The Biggest Minicamp Storyline
June 3rd, 2025
Pressure.
Today is the last chance Joe will have to watch an OTA underwear football practice. Next week is mandatory minicamp.
What’s the difference? There really isn’t onn. Both have hitting, blocking and tackling strictly forbidden.
The only real difference is guys are supposed to be at minicamp, hence the term “mandatory.” Once minicamp is over at the end of next week, players will scatter across the globe and won’t be seen until training camp begins late next month.
Over at CBS, Garrett Podell is looking at the biggest storyline for each NFC team. For the Bucs, he believes the key minicamp figure is two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield adjusting to life under another new offensive coordinator.
Player to watch: Mayfield
…Now, Mayfield is set to enter his eighth NFL season while playing for his eighth different NFL offensive coordinator in Josh Grizzard, who was Coen’s passing game coordinator last season. Grizzard has never been a coordinator at either the college or NFL level until now, so seeing if Mayfield can maintain his high-level rhythm and play with him calling the plays will be something to note this offseason.
Joe doesn’t believe the storyline here or player to watch is Mayfield. Joe gets what Podell is pushing, but it is another member of the offense that Joe believes is in the crosshairs.
Josh Grizzard, like Dave Canales and Liam Coen before him, is a first-time NFL playcaller. What will he do with all those toys as the chieftain of the offense? There is immense pressure on Grizzard to have the offense perform. B
ig shoes, big responsibilities.
The Bucs are banking on Grizzard to produce and produce a lot. No one knows if he can.
Since Grizzard is a holdover, Joe doesn’t believe there is much adjustment for Mayfield. Hell, he may have been pushing behind the scenes for Grizzard to get the gig.
So no, Joe isn’t worried how Mayfield will adjust. Mayfield will be fine. It’s how well Grizzard can adjust and produce that is Joe’s storyline.
June 3rd, 2025 at 10:34 am
B
ig shoes, big responsibilities for sure
June 3rd, 2025 at 10:39 am
I appreciate Joe calling this underwear football in the 1st sentence, bc that’s what it is. I read other folks in the media talk about how good this guy looks and how great that guy looks and I’m like , Wow, this is great, all the while failing to mention that no one is wearing pads. I can’t wait for training camp. This article highlights what is important this time of year…. what are the coaches implementing, whos healthy, and are the rookies learning. Go bucs.
June 3rd, 2025 at 10:39 am
The biggest minicamp storyline is the pass rush. Does HR still have it? Will HR push YaYa to be the best #2 pass rusher in the league, or vice versa? Will Braswell take a step forward in Year 2? Does David Walker live up to the hype and EXPLODE onto the scene as a “That’s how you win the Super Bowl”? It all remains to be seen, but if any of those become true, let alone multiple, then the ILBs and DBs will all look and play better.
June 3rd, 2025 at 10:47 am
Hey Joe can’t help formatting.
I for one believe Grizzard has what it takes and then some.
He is a super smart guy and obviously humble, saying things like we will take a play from the back of a cereal box if it works.
He comes from a line of coaches like McDaniels who is known for running high octane offenses with loads of wrinkles.
With this offensive line as the backbone and the same savy Mayfield, there are just too many weapons to mess this up.
They will have plays they like and it comes down to execution.
Not knowing WHEN to call something in a tight game will be new, but hopefully that doesn’t happen too often.
All in all, I fully expect this year to outpace last year in every regard, Offensively and Defensively.
June 3rd, 2025 at 10:48 am
Does HR show UP?
June 3rd, 2025 at 10:49 am
In the minicamp passing drills we can see how the secondary is changing. Tykee getting more snaps than Izzy at safety? Is Morrison slowly getting snaps and staying healthy? How are the ILB’s defending the pass?
June 3rd, 2025 at 10:50 am
The Bucs won the division with Leftwich at OC.
The Bucs won the division with Canales 32nd ranked Rush.
Can’t do much worse than that.
June 3rd, 2025 at 10:52 am
IMHO, if JG comes up big, the O come up big, and the Buc’s come up big! That’s of course if the Buc’s D doesn’t wet the bed like last season. Time will tell.
June 3rd, 2025 at 11:50 am
JG and the offense don’t need to be top3 offense. A solid offense that can do about the same levels as before. With the skillsets on that side it shouldn’t be tough for JG to produce a Capable offense. Defense was our weakness last year. Last minute FGs & TDs got us because the defense was… you know…there. JGs Offense needs to be as good as previous years. That doesn’t seem insurmountable based in skill playing on the field . Go Bucs. Defense needs 6o improve. Offense needs to maintain….at a minimum
June 3rd, 2025 at 11:54 am
I’m not the least bit worried about Griz or Baker. It’s the defense I’m worried about. As for Reddick, I’m not worried about him showing up. I’m worried that last year might not have been a fluke. I’m hoping for at least 10 sacks.
June 3rd, 2025 at 12:10 pm
WillieBeamin8 Says:
The biggest minicamp storyline is the pass rush.
————————————————————————–
That will be the biggest storyline in training camp and more importantly at the start of the regular season games. Given the restrictions in minicamp I doubt we’ll learn much about our pass rushers.
I believe it will be our most improved position group on the team. HR has a gigantic chip on his shoulder, is in a contract year, and is willing to share his knowledge with all the young pass rushers.
June 3rd, 2025 at 12:26 pm
Beeej Says:
Does HR show UP?
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Yes.
Bowles addressed this yesterday. HR has been working out with his own trainer separately from the team.
I’m sure he’s doing all he can to get ready for the season. He’s a veteran and knows what he needs to do to get ready.
I predict 12 sacks for HR this season plus his presence will help Kancey, Diaby, and the others.
June 3rd, 2025 at 12:49 pm
Grizzard as an OC isn’t going to create much news – but as a playcaller he is THE story.
There are a lot of smart guys who can handle being an OC but fall apart calling plays in rapid succession. It’s all projection until they do it under live fire. The Bucs know this all too well after the Jeff Jagodzinski disaster. At the best, it will take a few games for them to get going with consistency.
June 3rd, 2025 at 12:59 pm
This guy forgot Baker has had a plethora of OCs go thru his turnstile.
June 3rd, 2025 at 2:13 pm
Baker bowl, you are really clever for that one ha……….ha…………..ha………
June 3rd, 2025 at 2:16 pm
Don’t think Grizzard will be an issue or Mayfield will be the player to “watch”. Mayfield will figure it out like he always does. Think the players to watch are on the defense. Think the secondary and Reddick will be the story line.
June 3rd, 2025 at 2:32 pm
If Grizzard was a new incoming OC for another team instaliing a new system then it might be a story to watch, but neither is the case. It seems Baker & Grizz are very much in sync from all accounts.
June 3rd, 2025 at 3:31 pm
He made his bones last year researching effective 3rd down plays and what was working around the league.
He’s had the best education possible and again he has a closet full of offensive experts around OBP to help. Now that Chucky is back in good graces I’m sure he’ll be available to have his brain picked.
As pointed Griz is smart, and he’s young so hopefully he doesn’t have a giant ego yet. He’ll do what’s right not reinvent the wheel. He knows what works on 3rd down, he’ll be fine.
June 3rd, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Wow, that is probably the very least of all concerns. Baker is probably more stoked to have last year’s passing game coordinator as O.C. than even the wide receivers are. Very, very stupid take by someone who is so obviously clueless about the Bucs. We all know the major concerns and few, if any, involve the offense other than whether the guy knows what plays to call and when (please, Please, PLEASE, stop calling runs up the middle on 2nd and 10).
June 4th, 2025 at 9:59 am
That is the big giant question mark this year Joe. I have been guilty of thinking that surely he will stick to the offense from last year. Little change is expected but new management can be a huge challenge in my experience. Changing things just because you can is a problem many times.
Go Bucs!