trask. Sounds good! Kudos to Winfield, Whitehead, and others too!
July 26th, 2024 at 5:19 pm
Since I’m here…. Wanna bring up Trask before Davie Pearless does…. Looks like Trask threw Davies pear out there today!
July 26th, 2024 at 5:20 pm
We drafted Trask. Mayfield is a hired gun. They are both Buccaneers. I don’t believe the “competition” last year was legitimate, but I don’t root against Mayfield. He’s not the enemy, and neither is Trask. I don’t understand “fans” who go out of their way to disrespect either player. They are both our guys. We should encourage them equally.
July 26th, 2024 at 6:38 pm
1sparkybuc gets it!
July 26th, 2024 at 7:08 pm
You want to see everyone play well because anyone is one play away from injury. I’ve seen peeps talking about Godwin being gone next year or trading him if McMillan does well. Why would you do that? These guys work hard to put the best players on the team so they can succeed, and Chris is one of those guys, hope he’s a Buc for life, too good to let go. Unless you get a haul…
July 26th, 2024 at 7:45 pm
I love JMac and believe he will be wr2 in the near future for the Bucs. But people are already talking about He and Palmer being WR3a and WR3b this year without even considering Strerling Shepard. This is the first year since his injuries that he is fully healthy. Much like Godwin it takes 18 months to get the burst back. The guy is only 6 months older than Evans. I don’t hear too many people counting out Evans this year because of his age. I’m not saying he’s for sure going to be our WR3 but I think it’s a mistake to count him out. As much as the Bucs deal with injuries at WR having depth could be huge.
July 27th, 2024 at 8:21 am
Wolford looking like his career stat line of 5 INTs to 1TD.
July 27th, 2024 at 11:53 am
I support Mayfield, Trask and Wolford because they are Bucs. That said, I love Baker for his leadership and moxie.
Go Bucs!