The Storyline Of Minicamp
June 13th, 2023
Bucs QB Kyle Trask.
Mandatory minicamp starts today. It’s a three-day function before Bucs players scatter across the country and likely won’t be seen until training camp opens next month.
And when minicamp practice ends Thursday, the official List Season begins, where everyone publishes lists of everything from best and worst quarterbacks to best and worst players’ dogs.
Forgive Joe for not getting hot and bothered over minicamp. It’s still underwear football, no different than OTA practices in April and May. The only difference is this is three practices in consecutive days, assuming Todd Bowles doesn’t cancel Day 3, which sometimes happens.
Over at ESPN they highlighted the biggest storyline for each team. Bucs reporter Jenna Laine says in Tampa the biggest storyline is the battle (?) for starting quarterback between Baker Mayfield and competing Kyle Trask.
The QB competition between Mayfield and Trask will determine the trajectory of a team that borrowed $100 million from the cap in previous years to support Tom Brady. Mayfield, the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, is trying to resurrect his career as a starter. Trask, selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, is trying to make a quantum leap from QB3 after two years of limited reps behind Brady.
The competition will not be decided this week in underwear football. No pads. No hitting. No defense (except pass defense). No blocking. How in the world could anyone pick a starting quarterback from that?
If Joe had to pick a storyline, it would be whether disgruntled Bucs linebacker Devin White shows up and actually practices. (He could attend and not practice). White did a lot of woofing earlier this spring (when he got off one of his horsies) demanding a trade because he’s peeved the Bucs haven’t thrown Team Glazer’s wallet at him.
Per various reports, White was spotted at One Buc Palace for the first time this offseason for team photos this week. Posing for pictures is not participating in mandatory minicamp.
Another interesting story for Joe is if receiver Russell Gage will practice. In this Joe’s eyes, no player on the Bucs last year disappointed more than Gage. It didn’t help that he got hurt in OTAs and was hobbled with an ailment every other week throughout the season.
Gage got hurt again this year in OTAs. Will he be healthy enough to work today?
June 13th, 2023 at 4:51 am
You are correct about Gage in that he was hurt all year.
He does possess great talent that showed in the games he played injured.
But getting injured in OTAs? Add the gauranteed money he got and the incentives in his contract and well…It is very confusing to me. Saved us some cap money but… Hope he can stay healthy and earn all of those incentives. Otherwise it was bad signing by Licht. I don’t see him being cut but damn! Jensen still in a knee brace concerns me just as much BTW.
June 13th, 2023 at 6:50 am
Gage is a bum.
June 13th, 2023 at 7:02 am
“The competition will not be decided this week in underwear football.”
So how did Joe decide weeks ago?
June 13th, 2023 at 7:09 am
Geez, we need another veteran third WR, Gage won’t even make it through preseason.
June 13th, 2023 at 7:32 am
Biggest disappointment? Did you not watch goedeke play.
June 13th, 2023 at 7:49 am
Gage is a whipping boy…….sure, he was hurt…but played very well when he played.
And how can you say he was a bad signing by Licht…..Licht had no idea he would be injured….no control whatsoever.
I expect Gage was a Tom Brady request…..
I also expect he will contribute a great deal.
The story of Mini Camp is…..Is there really a QB competition?
June 13th, 2023 at 8:08 am
The story of mini camp is? Well it’s just flag football and hope nobody gets hurt. See you when the pads go on for real practice in July.
June 13th, 2023 at 8:22 am
The story of the Bucs will be largely decided by whether their choices along the offensive line work out or not.
June 13th, 2023 at 9:00 am
Story line will probably be Jensem not participating.
June 13th, 2023 at 9:41 am
A lot of other story lines will probably be dominant. Things like the D. White attitude, Jensen, what the O and D lines will look like.
Trask and Mayfly will probably organize some pitch and catch activity in a field somewhere in a week or two, so this is still about figuring out the terminology of the scheme for them.
June 13th, 2023 at 10:15 am
Gage showed up when not injured and put his body on the line when he was out there. Don’t understand all the Gage hate.
June 13th, 2023 at 11:05 am
I am hoping the guy from Nebraska or Rakim Jarrett can take Gage’s spot. Not a Gage hater, but the Bucs need some explosive plays from that third guy.
June 13th, 2023 at 12:18 pm
No one is mentioning Shaq Barrett. It doesn’t look good for expecting him to play..
June 13th, 2023 at 5:48 pm
Shaq is not only still rehabbing from a torn Achilles, he is still grieving the tragic loss of his baby daughter. Cut him some slack.
June 14th, 2023 at 12:54 am
IT WAS A REAL GOOD SIGN TO SEE THAT DEVIN WHITE WAS ACTUALLY THERE IN PERSON TODAY..THE MAYFIELD/TRASK COMPETITION WILL LEAVE US WITH 2 VERY CAPABLE STARTERS, BAKER WILL GET THE JOB 1ST, BASED ON HIS “MOXIE” & EXPERIENCE ( IF HE SUCKS COMING OUT OF THE GATE, I HOPE WE CHANGE QB’S BEFORE A LOSING STREAK DEVELOPS ) I PERSONALLY FEEL HE (BAKER ) WILL SUCCEED WITH THE BUCCANEERS & HELP US WIN THE DIVISION & HOST A 1ST ROUND GAME..TREY PALMER WILL BE OUR #3 RECIEVER AHEAD OF GAGE ON THE DEPTH CHART..CADE WARNER WILL MAKE THE TEAM.LOVOCIA DENNIS WILL PUSH DEVIN WHITE TO BE AT HIS BEST..YAYA DIABY WILL BE THERE TO PUSH SHAQ BARRETT TO HIS OLD FORM BEFORE THE INJURY & TRAGIC LOSS OF HIS YOUNGEST CHILD ( GOD BLESS HIM ) BOTH O & D LINES WILL BE MUCH IMPROVED & THE RUNNING GAME WILL BE BETTER ( ESPECIALLY IF WE TO SIGN “DALVIN COOK” ) THAT SIGNING WOULD MAKE US A VERY DANGEROUS OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT !