4 Issues I Beloved About Bucs’ Spring Practices

Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby and OLBs coach Larry Foote – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

INTRO: Completely happy Fourth of July, Bucs followers! And Completely happy Independence Day to America! As we have a good time our nation at present, I’ve received 4 key Bucs observations for you in at present’s SR’s FAB 5.

Seeing is believing, proper? It’s one factor for somebody to say one thing. It’s one other factor to see it with your individual eyes for proof and affirmation. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and normal supervisor Jason Licht are straight shooters, which makes my job fairly straightforward. There’s not quite a lot of coachspeak with Bowles to decipher. And Licht will both let you know the reality about one thing or he received’t remark in any respect on it, which I respect.

However what I like in regards to the open OTA practices and the open obligatory mini-camp is the power for me to look at Bucs soccer unfiltered. I get to look at what I need and draw my very own conclusions. So listed below are 4 issues that I noticed that I wound up loving in regards to the Bucs from their spring practices. Take pleasure in!

FAB 1. I Beloved Seeing Bucs’ Younger OLBs Gravitate To Larry Foote

I’ve lined the Bucs for 3 a long time now and I do know a particular assistant coach after I see one. Names from the previous like line of defense coaches Rod Marinelli and Joe Cullen, secondary coaches Mike Tomlin, Raheem Morris and Jimmy Lake, linebackers coach Joe Barry, and broad receivers coach P.J. Fleck shortly come to thoughts.

Bucs exterior linebackers coach Larry Foote is one other particular assistant for positive. He has an aura that simply makes gamers gravitate in the direction of him.

Through the OTAs that had been open to the media and the crew’s obligatory three-day mini-camp, the 2 gamers who had been glued to Foote most frequently had been third-year professional Yaya Diaby and rookie David Walker. As a substitute of Diaby simply standing round and chopping it up along with his teammates throughout particular groups durations, of which Diaby doesn’t participate, he was seen speaking with Foote, asking questions and going over some move rush strikes.

Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby and OLBs coach Larry Foote – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

Diaby takes his craft critically and is aware of that he’s able to having a breakout yr when it comes to sacks, probably reaching double digits. And he desires to ensure that occurs, so he’s absorbing as a lot information as he can get from Foote.

Walker isn’t like every atypical rookie. He’s already 25 – only a yr youthful than the 26-year outdated Diaby – and actually mature. A hamstring pressure pressured him to overlook the second week of OTAs and the obligatory mini-camp. As a substitute of Walker simply hanging out along with his new teammates on the sidelines, he was typically caught to Foote’s hip, standing proper beside his new place coach.

It’s clear that Walker doesn’t plan on being glad simply making the Bucs’ 53-man roster as a rookie. He desires to not solely contribute, however to earn significant taking part in time this yr. Displaying he’s wanting to study and selecting Foote’s mind as typically as attainable is his ticket to extra taking part in time. And with Walker not having the ability to be on the sector practising, it was definitely time nicely spent.

Bucs OLB David Walker and OLBs coach Larry Foote – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

FAB 2. Bucs Are Really Fairly Deep At Inside Linebacker

On June 3 after a Bucs OTA follow, I requested head coach Todd Bowles the place his crew was the deepest on offense and protection. Bowles’ reply on offense – broad receiver and working again – weren’t a shock.

Tampa Bay’s receiver and working again rooms are the envy of the league, actually. The Bucs are five-deep at receiver with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and rookies Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson. Bucky Irving, Rachaad White and Sean Tucker might all begin at working again for some groups across the league.

“Clearly, offense is the broad receiver room,” Bowles stated. “You’ve received a bunch of men that may play. Within the working again room, you’ve received three guys again from final yr, as nicely – and we’ve received two guys we’re ready to see. These two are on offense.

However on protection, Bowles’ reply to which unit was the deepest caught me – and lots of within the media – off guard.

“Defensively proper now, I just like the depth of the place the inside [linebackers] are proper now, and we’ve received quite a lot of competitors at cornerback,” Bowles stated.

Bucs ILB Anthony Walker Jr. – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

Inside linebacker?

I used to be anticipating Bowles saying exterior linebacker, the place confirmed veteran Haason Reddick and promising rookie David Walker be part of a room that has loads of potential in Yaya Diaby, Anthony Nelson, Chris Braswell, Jose Ramirez and Markees Watts.

But Bowles stated inside linebacker, and after he did, I spent a lot of the remaining OTA follow and three-day obligatory mini-camp practices watching SirVocea Dennis, Anthony Walker Jr. and Deion Jones. And I can see why Bowles stated inside linebacker.

With Lavonte David, who is aware of Bowles’ protection inside and outside, sitting out the obligatory mini-camp at age 35, Walker began in his place at Cash ‘backer, whereas Dennis took the entire starter reps at Mike ‘backer. The 2 labored nicely collectively and their communication was on the identical wavelength from the beginning.

Walker jogs my memory quite a lot of Kevin Minter, who was a key veteran reserve linebacker in Tampa Bay from 2019-20. He crammed in admirably for Devin White for a number of video games and there was no noticeable drop off in play at center linebacker. Minter began the 2020 Wild Card recreation at Washington for White, who was out with COVID-19, and posted six tackles and a move breakup.

Walker, who turns 30 on August 8, has loads of beginning expertise within the league and is seen as a giant improve over each Okay.J. Britt and J.J. Russell, who platooned at Mike final yr when Dennis suffered his season-ending shoulder surgical procedure in Week 4. At 6-foot-1, 235 kilos, Walker is as huge as Britt, however is extra fluid and athletic, particularly in protection.

Bucs ILB Deion Jones – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

Jones turns 31 on November 4, and like Walker, he has loads of beginning expertise. Though it’s been some time since his 2017 Professional Bowl season in Atlanta and his final 100-tackle season, which got here with the Falcons in 2021, Jones remains to be loads succesful in protection, evidenced by 13 profession interceptions, together with 5 pick-sixes.

Jones figures to be ILB4 behind David, Dennis and Walker on the depth chart. Like Walker, he’s able to taking part in each Mike and Mo linebacker spots, and he too is a large improve over Britt and Russell from an expertise and athletic standpoint.

Throw in a trio of younger, promising linebackers in John Bullock, Antonio Grier Jr. and Nick Jackson preventing for both ILB5 or a spot on the follow squad, and Bowles is spot on in regards to the sneaky energy of the within linebacker room this yr. Eliminating Britt and Russell in favor of re-signing Jones, who was a late-season follow squad addition final yr, and signing Walker was really an enormous improve.

And with David nonetheless taking part in at a excessive degree and Dennis being the very best and most spectacular Bucs defender this offseason, the within linebacker room goes to flex its muscle this yr and shock the league.

FAB 3. Josh Grizzard Plans To Have A Extra Vertical Passing Sport

New Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard might be protecting Liam Coen’s playbook, which labored so nicely final yr as Tampa Bay had one of the crucial highly effective offenses within the league. However Grizzard is aware of that he can’t simply trot out final yr’s performs and count on them to work.

Living proof was that Washington received a bead on what Tampa Bay was doing offensively final yr and held Coen’s offense, which was averaging 30 factors per recreation within the common season, to simply 20 factors within the Commanders’ 23-20 Wild Card win. That was a far cry from the 37-20 drubbing the Bucs laid on the Commanders in Week 1 throughout Coen’s debut because the play-caller.

This season, there might be loads of Grizzard’s new wrinkles blended in with some confirmed performs from a yr in the past. Considered one of issues that Grizzard desires to do is have a extra vertical aspect to the Bucs passing recreation in 2025.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield, former OC Liam Coen and QBs coach Thad Lewis – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

Baker Mayfield thrived in Coen’s offense, finishing a personal-best and franchise-record 71.4% of his passes for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. However the cause why Mayfield’s completion share was so excessive was as a result of he threw 116 display screen passes behind the road of scrimmage and one other 248 passes inside 10 yards of the road of scrimmage.

Mayfield accomplished 84.3% of these passes for two,530 yards with 24 touchdowns and simply 4 interceptions inside 10 yards of the road of scrimmage. He solely tried 198 passes past 10 yards, finishing 58% of these throws for two,155 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

So why is Grizzard wanting Mayfield to aim a number of extra passes downfield which have a lesser share of being accomplished? As a result of within the Rams-based passing assault that Coen imported from Los Angeles, quite a lot of the yardage gained comes from yards after catch. Which means a receiver typically wants to interrupt a deal with or elude a defender to show a 7-yard catch right into a 17-yard achieve.

If a deal with is made on the catch level, then it’s solely a 7-yard achieve and it units up second-and-3. But when the move travels 10 yards and is caught, then it’s an computerized first down. That’s the purpose.

It’s as much as Mayfield to develop into a bit extra correct along with his passes that journey 10+ yards and 20+ yards. That would be the focus throughout coaching camp.

Bucs OC Josh Grizzard and QBs Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

However don’t count on the Bucs offense to revert again to the vertical, bombs away offense that it was below Dirk Koetter and Bruce Arians. We’re speaking a number of extra intermediate passes and a pair extra deep photographs per recreation – simply to loosen up the move protection when it creeps as much as defend the beneath throws and preserve it sincere.

Mayfield was outshined a bit by Kyle Trask throughout the OTAs and mini-camp, who was extra correct downfield. Trask and rookie broad receiver Tez Johnson proved to have fairly the downfield chemistry.

Now it will likely be as much as Mayfield to develop into extra correct with Johnson and each broad receiver he’ll be throwing to on Sundays – only a bit additional down the sector.

“We’re making an attempt to get some extra explosive [plays] in,” Mayfield stated. “Clearly, if you have a look at the stats – I’m not a giant stats man, however we weren’t as a lot down the sector explosive. We had been creating quite a lot of open, within the center, and guys getting some YAC (yards after catch).

“However, yeah, engaged on that, having the ability to join on the chemistry we’re making an attempt to construct proper now and simply the timing of a few of these routes – the place the landmarks are and understanding that if it’s two-high [safety coverage], one-high [safety coverage], the place we’re making an attempt to throw the ball. That is the time of yr we’re engaged on it. Clearly, you’ll like to have extra down the sector photographs, however any completion is an effective one.”

FAB 4. Two Reserve Bucs Offensive Linemen Stood Out To Me

One of many new offensive linemen who has acquired fairly a little bit of buzz this offseason is Ben Chukwuma, an undrafted free agent out of Georgia State. Whereas the Nigerian native lacks expertise as a result of he’s basically solely performed American soccer for a number of years, he’s an excellent athlete and filled with promise.

Chukwuma was given the best quantity of assured cash for any undrafted free agent across the league this yr – $300,000, together with a $55,000 signing bonus. That just about assures Chukwuma a spot on the follow squad or maybe OL10 on the depth chart.

Given his standing as a uncooked offensive lineman, don’t count on to see Chukwuma on the sector throughout his rookie season. He’s a developmental, down-the-line type of participant.

However there have been two different offensive linemen that I noticed throughout the Bucs offseason practices that actually stood out to me – veteran newcomer Charlie Heck and rookie Jake Majors.

Bucs OT Charlie Heck – Picture by: USA Right now

Heck acquired each beginning rep at left deal with throughout the OTAs and the mini-camp with Tristan Wirfs being out attributable to a knee damage. These reps had been invaluable for Heck, who must study the Bucs system and achieve chemistry with left guard Ben Bredeson.

When Wirfs returns to the lineup for coaching camp, then Heck will taking reps at proper deal with, as he’ll be the swing deal with this yr to interchange Justin Skule, who left for Minnesota in free company. Heck is the tallest offensive lineman at 6-foot-8, 311 kilos and has good ft and lengthy arms. He looks as if alternative for Skule, who began 4 video games at proper deal with and one recreation at left deal with final yr.

Majors seems to be the front-runner to interchange Robert Hainsey because the crew’s backup heart. He’s taken quite a lot of reps because the No. 2 heart behind Graham Barton, and was a three-year starter at Texas. Majors has loads of expertise and is a wonderful, loud communicator.

Majors had a draftable grade by the crew, and the Bucs had been thrilled to land him in free company. He’ll be cross-trained at guard to extend his versatility, however heart might be his residence base. Don’t be shocked if he’s one of many standouts in camp when the pads come on and within the preseason video games.

Bucs Cs Graham Barton and Jake Majors – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

FAB 5. Pewter Report’s Prime 50 Bucs Record Is Coming Quickly

The Buccaneers requested me to take part in a media survey rating the highest 50 gamers in franchise historical past. As somebody who has lined the crew for the previous three a long time, I used to be extremely honored to take action.

Over the subsequent two weeks, I might be sharing my checklist with you on PewterReport.com within the type of 10 articles with each itemizing 5 Bucs greats, beginning at No. 46-50 after which ending with the ultimate 5.

The Pewter Report employees can even be conducting an All-Time Bucs’ Draft the place every Pewter Reporter will get a flip at drafting their Bucs crew. We’ll be revealing our groups and discussing each on a Pewter Report Podcast later in July. So search for that on PewterReport.com in addition to in podcast kind on PewterReportTV, our YouTube channel.

Within the meantime, take a look at my newest Pewter Pulse video on a highly regarded Buccaneer – rookie security Shilo Sanders.