Notes From Minicamp, Day 1

June 8th, 2021

Joe Tryon made his first underwear football appearance for the Bucs.

Here’s a roundup of plays Joe found interesting during the first day of Bucs minicamp. Remember, this is underwear football. Dudes are wearing shorts and a practice jersey. No pads. No hitting. Think of a flag football game with players wearing helmets.

Notes are nothing more than simple observations, not indictments in any way.

* First look at Playoff Lenny wearing No. 7. Either that single-digit is playing tricks with Joe’s eyes or Playoff Lenny has slimmed down.

* Joe Tryon is on the practice field for underwear football for the first time since being drafted in the first round. Just as Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians predicted. And Tryon is wearing a helmet, too. Yes, it is true. Tryon is practicing.

* Another pleasant surprise: Practicing, too, is, park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller coaster-scared, numbers-rules-peeved, Bucs-Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady. In recent days, Joe got the impression Arians wanted to shut Brady down until training camp as Brady recovers from his offseason knee surgery. Brady was wearing what appeared to be a black wrap of some sort on his surgically repaired knee, his left knee.

* Foot-rubbing, car-littering Rob Gronkowski might be hanging with receivers a bit too much. As he barrelled downfield along the right hashmarks, he tried a head fake to the right while he quickly cut inside to the left to shake a defensive back.

* How happy were some of the defenders to be on a practice field, albeit underwear football? After a win on a play by the defense, Jason Pierre-Paul and Steve McLendon embrace. Don’t see that often in a June underwear football practice.

* Blaine Gabbert is getting a lot of early reps with the first-team offense. He throws high and behind Chris Godwin in the right flat but Godwin skies to pull the pass in. Godwin shined throughout practice and looked September-ready (notice Joe didn’t type “Dallas-Ready?”).

* Anthony Nelson batted down a Gabbert pass like he was blocking an attempted spike in volleyball. Gabbert struggled with defensive linemen’s mitts early.

* Gabbert threw high to Jaydon Mickens down the right numbers but Mickens was able to haul in the pass. After tumbling to the ground, Mickens got up and scored a touchdown. After the play, Mickens could be heard saying to himself, “Nobody touched me. Nobody touched me. I have to make it hard for them.” Joe is assuming Mickens is trying to force the Bucs to keep him by balling out.

* Gabbert makes up for some shaky throws by hitting Cam Brate in the numbers on a crossing pattern from the left side.

* Gabbert rolls right a couple or three steps and tries to throw a screen to Giovani Bernard in the right flat. But JPP flies in from the right side and damn near picked the ball off, getting his half-right hand on the ball. JPP looked like he was picking an orange off a tree. Just reached up and — splat!

* While others are nursing a water bottle during a very short water break, Brady is throwing passes to a Bucs staffer.

* Brady steps on the field for his first underwear football practice snaps of 2021 and looks sharp as ever. He hits Mike Evans in the stomach on a crossing pattern from the left. On the next play, Brady throws a beautiful pass to Cam Brate down the right seam, right between the “8” and the “4” on Brate’s chest.

* Oh no, he’s human! On Brady’s third throw he aims left and Joe couldn’t tell if he overthrew Gronk or underthrew Godwin toward the left sideline. Either way, Ross Cockrell was right between Gronk and Godwin and he housed Brady.

* After a few throws, Brady is surveying the field for an open man and a defender Joe couldn’t quite immediately identify ran into Brady. Now that’s a damn good way to get traded or cut. Immediately the defender knew he committed a high crime and threw his palms up as if to say, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.” Bucs brass likely had to run to the executive men’s room at One Buc Palace to change their underwear.

* Brady tries to go long down the right sideline for Evans. From the naked eye, it appeared the ball was overthrown but upon some quick thought, it seemed Carlton Davis choked Evans’ route by squeezing him along the sidelines. Either way, strong coverage by Davis.

* Brady floats a pass just past the fingertips of Antoine Winfield and into the hands of Gronk on the right side.

* Brady passes short to the left sideline but it is broken up by Devin White.

* Gabbert is back in. He hits Bernard on a screen pass to the left. Ira Kaufman struggles to contain his excitement.

* Gronk is just out here having fun. Gabbert splits a pair of defenders and hits Gronk in the hands, down the right seam. As soon as Gronk hauled in the pass, he began yelling “Woo… woo… woo!” as he rumbled downfield.

* Players are getting a lot of work. Arians is having a crisp practice with a lot of snaps. First and second teams are using one practice field; the third and fourth teams are using an adjacent field. Brady and Gabbert working on one field; Kyle Trask and Ryan Griffin are working on the other. Joe is fully focused on watching and documenting the big boys’ field.

* Where’s the flag? Brady tries to connect with Brate down the right sideline. Brate got past Mike Edwards but as Brate stretched out for the pass he hit the ground. Edwards sure had a big ol’ handful of Brate’s jersey.

* Godwin catches a pass from Brady as he’s headed for the left sideline and does a sweet toe-tap to get both feet down. Maybe Joe never noticed this, but Godwin’s legs seem to be swole (weightlifting term). Those two, Brady and Godwin, are awfully sharp today.

* Remember this is underwear football. Shorts and no pads. So if hitting and real blocking was allowed, Gabbert would have been sacked by Joe Tryon. Lavonte David was nearby too.

* Gabbert threads a needle and hits Gronk at the goal line for a score. Gronk hollers, “WOO!”

* Bernard with a drop — from Brady.

* Gabbert to Gronk in the corner of the end zone for a score.

* Gabbert tries to connect with Playoff Lenny down the left sideline but the play is broken up by Raven Greene.

17 Responses to “Notes From Minicamp, Day 1”

  1. Bird Says:

    Nice work joes !

  2. SOEbuc Says:

    Hell yeah Ross! To da dome!

  3. OBP Says:

    Great breakdown as always, thank you Joe.

  4. BridleOaks Buc Says:

    No Rojo?

  5. JimmyJack Says:

    The best part was Ira getting giddy over a screen play.

  6. gp Says:

    @JimmyJack
    I think that may have been a reaction to a few Big Storms and lotsa sun!

  7. m0j0 Says:

    Thanks for the notes! Much appreciated!

  8. Sgt. Grit Says:

    Woo is a good thing!

  9. Colin in Canada Says:

    Great work Joes. Is Raven Green going with the 2s? Interested in the competition for safety #4

  10. Col in Oz Says:

    Great reporting Joe’s.

  11. JimbobBucsFan Says:

    Because of your little jab at the Sage, I’m sure which “Joe” you are. ๐Ÿ˜Ž ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿฆณ๐Ÿ•ถ๏ธ

  12. Joe Says:

    Is Raven Green going with the 2s?

    He was practicing on the big boys’ field. Beyond that, no idea.

    This may offer a hint.

  13. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Gabbert should not be on this team. If he has to play, we’ll be lucky and f it makes it through a series without getting injured.

    I realize the backup situation doesn’t leave much to work with, but they could have signed a more reliable backup.

    These camp notes are always great. I just wish both Joe’s took them…one per group. I like to here about the backups too.

  14. Seรฑor Harry in Costa Rica Says:

    Awesome work Joe(s). Thank you for giving us our Bucs fix!

  15. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Thanks for being our eyes, Joe.

  16. Joe Says:

    Thanks for the compliments guys. ๐Ÿ‘

  17. Bucyou Says:

    When Gronk makes a big play during the season, it would be be great if the inhouse fans would yell out big “WOOOOOS” (Ala WWE).