There Is Always A Method Behind The Madness
June 2nd, 2025
Taking charge.
So as Joe prepares to march out to One Buc Palace tomorrow morning for underwear football practice, one thing jumped out Joe last week watching the first voluntary spring tune-up.
Practicing with the first-team offense while both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin took the session off, first-round pick Emeka Egbuka looked really smooth and comfortable.
In fact, Joe thought (and typed) it appeared Baker Mayfield and Egbuka already were on the same page. Boy, that’s refreshing and a good sign!
There was a reason for that.
Per Albert Breer of SI.com, Mayfield has been leading team workouts away from One Buc Palace the past few weeks. And one key participant has been Egbuka.
Breer noted Mayfield has been more like an assistant coach this offseason in an effort to navigate whatever gaps and hiccups there may be transitioning from former Liam Coen to new Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard.
That happened during the dead period, with Mayfield hosting workouts at the Tampa area training facility where he does his offseason work, and it should, at the very least, give the Bucs depth as they integrate first-round pick Emeka Egbuka (who’s already shown a very high football IQ) and bring Chris Godwin back from injury (the Bucs should have a better idea on his timetable at the start of camp; hope is there he could make it back for Week 1.)
Breer noted Grizzard wants to retain the base offense but also wants to add wrinkles, his own personal snap. He and Mayfield have worked closely on this.
With Mayfield leading off-site workouts, he has evolved to be sort of an assistant coach, Breer types. Or at least a go-between.
So all of this explains to Joe why Egbuka has looked almost seamless in his transition from wet-behind-the-ears rookie to perhaps becoming one of Mayfield’s many favorite targets.
June 2nd, 2025 at 10:43 am
Enjoyed the SI article. Keep forgetting about all the play-callers and coaches Baker has been with. He has definitely evolved and gotten better with all the turnarounds he had to endure. Really excited for this season. Mayfield definitely has the grit to get even better.
June 2nd, 2025 at 11:18 am
Brady wasn’t the first or the only QB to lead these sorts of off season workouts.
But, it looks like the attention he brought to it in Tampa has ensured that it will be a cornerstone of Bucs culture for years to come.
June 2nd, 2025 at 11:24 am
I said it since the day he signed here. We lucked out having Baker just sitting there and he lucked out having a good Team to go to and could be competitive from Day 1. After all these years us Bucs fans finally have a Long-term solution at the most important position in all of sports. Thank God that Baker landed here for his sake and ours. Go BUCS!!
June 2nd, 2025 at 11:37 am
Egbuka is in a unique situation to win OROTY.
Im not worried about Godwin at all. He will be a bonus.
That gives Emeka more opportunities early that he wouldn’t normally have.
Egbuka is the real deal in talent and preparation.
He is gonna be super fun to watch.
June 2nd, 2025 at 12:41 pm
Go Baker!!! Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!
June 2nd, 2025 at 1:00 pm
How great is this.
June 2nd, 2025 at 1:08 pm
Having the core offense be the same as Coen’s, this will be the most continuity Baker has ever had from year-to-year.
We’ll prob have the #1 Offense this season in all the major categories.
June 2nd, 2025 at 1:28 pm
Egbuka. How is it pronounced? Is the g silent?
Deckerhoff is going to have a helluva time with it.
June 2nd, 2025 at 1:40 pm
Great to hear 👍🏼. Fantastic 🤘🏼
June 2nd, 2025 at 2:05 pm
While I don’t think baker is in the elite category he dam sure is a franchise QB. Was not a fan of his until he came to Tampa and the way he plays just turned me into a fan and with baker it just keeps getting better. Love hearing this. If baker can limit some of the jaymis like turnovers and learn to throw the ball away he can step into the elite status.
June 2nd, 2025 at 2:51 pm
Baker is the man!!!
June 2nd, 2025 at 3:09 pm
Great news bit 😎.
I was hoping something like this was going on behind the scenes 👍🏼
Wonder if Tez has been there?
June 2nd, 2025 at 3:30 pm
Yeah but when are we going to get to the NFC Championship? I don’t care about all positive talk because it’s a trash division I will not be empress until we donate this weak division and get to at least the NFC Championship.
June 2nd, 2025 at 3:31 pm
Dominate.
June 2nd, 2025 at 4:45 pm
Just call our first rd WR pick “double E”. That’s a lot easier to say than Emeka Egbuka.
June 2nd, 2025 at 4:55 pm
That’s actually funny O’Neil.
“I’m not going to be [the] “empress” until we donate. LMAO!
I’m having fun with you. Not making fun of you… Besides, I’m not on any high horse concerning what I “Thought” I wrote.. and it turned into a comedy played on Broadway. I have to go back and adjust Plenty! But that was funny because I took you seriously for just about a split second… And let me just say, I’m Not going to be the “empress” until we dominate either because “some” functions of the team have Definitely gifted and “donated” Far too many games as it is and it’s NOT getting us anywhere Except losing games we shouldn’t be!
BUT I Sure Like that Mayfield is taking it upon himself TO MAKE SURE he and his part of the equation is of One Mind and of Smooth Purpose. NICE!
Ashame we don’t have such a leader on-the Defensive side of the Ball who Isn’t the DC. The Defensive QB so to speak… Guess that leads to the question of Why Not?
Something to ponder since Head Coaches that are “defensive oriented” could Use a Revolution as Creative As That… Our particular coach is a PRIME EXAMPLE of the Need
June 2nd, 2025 at 5:48 pm
Billy Bucco… someone else mentioned OROTY talking Emeka, maybe it was you, and I see next to no path for that happening.
Every year is different but Brian Thomas went for 1200 and 10 last year… didn’t sniff the award. He came 4th or 5th.
With the other weapons we have, barring injury and Emeka going off for 1500 and 13 or something crazy… this award has Ward or Jeanty or Warren or McMillan written all over it. Matthew Golden has a better chance than Emeka just based on him being in GB and media wanting to slobber over that market and dump on ours.
June 2nd, 2025 at 7:02 pm
Buc1987 – LOL about Gene!
Poor Dave Moore. I heard Gene say “Joe Tryon Showinski” and Dave quietly corrected him. It’s gonna be a long season for Dave if Eggie lights it up.
June 2nd, 2025 at 7:42 pm
Look for baker , once his playing days are over, to a) go straight into the tv booth, or b) head to Oklahoma to coach.
June 2nd, 2025 at 9:27 pm
Onei, if we don’t stop making mistakes we aren’t going to win anything. Championship teams do not make mistakes. If we get control of them not too many can beat us but we HAVE TO STOP THE MISTAKES PERIOD.
June 3rd, 2025 at 7:16 am
Why are we hearing about this through these mouthpeice journalists and not our very own Ira or Joe?!?!
Pisses me off.
Go Bucs!
June 3rd, 2025 at 7:19 am
BTW I do love the fact that Baker and the boys were doing their own thing like Brady did. Love the commitment to excellence!
Go Bucs!
June 3rd, 2025 at 11:33 am
EGG-BUKA. EGG-SHEN? Double E works.
June 3rd, 2025 at 7:40 pm
I think Dave Moore or anyone else that can’t get their mind around Emeka Egbuka, there’s always “E squared”.