Bucs-Jaguars Joint Practice Notes & Nuggets

August 14th, 2024

Joe’s not-so-world-famous notes from Bucs practice in Jacksonville against the Jaguars today. Proceed carefully if you are allergic to dropped passes. If you’re looking for turnovers and wow plays, this wasn’t a day for you.

*Undrafted Jags rookie receiver Joseph Scates seeks out Baker Mayfield before practice for a hug and a kind word. No, Scates didn’t go to Oklahoma. He played college ball at Memphis.

Jaguars coaching intern Donald Penn, the ex-Bucs left tackle.

*Donald Penn is a summer coaching intern for the Jaguars and Joe talked to Penn, the former Bucs Pro Bowl left tackle. He’s coaching high school ball in California and has plans for a college coaching internship soon. Penn still does fill-in work as a co-host for SiriusXM NFL Radio.

*The Bucs didn’t have their typical warmup (see busgate) and nothing stands out in warmups to Joe other than tight end Payne Durham looks slow off the line in drills.

*Time for 11-on-11 work. Action on two fields simutaneously: the Bucs offense versus the Jags defense and the Tampa Bay offense against the Jacksonville defense.

*With injuries to YaYa Diaby and Calijah Kancey, the Bucs’ starting defensive front is Logan Hall, Greg Gaines, rookie Chris Braswell and Anthony Nelson. Subs are rolled in quite quickly, including Vita Vea.

*Joe only has two eyes and was focused primiarly on the Bucs’ offense. This period begins with Robert Hainsey starting at center and a short pass to Rachaad White for 2 yards

*Baker Mayfield throws a 7-yard out route complete to Mike Evans.

*White runs up the gut for nothing.

*It’s a 10-yard throw left from Mayfield to Trey Palmer. The pass was either dropped or tipped. Incomplete.

*Mayfield goes through his progressions, finds little and Ko Kieft gets the target and drops the short throw over the middle.

*Here comes rookie Jags receiver Brian Thomas Jr. out of LSU, their first-round draft pick. He beats Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollom for a 15-yard touchdown. The crowd is heard!

*Drop! It’s a well-thrown fade pass from Mayfield to Evans in the back of the end zone. Evans can’t squeeze it. Jags cornerback Tyson Campbell in coverage.

*Drop! Rachaad White can’t handle a low, catchable throw at the 5 yard line. Bucs now in red zone 7-on-7 work.

*Mayfield to Evans in the back of the end zone on the right side. Evans makes the tough catch but can’t get his feet inbounds.

*Kyle Trask throws short to Ryan Miller followed by White. Both are complete.

*Trask throws incomplete to undrafted rookie receiver Kameron Johnson. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen is hot. He screams to Johnson and makes various gestures. The playcaller is not happy.

*Mayfield zips a slant into Evans. Touchdown! No celebration. It’s as if Evans was saying, ‘I’m 1-for-3 in the red zone and that’s not good enough.’

*Touchdown! Mayfield to Jalen McMillan in coverage.

*And one more TD makes it three in a row! Busted coverage by the Jags and Mayfield fires a rocket low to Evans in the corner of the end zone. Tough catch that didn’t have to be so tough. Mayfield likely threw it before he realized the busted coverage.

*Todd Bowles watched the entire offensive session. In fact, he was on the same practice field with the Tampa Bay offense all day. Bowles told Joe that Jags coach Doug Pederson and he decided they would each stay on one field to maintain the peace. It sure worked. Joe’s never seen a joint practice so calm, not even a shove in frustration.

*John Wolford fires a TD to Cody Thompson. The next Wolford pass in red zone work hits the crossbar.

*Mayfield returns and smoothly hits Cade Otton for a 10-yard gain.

*Mayfield holds ball too long after seeing nothing open and goes to White has his fourth option short.

*Deep shot! Mayfield to Bucky Irving down the left sideline is incomplete.

*Joe looks at the Bucs defense and sees Antoine Winfield. Jr. get turned around in coverage. Lots of Jags fans cheering on that field.

*Back to offense, Johnson makes a nice contested catch on a throw from Trask for 10 yards at the sidline.

*Trask hits wide open Miller for 25 yards.

*Joe watches Keenan Isaac, Cody Thompson and Raleigh Webb work as gunners against Jags players in punt coverage work. Webb draws a holding call.

*11-on-11 is back. Rookie center Graham Barton is in with the first team and explodes off the ball while White finds a rushing hole between Barton and Cody Mauch.

*White runs wide right. Not much.

*Irving with a sweet cutback. Remember, no tackling permitted today, so hard to tell what true yards per carry are.

*Mayfield completes short to Palmer.

*Play-action. Mayfield goes deep right for Evans or McMillan. Joe is screened, but whoever was the receiver, he drew a flag. First down.

*Trask connects with Palmer for 10 yards.

*Undrafted rookie D.J. Williams runs wide left for no gain.

*Trask throws incomplete deep.

*Uh, oh. The crowed perks up. It’s a bomb thrown by Trevor Lawrence to Thomas. He’s three yards past McCollum but ball is overthrown.

*Mayfield completes short to Evans.

*White runs left for 1 yard.

*Joe sees a Jags receiver wide open in zone coverage. Another bad throw by Lawrence.

*Mayfield fires his rifle, a rocket short completion to Otton for 4 yards. Quick release.

*Great pass blocking and Mayfield throws deep incomplete to Palmer. Strong throw into double coverage. Palmer jumps and drops.

*Mayfield complete to McMillan on a short crossing route.

*Sean Tucker runs up the gut for no gain.

*Joe sees Bucs cornerback Bryce Hall beaten soundly.

*Diving catch by Tanner Knue from Trask.

*Joe sees Bucs cornerback Josh Hayes beaten in single coverage for a first down.

*Williams runs up the gut for no gain.

*Oh, no. Thomas gets open again, this time on Bucs safety Kaevon Merriweather.

*Bucs pass rush doesn’t look strong.

*Mayfield complete short to Payne Durham.

*Jags complete a 20-yard pass to reciever Elijah Cooks in front of Antoine Winfield. Lotta zone-coverage woes today for Tampa Bay.

*DROP! Mayfield to McMillan over the middle. The rookie has frustration written all over his face.

*Another first-down throw for Lawrence.

*Mayfield silky smooth completion to Chris Godwin for about 20 yards, as Hainsey is back in at center with the first team.

*Back-t0-back nothing handoffs followed by a Wolford overthrow.

*Jags rookie TE Patrick Murtagh finds a soft spot in the Bucs’ zone for a first down.

*David Wells catches a short ball from Mayfield.

*Palmer is the Buccaneers’ No. 1 punt returner followed by Johnson and Tanner Knue. Palmer fields all his opportunities, as does Johnson. Rough time for Knue.

*Incomplete! Mayfied throws behind Godwin and over the middle.

*Incomplete! Mayfield overthrows Evans on a crossing route.

*Left guard Ben Bredeson is making a lot of line calls, it seems.

*First down, Tampa Bay! Mayfield throws right to Godwin and complete.

*Screen play is incomplete. Appears to be a throwaway by Mayfield.

*Mayfield pass to Palmer is broken up but thrown too short.

*Trask comes in and sends the ball in the hands of Knue for a 20-yard gain

*Nice cutback run from Tucker out of trouble for a three-yard gain.

*Trask throws into double coverage complete to Thompson. Trask having a solid day.

*Red zone work resumes with handoffs to McMillan and White followed by a short completion to Otton. No touchdown for Tampa Bay.

*Irving finds/makes his own hole with the second team but it’s close quickly for little gain.

*Tight end Payne Durham gets up slowly and under his own power. See home page; it’s a knee injury.

*Reverse! To McMillan. Not much.

*Evans haules in a dart from Mayfield in the back of the end zone.

*Another handoff to McMillan accomplishes litte.

*Cornerback Tre Flowers covers Evans and it’s a pass breakup at the 1 yard line and Evans wants a holding call that didn’t come.

*Trask throws short to Irving for little gain. Irving comes back on the next snap and has his run stuffed.

*The cheers of Jags fans for what’s been happening on the other field (Bucs defense vs. Jags offense) die down. Joe sees Winfield get through for what would have been a clear sack on Lawrence but no hitting is allowed. That gets a smile from Winfield.

*Back-to-back drops, which are no suprise on this sunny day. First it’s Palmer from Mayfield followed by McMillan from Mayfield. Some visible frustration by the rookie.

*Nice pitch-and-run to Tucker for about 8 yards, the kind of play to the left side fans wouldn’t hae seen in 2023.

*Trask completes  consecutive short throws before Williams has a nice cut and run on third down.

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23 Responses to “Bucs-Jaguars Joint Practice Notes & Nuggets”

  1. Dave Pear Says:

    Very concerned about this comment:

    “ Lotta zone-coverage woes today for Tampa Bay. “

    Today is no different from the last two seasons, then.

    Earth to Todd — fix the defects that causes your people to not know how to play zone.

    Jesus Christ.

  2. ATLBUC Says:

    Seems like Baker had a bd day.

  3. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Unbelievable notes & coverage of the practice Joe. Thanks

  4. SlyPirate Says:

    Great notes, Joe. Thanks the late evening effort.

    Bad practice. Happens. Not worried about our WR. Two things we’re seeing consistently:
    1. Bucky can run the ball.
    2. Team Hayes isn’t awesome.

  5. Ugo Says:

    ATLBUC so Baker has to also catch the balls now? There were 8 dropped passes for Baker alone (that number is more than 10 if we include Trask’s throws). The WRs had a rough day, Baker made some throws and missed others but 8 drops are not on him.

  6. Crickett Baker Says:

    TY, too, Joe.

  7. Danfan Says:

    ATLBUC, how do you figure that? Yes, there were a few incomplete passes, but also a few drops by receivers. It also seems from the notes he was able to throw a few touchdowns as well. Seems an OKish practice for Mayfield? Nobody is going to get a perfect passer rating every practice/game

  8. Mike S Says:

    Trask had a solid day – again.

    Mistake not giving him an opportunity.

  9. Saskbucs Says:

    Sounds like the secondary had a tough day. I think I will be taking late round flyers on Brian Thomas in every fantasy draft I can.

  10. Oxycondomns Says:

    wasnt mccollum the player goff targeted after dean went down? no godwin today?

  11. Ol' Boy Says:

    If you are of the mindset that not tackling and finishing the play is ok then dropped passes shouldn’t be a big deal either. I mean hey, the tackler at least touched the player that should have been tackled in the same way the receiver at least touched the ball. Again, let’s not worry about fundamentals. You know if the wide receivers caught to many passes well the other team might start to feel upset and well, we can’t have that in equal outcome football now can we.

  12. Shane Callahan Says:

    Yep, Baker dropped way too many of his own passes and had a bad day.

  13. Rod Munch Says:

    I was there and Baker had 80 dropped passes today, would have had over 10,000 yards passing just this afternoon if his WR’s and TE’s didn’t let him down. Really he’s too good for this team, he needs to leave and go to a better franchise like the Chiefs where he’d destroy Mahomes in a fair battle that wasn’t rigged against him.

  14. JD Still Says:

    Well, just like dancing and other enjoyable recreational activities, passing and receiving takes two, I guess that’s why there’s practice! (As we are taught , this too shall “pass”).

  15. Defense Rules Says:

    Fabulous notes Joe. Just the few that you included on the defense makes it sound like our Secondary has work to do. Still 3 weeks to go until Game 1 & odds are the pass rush is pretty much non-existent at this point.

  16. heyjude Says:

    Busgate! Love it!

    Fantastic detailed notes. Thank you, Joe. All that money they are paying Trevor and it doesn’t sound like he had a great day. Mac Jones has stayed under wraps and haven’t heard too much about him as the backup.

    Overall, the Bucs didn’t have the worse day. It sounds like the delay and bus ride may have had a lot to do with it too.

  17. simple man Says:

    @Mike S

    Agree that it’s looking like Trask has been a huge missed opportunity. Next season though, another team will be taking a long hard look at that opportunity.

  18. simple man Says:

    @Joe

    Wolford threw only 3 passes?

  19. robclwtr Says:

    Why only 2 eyes? Aren’t there 2 Joes? Sorry Joes. Give me a nickel and I’ll want a dime!!
    Perhaps there are three Joes and you don’t know it? Joe moves in mysterious ways.–Joe

  20. BakerFan Says:

    simple man Says:
    August 15th, 2024 at 9:19 am
    @Mike S

    Agree that it’s looking like Trask has been a huge missed opportunity. Next season though, another team will be taking a long hard look at that opportunity.

    Name me one team that will sign Trask and he will be their starting QB? I will be waiting for your answer.

  21. unbelievable Says:

    Thanks as always Joe.

    Sounds like Todd Bowles soft zone coverage is in mid-season form!

  22. Dave Pear Says:

    Bakerfan – I would name the team but I don’t know the names of the UFL spring league teams, so I can’t help. Oh, and he’s probably be holding a clipboard for them too.

  23. garro Says:

    Now it gets real for some of these guys. No brother-in-law leans going on now in these practices.

    Did not see much of Wolford here today. Trask haters will be miffed Joe! LOL

    Thanks Joe