Tuesday Practice Notes, News & Happenings
June 3rd, 2025
It’s Joe’s nearly world famous practice notes.
*Few clouds but a sweet breeze for the 10:35 a.m. start.
*Trey Palmer, Jalen McMillan, Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson and Kameron Johnson catching punts. One drop by Johnson. McMillan isn’t very smooth but no drops.
*Starting offensive line is on the field minus Tristan Wirfs. Backup guard Elijah Klein here but sitting out practice.
*Jamel Dean and Antoine Winfield, Jr. working separately with coaches outside of the defensive backs group in early drills. A coach is firing balls at Dean as Dean sits on the grass. Dean rotating his position and is catching everything.
*Sterling Shepard and Bucky Irving having their own personal pass-and-catch warmup. Shepard seems to have a better arm than Bucky.
*A coach is now firing low passes at Irving from 5 yards out, testing his reactions to tough throws.
*Prickly Pete Prisco, the CBS NFL insider, is at practice.
*Lavonte David and Vita Vea are watching practice. Remember, attendance is voluntary.
*Rachaad White seems a little quicker than usual.
*Yeah, it’s just work in a coverage/ball awareness drill, but Benjamin Morrison moves impressively, receiver-like hands.
*In a tacking drill on a receiver in a short-yardage situation Jacob Partish stood out for being 100 percent on point – after Morrison took an earful from coaches about his feet. Joe heard a coach holler at him, “Don’t stop moving your feet!”
*Through 47 minutes of practice it’s been drills only.
*Before next round of drills, Trey Palmer jumps time after time to high-five Bucs offensive linemen.
*Todd Bowles serving as QB as the defense goes through installs with no offfensive line. Funny seeing 400-plus pounds rookie Desmond Watson lining up across from Bowles. Offense installing simultaneously, as well. Joe would write about that but Joe doesn’t want to land in a Team Glazer black site.
*11-on-11 begins: Lotta handoffs and a bad drop in the right flat by Rachaad White.
*Kyle Trask throws a looping bomb on the move to the right across the field to Tez Johnson. Complete!!! Yes Johnson is getting several targets today.
*Next time Trask lollipops a pass to the left side for Johnson to run under and he stopped his route. Not sure if he lost the pass in the sun or just wasn’t on the same page as Trask.
*7-on-7 begins: Nice short grab by Jalen McMillan. Very quick out of the catch.
*Drop! Emeka Egbuka over middle facing Baker Mayfield from short range.
*Drop?? Egbuka can’t squeeze a catchable ball in tight coverage.
*Mayfield deep to Kameron Johnson. Out of sync. Cornerback Kindle Vildor in tight coverage.
*Tez Johnson is no match for Josh Hayes. Yes, cornerback Hayes is still on the roster.
*Undrafted rookie Jacob Parodie with a pass breakup of Jalen McMillan with Mayfield throwing.
*Now the Bucs look smooth on the Mayfield-White flat connection.
*Last part of this 11-on-11 is more 70 percent speed, so Joe can’t really gauge much legitimately.
*Real underwear football 11-on-11 heats up again and it’s feisty. Egbuka catches a slant. Mayfield had full zip on that throw.
*Deep down the seam to Egbuka with Morrison in tight coverage. Egbuka skies for catch, can’t grab it and falls hard. Took a few seconds for him to get up.
*Trask over the middle to Johnson for 10 yards.
*Nice grab Cade Otton for 10 yards on right side.
*Mayfield breaks right from pocket and Anthony Nelson lets up on rush. Coach’s whistle blows just as Mayfield releases 40 yard TD pass to Egbuka. To be fair, Winfield let up upon hearing whistle.
*Palmer can’t hold on to a short hard throw when pocket breaks down.
*Interception! Veteran linebacker Deion Jones drops in coverage about 15 yards and picks off Kyle Trask. Jones juggled the ball that was intitially away from his body, but he held on.
*Irving awkwardly attempts to catch a Trask throw that seemed good. Josh Hayes in coverage. Incomplete.
*Defense erupts on a throw not visible to media by sideline. Seems like someone dropped a pick opportunity. Tykee Smith didn’t look happy, but Joe can’t confirm he was involved in the play.
*Red zone work kicks in and Cade Otton catches a TD.
*Trey Palmer snares a low rope in the end zone from Mayfield with Zyon McCollum in coverage. Palmer has some trash-talk when he pops up.
*Drop! Rachaad White at the 2 yard line with Jamel Dean in coveage.
June 3rd, 2025 at 11:16 am
*Trey Palmer, Jalen McMillan, Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson and Kameron Johnson catching punts. One drop by Johnson. McMillan isn’t very smooth but no drops.
Which Johnson?
June 3rd, 2025 at 11:58 am
Crappy-sounding day for some key guys. Not that it really matters
June 3rd, 2025 at 12:02 pm
I’m gonna guess Kameron Johnson because we usually can’t the other Tez. Just a guess
June 3rd, 2025 at 12:04 pm
Eric, if you mean EE, he dropped a few in rookie camp early, but came on later if I remember right
.
June 3rd, 2025 at 12:24 pm
Is attendance mandatory but participation is optional?
June 3rd, 2025 at 12:34 pm
Meticulous notes! Thank you, Joe.
June 3rd, 2025 at 12:55 pm
Drop!
June 3rd, 2025 at 1:03 pm
Attendance AND participation optional.
June 3rd, 2025 at 1:03 pm
Is Reddick there?
June 3rd, 2025 at 1:14 pm
Sly,
OTAs are not mandatory, but some contracts have bonuses for attendance.
Senior veteran players – guys in their second or later contract – mostly show up early to provide leadership. The coaches will be spending the most time evaluating and coaching rookies and first contract players, players returning from rehab, and players changing position.
Everyone should already have the new playbook to study – book now days means an online update.
You want veteran free agents to be there by the time the other senior veterans in their position group start working together. The senior veterans mentioned as active on the field were Dean, Trask, Mayfield and ILB Deion Jones. Backups generally want to show and do all that they can to stay on the team. And, the QBs usually want to play with there new toys and develop their on field connection.
Senior veterans Lavonte David and Vita Vea were mentioned as watching, and were there as leaders. Also, Bowles recently mentioned David and Vea as coaches who could later pursue coaching careers if they become so inclined. So, they can use their time on the sideline as time shadowing coaches and learning deeper dimensions of the game. And, any number of senior veterans may be in the building working out, watching film, study new plays, etc.
June 3rd, 2025 at 1:15 pm
Alotta drops today. Ugh
June 3rd, 2025 at 1:16 pm
Should have proof read that before I posted it. 🙁
June 3rd, 2025 at 1:19 pm
You’re the best Joe(s)! As always thanks for the nuggets and insight.
June 3rd, 2025 at 1:25 pm
Morrison covering Emeka on a seam route with what sounds like tight coverage sounds like he’s pretty full speed to me. Back pedaling, rotating hips, and running with a guy with good speed sounds as encouraging as it gets. Other than Linebacker – im really liking the depth of this roster.
June 3rd, 2025 at 1:54 pm
Thanks for the notes Joe. Are we running any 4 WR sets? Noticed Otton only mentioned a few times. Running any 2 TE sets?
June 3rd, 2025 at 1:54 pm
Good stuff, thanks Joe!
June 3rd, 2025 at 2:26 pm
“”*Tez Johnson is no match for Josh Hayes. Yes, cornerback Hayes is still on the roster.””
That implies Hayes got the best of Tez. Is that what you meant to write?
June 3rd, 2025 at 2:39 pm
Thanks Joe, our guys are not dialed in. ughhh
June 3rd, 2025 at 2:43 pm
Sounds like you’ve been around some practice fields toopcana. Or you’ve just got a great sense for how it likely plays out. Sounded about right.
I agree with Gofortheface30 about needing just a bit more in the line backer department. It’s Screaming “I Need More”, but I also feel a little too light on our D line as well.
When we made a run at the Super Bowl, Licht “Made Sure” to have multiple “hog mollies” for and on that line. He’s not pushing for that right now and as Led Zeppelin would say, ” It Really Makes Me Wonder”….. Between thse two positions seeming particularly light, perhaps Licht doesn’t see this as the year he’s “ALL IN” Hmmmm.
In fact, it seems “Obvious”
But then, there is No fat lady singing in the personnel dept since the season isn’t officially in full swing just yet… So who knows? He’s been stashing money for some reason. Could cleaning up depth be it?
June 3rd, 2025 at 3:07 pm
From those of us who enjoy the insight, appreciate you guys being on top of getting these out in a timely manner, unlike a few other local sites that will remain nameless lol.
Don’t pat Joe on the back for that. Sometimes notes won’t be here at all if Joe’s busy with something else or has an obstructed view. Or they’ll show up much later when Joe gets to it or feels it’s more appropriate to publish later. Don’t value “beating” anyone here. Very low on Joe’s scale of importance. –Joe
June 3rd, 2025 at 4:50 pm
Nice update Joe, but need more info about Desmond? Any idea what his weight is now? Is he able to keep up with his team mates?
June 3rd, 2025 at 8:20 pm
Sounds like Tez doing his best Darden imitation.
June 4th, 2025 at 10:10 am
As always Thanks Joe! Sounds like the team may need to knock some rust off. Sloppy.
Go Bucs!
June 4th, 2025 at 1:32 pm
Joe, thanks for doing this.
Always very much appreciated!! 🙂