– Bucs QB Baker Mayfield photograph courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs took the sector for his or her first OTA, which was open to the media, on Tuesday on the AdventHealth Coaching Heart. It was scorching and humid below partly cloudy skies, which made it very muggy for these in attendance. As is the case with OTAs, they’re voluntary, and there have been a number of Bucs veterans who weren’t in attendance.
Bucs Not In Attendance
WR Mike Evans
WR Russell Gage (received harm final week)
C Ryan Jensen
DT Vita Vea
OLB Shaquil Barrett (seemingly not cleared to play resulting from Achilles)
ILB Devin White
ILB Lavonte David
CB Carlton Davis III
CB Jamel Dean
A number of Bucs have been in attendance however not training – presumably resulting from damage: operating backs Sean Tucker and Chase Edmonds, cornerback Duron Lowe, tight finish Dominique Dafney and guard Aaron Stinnie.
Former Titans basic supervisor Jon Robinson, a detailed good friend of Bucs general manager Jason Licht, was readily available to watch apply. Robinson spent a number of years in Tampa Bay serving as Licht’s right-hand man as vp of participant personnel earlier than getting the Titans job. Surprisingly, he was fired at midseason and is at the moment out of the NFL.
Bucs Offensive Notes
Quarterbacks
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and OC Dave Canales – Picture courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• New quarterback Baker Mayfield took the beginning reps throughout Tuesday’s apply forward of Kyle Trask. However as a result of that is an open competitors, there’ll undoubtedly be days when Trask will get the starter reps to make it honest. The quarterback group as an entire is significantly smaller below Dave Canales than it was below Bruce Arians and Byron Leftwich.
• The earlier play-callers most popular tall pocket passers. Tom Brady and Trask are 6-5, whereas Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin are each 6-foot-4. Mayfield is 6-foot-1, and new third-string quarterback John Wolford is slightly below 6-foot. That leaves Trask as the enormous within the room.
• As a result of that is the primary day in a model new system throwing to a receiving corps that featured simply two skilled veterans in Chris Godwin and newcomer David Moore, who performed 4 years in Seattle, it’s powerful to make a critical analysis about Mayfield and Trask as there have been some laser throws on course from every, in addition to a couple of misfires. However with out understanding if it was a nasty learn learn or throw by the quarterback or a nasty route by a receiver, it’s tough to evaluate blame. As anticipated, the Bucs quarterbacks did a good quantity of rolling out with bootlegs and waggles, discovering receivers and tight ends downfield.
Huge Receivers
• The quarterback place wasn’t the one place that was noticeably smaller on Tuesday. With out 6-foot-5 receiver Mike Evans in attendance, the receiver group was as small because it’s been in Tampa Bay in a while. Godwin, Kade Warner and Trey Palmer are all 6-foot-1, and are the following tallest receivers on the roster. Moore, who’s 6-foot, 219 kilos is the heaviest receiver. However with out Evans and 6-foot-3 Julio Jones, Tampa Bay’s receivers are shorter, however sooner.
• Palmer’s pace is obvious as he had no bother getting opener. Warner picked up the place he left off from rookie mini-camp, making clutch catches from the slot and the perimeter.
Tight Ends
• The league’s youngest tight finish room options second-year gamers Cade Otton and Ko Kieft because the veterans. Cam Brate was launched this offseason and fellow veteran Kyle Rudolph was not re-signed. Whereas the workforce drafted Payne Durham on Day 3, it was undrafted rookie Tanner Taula, who made a spectacular catch downfield at the back of the tip zone on a bomb from Trask.
Working Backs
• With out Chase Edmonds or Sean Tucker collaborating, Rachaad White, Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Patrick Laird cut up the entire carries and reps. White appears to be like larger, as marketed. He’s up eight kilos this offseason and weighs nearer to 220 kilos. After apply, head coach Todd Bowles didn’t have an replace about when Tucker, who’s affected by a coronary heart situation, could be cleared to apply.
Offensive Line
Bucs RT Luke Goedeke – Picture courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• The beginning Bucs offensive line is notably larger this 12 months. Tristan Wirfs is about 15 kilos heavier than Donovan Smith was, and 330-pound left guard Matt Feiler is about 30 kilos larger than Nick Leverett. And naturally 6-foot-5, 305-pound Cody Mauch is considerably larger than 6-foot-1, 300-pound proper guard Shaq Mason.
Robert Hainsey was as soon as once more filling in at middle for Ryan Jensen, who was absent, and he appears to be like larger as properly. The identical may be stated for Luke Goedeke, who weighed 312 kilos final 12 months. He appears to be like larger and stronger and is perhaps near 320 kilos.
Tampa Bay’s reserve offensive tackles look large as properly. First-year participant Grant Hermanns is listed at 6-foot-7, 300 kilos, whereas veteran Justin Skule is 6-foot-6, 315 kilos. Whereas Brandon Walton (6-5, 300) performed some offensive deal with in 2022 he lined up as a reserve left guard throughout Tuesday’s OTA.
Bucs Defensive Notes
Defensive Line
• Second-year defensive deal with Logan Corridor appears to be like significantly larger this 12 months as he’s spent the offseason figuring out in an NFL facility. Taking part in within the low 280s final 12 months, the 6-foot-6 D-lineman is as much as 296 kilos. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles stated that Corridor is certainly stronger resulting from his diligent work within the weight room.
• New defensive deal with Greg Gaines is an enormous man. Listed at 6-foot-1, 312 kilos, Gaines is a bowling ball of mass and power. Fellow defensive deal with Deadrin Senat is listed at 6-foot-1, 305 kilos, however Gaines appears to be like significantly larger – maybe 320 kilos.
Exterior Linebackers
• Whereas Shaquil Barrett wasn’t in attendance, the Bucs had a close to full praise of edge rushers in attendance. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Anthony Nelson have been predictably operating with the starters with YaYa Diaby and former apply squader Charles Snowden up subsequent. Fellow draft decide Jose Ramirez was additionally within the combine with reps after that.
Inside Linebackers
• No Devin White and no Lavonte David meant veterans Okay.J. Britt and J.J. Russell have been within the lineup of their place. Rookie SirVocea Dennis and Ulysses Gilbert, a apply squader from final 12 months, have been up subsequent. The Bucs’ younger linebackers received loads of reps with out the workforce’s starters at apply, which can solely speed up their studying curve this offseason.
Secondary
Bucs S Kaevon Merriweather – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
• The brand new security tandem of Antoine Winfield Jr. and Ryan Neal was in attendance and received some priceless time working collectively on Tuesday. But it surely was undrafted free agent security Kaevon Merriweather that continues to flash in apply. Choosing up from the place he left off in rookie mini-camp, Merriweather was loud on the sector as a communicator and coated receiver Taye Barber like a blanket on one route all the best way throughout the sector.
As soon as Kyle Trask let go of the ball Merriweather made an ideal soar on the move and got here away with an interception. Neal did make a pleasant play on a deep ball thrown by Mayfield to Palmer ultimately zone. He made a divving cease knocking the ball out from Palmer after he initially had his fingers on it. Simply nice effort not giving up on it.
• Rookie security Josh Hayes additionally made an enormous play, unintentionally colliding with fellow rookie receiver Rakim Jarrett and knocking him to the bottom. Hayes didn’t imply to hit Jarrett, nevertheless it’s straightforward to acknowledge that he doesn’t shrink back from contact. Look out for Hayes when the pads come on.
• With out Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean at apply, veteran Dee Delaney and second-year cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Don Gardner stuffed in on the skin.
