Excitement For Graham Barton’s Year 2
July 28th, 2025
Taking the next step.
You may have heard, the Bucs put the pads on this morning.
There’s been blocking and hitting and tackling and it all started before 9 a.m.
Football.
Last week this Joe was concerned by how often the Bucs’ front seven was getting into the backfield. Joe regrouped and remembered offensive linemen cannot do squat in underwear football. So trying to make any offensive line assessment was a full waste of time.
One thing Bucs coach Todd Bowles was stoked about yesterday was to finally see Year 2 of the Graham Barton era at center. Barton had a really strong rookie season. But, rookies being rookies, mistakes were made. At the worst possible time, too.
Growing pains.
Well, Barton has now had a full offseason in an NFL weight room.
“Obviously, being a rookie, having to make calls at center is an extremely tough job,” Bowles said of Barton. “He did a great job at it last year. Going into Year 2, he kind of knows some things right off the bat and it comes easy to him.
“He loves to work to get better. There’s one thing about Graham – he loves to finish. He doesn’t like t-shirt and shorts. … In pads [this morning], I’ll look to see the Graham Barton that we drafted.”
Bowles is on point. Offensive linemen in underwear football is almost a grotesque waste of time.
July 28th, 2025 at 9:10 am
No pads is good for o-linemen because it forces them to work on footwork, but there’s no substitute for having shoulder pads on d-linemen to grab ahold of.
It’s only holding if the flag comes out.
July 28th, 2025 at 9:33 am
I wasn’t to happy about the pick at the time because I believe we could gotten him in the second round. But he is a good player and going to be here for a while.
July 28th, 2025 at 9:49 am
“Offensive linemen in underwear football is almost a grotesque waste of time.” No it’s NOT!
You seem to be fixated on underwear football. Do you know there is a reason for no pads to start a season? Reason for no pads is you are getting to do installs, scheme changes, letting rookies understand how practices will be learned and many other things. Without these (underwear football) practices which every team from elementary school, to High school, to college and yes to the pros do this for a reason. Did you ever actually play football?
July 28th, 2025 at 9:52 am
I have high hopes for Graham Barton
I think he will grow into an All-Pro Center
July 28th, 2025 at 9:55 am
Hence the “almost.” Im sure Joe knows about how an O-line gets ready for a season.
July 28th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
he played awesome last year almost every time a back sprang free you saw 62 opening the way
July 28th, 2025 at 12:43 pm
Can’t wait to see how Graham does this season. I think he learned from his rookie mistakes.
July 28th, 2025 at 4:28 pm
Growing pains, or more likely, lack of detailed coaching, particularly on situational awareness.
July 29th, 2025 at 7:10 am
I remember very few T-shirt parctices but I so hated them. It meant we were gonna run. It also meant we were just going at about 50% when we ran plays.
Yes a waste of time unless we were doing installs.
Go Bucs!