Josh Grizzard, Baker Mayfield And Keeping The Offense Sharp
July 14th, 2025
Big responsibility for Charlie Heck.
This is why good national NFL reporters go to different cities, especially during underwear football season. There are a lot of nuggets to stash away.
Take CBS NFL insider prickly Pete Prisco. While most of the national guys are out golfing or covering tennis or generally on a siesta until training camps open up, not Prisco.
Every year Prisco shows up at One Buc Palace. Sometimes the Fort Lauderdale-based journalist shows up a couple of times a year. And this gumshoe journalism pays off.
One reason the Bucs think the transition from old offensive coordinator Liam Coen to new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard is Mayfield’s experience.
Specifically, Coen gave Mayfield a lot of responsibilities both calling plays and barking offensive line assignments at the line. This knowledge, Prisco told his CBS colleague, the pride of Palm Harbor, Jordan Giorgio, will be a key to helping Coen learn the ropes as a first-time playcaller.
“Two years ago, when Dave Canales was the offensive coordinator, Baker Mayfield didn’t do a lot at the line of scrimmage,” Prisco began. “That’s not what they asked him to do last year with Liam Coen.
“They asked him to do a lot more at the line of scrimmage. He will continue to do that under Josh Grizzard. So look, they feel comfortable with each other. They’re allowing [Mayfield] to call plays in certain drills and certain time slots during practice to get used to it.”
Prisco said eventually, he is confident Grizzard gets it all figured out. However, since this video was published, there’s a fly in the ointment.
Mayfield told Prisco that one reason he’s bullish on the Bucs offense with Grizzard is that no matter what line call Mayfield barks, with all starters returning, Mayfield knows those offensive linemen will carry out their tasks.
Whoops. Now with Tristan Wirfs on the shelf, perhaps for a few games, that confidence may be rattled. Charlie Heck is new to the Bucs and he will be the Bucs’ starting left tackle until Wirfs returns.
Joe isn’t too freaked by Heck. He’s a veteran and son of a coach, an offensive line coach in fact. So he, too, will figure things out.
Joe hopes that transition with Grizzard and Heck, respectively, doesn’t take too long.
July 14th, 2025 at 7:05 am
Don’t wait until the first game to determine whether Heck needs help on the outside. Get those backs and TEs ready.
Play the starters in preseason.
July 14th, 2025 at 7:12 am
Not worried at all.
July 14th, 2025 at 7:37 am
There’s no way we just pencil Heck in as the starter w/o opening this thing up for competition with all the time we have to sort this out. Heck is not THAT good.
We’ve got to give guys like Dzansi & Chukwama a shot to compete and let that sort this situation out.
Joint practices are going to be even more important for us with this Wirfs injury.
July 14th, 2025 at 7:55 am
My goodness Jordan!! Just – wow!! What was this post about anyway?? Hahaha!
July 14th, 2025 at 8:41 am
Charlie Heck will be ok,
I can’t wait to see Jake Majors in camp
I thought he were the best Center in the draft
But he didn’t get drafted because of his so-called short arms
I can’t wait to see him play
July 14th, 2025 at 9:40 am
LakelandBuc, Grizzard and Carberry and Baker are going to be watching Majors closely for a couple weeks and they will know. But I think they already know. Jason Licht did it with this kid. Just watch.
July 14th, 2025 at 9:54 am
OK my time to go old curmudgeon. I grew up watching NFL QB’s call their own games!!! Imagine that! Then genius Paul Brown created his “messenger guard” system and rotated guards every play. How did legends like Johnny Unitas and Bart Starr ever survive? Most of them really rebelled against NOT calling their own games.
Now with the technology available I get sending the plays in, but just like when Johnny U played when Baker takes the snap no matter what freaking play is called it’s the players who have to EXECUTE that play. It’s still down to talent and blockng and tackling.
On any INDIVIDUAL play yeah a bad call can eff things up. But over the long haul it’s the offensive “philosophy” that makes the biggest difference. Talent almost always wins out. Talent meaning not just physical skills but focus and perserverence and simple toughness.
Of all the QB’s in the league right now Baker is the one who most resembles the guys I grew up rooting for each Sunday.
I’m not a bit worried about Griz’s playcalling. The Bucs have TALENT AND EXPERIENCE NOW!!! I worry first about INJURIES…then EXECUTION…and then strategy and execution.
July 14th, 2025 at 10:20 am
Dzansi, seems like he has been with the Bucs forever, yet he is never seen or heard from, haha
July 14th, 2025 at 10:32 am
Hodad – I am right with you, not worried at all.
Hope to see what Chukwuma can do!
July 14th, 2025 at 11:30 am
St. Pete.
Josh Allen reminds me of one of the old throwback Qbs too. These guys today are all so much bigger and athletic though.
Lakeland
Jake majors may have fallen on many boards because of his short arms and strength. But I think he didn’t get drafted because he sustained an injury in his bowl game and that added a question about his health status too.
Charlie Heck will be the starter. They will most likely bring in a veteran versatile Tackle for depth. All the tackles on our roster behind Heck have zero NFL starts.
July 14th, 2025 at 11:56 am
He’s got a great porn stache. After he ole’s a Falcons edge rusher week one and gets Baker killed for the season, he will have alternate career opportunities. I agree with Pat Kirwan, Licht and Boals screwed the pooch by not (yet) upgrading OL depth, made worse by not insisting on Wirfs’ surgery in farging February. 😡
July 14th, 2025 at 12:09 pm
My hope for Heck is the old Rolling Stones lyric, “Ti-i-i-ime – is on my side.”
He has all of training camp and preseason to mesh with the starters, and that is pretty much what Bredeson did last year after Opeta got hurt.
Of course, that does put last year’s Plan B LG next to this year’s Plan B LT instead of next to the Plan A LT, three time All Pro Tristan Wirfs, so that apple is not exactly an orange.
July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
toopanca – good points.
July 14th, 2025 at 6:21 pm
Stanglassman
Agree completely that Josh Allen is also a throwback style guy. And he has the size to back it all up.
July 15th, 2025 at 2:31 am
In my experience most good O linemen are smarter than most think. Big dumb dudes don’t make it in the NFL long. Heck has had some time in this offense already and will get plenty more reps when camp starts. Add preseason games that are a bit more like real games. We should get a much better idea soon. Wonder if the line calls will go to Barton this year.
Go Bucs!