The Bucs began their second week of the workforce’s 2023 coaching camp on the AdventHealth Coaching Heart in Tampa underneath sunny skies and highly regarded circumstances on Sunday after having Saturday off to relaxation. Temperatures have been within the mid 90s with a light-weight breeze – and extensive receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin introduced the warmth themselves with excellent performances.

The Bucs wore shells on Sunday, which is shoulder pads (for the primary time) together with shorts and helmets. Tampa Bay is predicted to be in full pads for Monday’s apply.

Bucs Not Training Right now

All Gamers Practiced

Bucs extensive receiver Russell Gage returned to apply on Sunday after lacking a lot of the offseason with a hamstring harm. The harm was to his left hamstring, which is similar leg the place his hamstring harm occurred final yr in camp.

Along with Gage returning to apply, exterior linebacker Shaq Barrett was a full participant in apply on Sunday. He was held out of workforce 11-on-11 drills on Friday to relaxation and recuperate. Heart Ryan Jensen returned to apply, however was as soon as once more held out of workforce drills and solely participated in particular person drills.

Calijah Kancey Carted Off With Calf Harm

The Bucs have been hoping that rookie defensive deal with Calijah Kancey suffered cramps in his proper calf throughout a person interval doing bag drills, however because it seems it wasn’t a cramp. Kancey suffered a strained proper calf, the severity of which will probably be decided as soon as he undergoes an MRI.

“He’s received a calf pressure,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles stated after apply. “We’ll get an MRI and we’ll see the place it’s at.”

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Kancey, who was chosen with the nineteenth general pick of the College of Pittsburgh, has made a terrific first impression throughout Bucs coaching camp. He basically dwelling within the backfield on Wednesday, which was the workforce’s first apply.

Kancey is projected to be a starter alongside nostril deal with Vita Vea and defensive deal with Logan Corridor in Todd Bowles’ 3-4 protection. In nickel protection, Kancey was beginning with Vea inside and flanked by exterior linebackers Shaq Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.

The Bucs are hopeful that Kancey will solely miss just a few weeks. It’s extremely unlikely that he’ll be capable of return in time for the Bucs’ first preseason recreation in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, August 11, however the workforce is hopeful that he’ll be capable of return for a minimum of one preseason recreation earlier than the season begins.

Mike Evans, Chris Godwin Dominate In Observe

Bucs extensive receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin dominated in apply on Sunday with distinctive performances. Each Evans and Godwin made large performs by catching passes from all three quarterbacks, which is a little bit of a rarity in Tampa Bay. For the previous two years Kyle Trask by no means threw passes to Evans or Godwin because the workforce’s No. 3 quarterback. However Bucs’ third-string QB John Wolford threw a landing go to each Evans and Godwin on back-to-back performs close to the tip of apply.

Bucs WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Wolford hit Godwin on the proper entrance pylon for a diving catch in entrance of cornerback Derrek Pitts Jr. after which got here again on the subsequent play and located Evans on a fade go over rookie security Chris Izien. Godwin and Evans each celebrated every rating along with a classy handshake.

Offensive coordinator Dave Canales and head coach Todd Bowles are sensible for getting Wolford some reps with the Bucs’ star receivers. Because the 49ers proved final yr, enjoying QB3 is barely two performs away in the course of the season. And it was good work for Tampa Bay’s younger cornerbacks to get some expertise in opposition to two of the league’s finest receivers.

However it wasn’t simply Wolford who related with Evans and Godwin for touchdowns. Kyle Trask was the starter on Sunday and in addition threw a landing to Evans. Trask in all probability had his finest camp apply up to now and was extremely decisive together with his reads and throws and didn’t have a turnover on Sunday.

The third-year quarterback was even decisive on a pink zone landing run up the center as quickly as he noticed a seam within the defensive position. Second-string tight finish David Wells continues to shine as a receiver. He hauled in just a few extra receptions on Sunday, together with a superbly thrown strike from Kyle Trask, beating veteran linebacker Lavonte David in protection.

Trask wound up throwing a number of touchdowns on the day to Evans, Wells, receiver David Moore and tight finish Cade Otton.

Godwin turned within the play of the day, catching a deep go from Baker Mayfield for an enormous acquire down the sphere. Godwin tracked the ball completely and timed his leap to out-leap rookie cornerback Keenan Isaac for the seize. The followers in attendance erupted after that play, and each Mayfield and receivers coach Brad Idzik celebrated with Godwin after the play.

SirVocea Dennis Does It Once more

Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bucs rookie inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis recorded one other interception in protection throughout camp. On Sunday, he stepped in entrance of tight finish Ko Kieft and picked off Baker Mayfield across the purpose line. That’s Dennis’ second interception in camp and his fourth this offseason, relationship again to a pair of pick-sixes within the rookie mini-camp and in an OTA apply.

Dennis was identified for his blitzing at Pittsburgh, recording seven final yr as a senior. However it’s his really feel for protection and nice arms which have him standing out throughout his rookie season up to now.

Whereas Mayfield received the go off, if the play was in a recreation slightly than a apply, the Bucs quarterback would have been sacked first. Security Ryan Neal got here in and beat the again in go safety and would have gotten to Mayfield earlier than he threw the go.

The Development Of Zyon McCollum Continues

The arrow continues to level up for second-year cornerback Zyon McCollum. After recording a pick-six and having a go breakup in Friday’s apply, McCollum had a second in Sunday’s apply the place he confirmed lots of resiliency and development. After Baker Mayfield threw a pink zone landing go to Rakim Jarrett down by the purpose line, McCollum wakened.

He realized he was a step gradual in studying the play on the landing, however on the subsequent play he got here up and jammed Ryan Miller so arduous on the line of scrimmage that he knocked the rookie receiver to the bottom. Miller limped off, however later returned to motion. Then on the subsequent play, McCollum had a wonderful go breakup on a slant go from Kyle Trask to Deven Thompkins ultimately zone.

Bucs Observe Observations

• David Moore had his finest apply of camp up to now on Sunday. The veteran receiver is a darkish horse contender for a roster spot resulting from his expertise within the Bucs offense from his time in Seattle and solely bolstered his case with a pair of landing catches. One got here from Baker Mayfield in opposition to rookie cornerback Keenan Isaac close to the sidelines, whereas the opposite one was a 9-yard landing on a laser slant from Kyle Trask. Moore had nice positioning on cornerback Jamel Dean for the touchdowns.

Bucs CB Carlton Davis III – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

• Cornerback Carlton Davis III had a terrific day in protection. Davis broke up three passes supposed for Rakim Jarrett, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. As beforehand famous, Zyon McCollum additionally had a go breakup, as did Don Gardner on Evans and Keenan Isaac on Ryan Miller.

• The Bucs labored on kick return and kick protection in the course of the particular groups portion of apply. Broad receivers Deven Thompkins and Rakim Jarrett have been fielding kicks for Tampa Bay on Sunday.

• Tampa Bay additionally labored on hurry-up subject purpose kicks. Kicker Chase McLaughlin was excellent on all 4 of his subject objectives on Sunday, however Rodrigo Blankenship suffered his first miss in camp on a subject purpose try past 50 yards. Blankenship had made three kicks in a row on Sunday earlier than that miss.

• Bucs defensive linemen Vita Vea and Will Gholston are nonetheless on the sphere purpose workforce for the Bucs. Tampa Bay additionally mixes in just a few defensive linemen for the second-string subject purpose unit too with Pat O’Connor and Logan Corridor.

• The Bucs proceed to rotate beginning facilities with Ryan Jensen being held out of 11-on-11 drills. Nick Leverett was the beginning heart on Sunday.

• Bucs rookie receiver Kade Warner had a pair of very nice catches, a deep go downfield on a throw from Baker Mayfield and and an intermediate shot from Kyle Trask with Don Gardner in protection.

• Veteran Dee Delaney continues to begin at nickel cornerback for Tampa Bay with rookies Josh Hayes and Chris Izien rotating in as backups. However within the pink zone 11-on-11 drills, Hayes was blended in with the starters and received just a few reps with the first-string.