Buccaneers Day 1 OTA Practice Notes
May 26th, 2026
Bucs defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson sheds the blocking sled and attacks a dummy at the first open Bucs OTA practice Tuesday.
KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles joked that conditions for the first open OTA practice today at One Buc Palace (starting at 10:30 a.m.) were “winter.”
Throughout practice, there was a stiff, strong wind and periodically it was overcast, even though temperatures were near 90 degrees. But it sure didn’t feel like it to Bowles or Joe.
One thing about practice was very apparent immediately in the first play of seven-on-seven: Emeka Egbuka is ready for the regular season.
Baker Mayfield threw a pass over the middle for Egbuka that appeared over his head. But the Ohio State product simply snared the ball with one hand and continued his route into the end zone.
This play produced all sorts of hoots and hollers, even from the defense as they admired it. Egbuka is Cincinnati-ready.
* Most Bucs were there. Vita Vea was in spirit. Instead of coming to OTAs today, he seemed to be out west working out with Ndamukong Suh. (Bowles said Vea is still working with Ndamukong Suh, but wasn’t specific as to Vea was doing that today). Also, YaYa Diaby, Chris Braswell and Al-Quadin Muhammad were not in attendance for personal reasons. Joe heard it was for religious reasons.
* Backups got a good chunk of work today. Maybe more so than first-team players.
* As always, Joe must caution readers: This is underwear football and all practices until the first padded practice of training camp in late July are and will be underwear football practices. Hitting and tackling is strictly forbidden. So, it’s flag football with dudes wearing helmets.
* Jalen McMillan catches a slant from Mayfield coming in from the left side.
* Mayfield tries for Egbuka and the ball is tipped.
* McMillan and Mayfield hook up again, this time down the right hashmarks.
* Jake Browning connects with Ted Hurst on a short pass along the left sideline, the first of four straight catches by Hurst. Guess the Bucs are force-feeding Hurst to see what the rookie from Georgia State has.
* Browning to Hurst down the left seam.
* Browning to Hurst down the left seam again.
* Browning to Hurst on the left side of the end zone for six.
* McMillan catches a touchdown pass in the left end zone from Browning.
* Dean Patterson (Georgia Tech) catches a pass on the left side of the end zone for a score from Connor Bazelak.
* Yes, with Bucky Irving in street clothes, Kenneth Gainwell is practicing with the first-team offense.
* Chris Godwin catches a short pass from Mayfield right in front of Zyon McCollum and Godwin shoots to the inside.
* Mayfield cannot connect on a short pass to the right flat. Joe couldn’t catch who the intended receiver was as Joe was heavily screened.
* There were so many Bucs players, staffers and coaches standing in the way, Joe joined forces with Jenna Laine of ESPN and Evan Closky of WTSP-TV Channel 10 to try to help each other out in ID’ing plays and players. With 12-20 people in front of us, maybe three pairs of eyeballs would be better than one. Still, that didn’t always help us on every play. (Joe hopes that reference doesn’t get Laine and/or Closky in trouble. 🙂 )
* It appeared Josiah Green (Duke) batted down a pass from Bazelak.
* A Mayfield pass is too long in the right end zone for McMillan.
* Godwin catches a pass from Mayfield in the left flat.
* Benjamin Morrison drops what should have been an easy pick on Mayfield.
* Alex Anzalone chases Mayfield out of the pocket to the right and Mayfield just throws it away.
* McMillan drops to his knees to pull in a short pass from Mayfield.
* Browning had a pass batted down but rookie tight end Bauer Sharp had the presence of mind to dive in the crowd and he scooped up the ball just before it hit the grass. Joe doesn’t think he’s ever seen that before.
* Browning fired into a crowd to the right. Receiver David Sills (West Virginia) was surrounded by three defenders and a fourth came racing in at the last split second and nearly picked off Browning. Despite so much circling around him on the play, Sills still caught the ball.
* Kameron Johnson catches a Browning pass over the middle.
* Hurst hauls in a Browning pass down the right seam.
* The second of nine OTA practice sessions is tomorrow at One Buc Palace but is closed to media.
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) May 26, 2026
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) May 26, 2026
May 26th, 2026 at 4:47 pm
Oh boy, Baker with his high fast balls and dirt passes, some things never change. Its nice to have a decent backup QB. Looking forward to seeing more of Hurst.
Great notes Joe. Thanks.
May 26th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
“Benjamin Morrison drops what should have been an easy pick on Mayfield.”
Here we go again. Baker throwing picks, Morrison failing to do his job.
2026 is shaping up to be a Pacific Palisades type of disaster.
No need to store water to douse the flames. Just let it burn.
Todd Bowles loves what he sees already.
May 26th, 2026 at 5:01 pm
Good stuff Joe..thanks
May 26th, 2026 at 5:03 pm
I hope they are smarter about using Bucky after he returns.
He’s too small to get #1 RB carries.
They need to limit his touches.
May 26th, 2026 at 5:14 pm
The trolls post so quickly so often you’d think they were AI.
Then again, they probably are… upset to hear Bucky isn’t back yet. Since these are no contact practices you’d think he would play. It’s not like anything can hit his shoulder.
May 26th, 2026 at 5:32 pm
Perhaps I am an AI……
May 26th, 2026 at 5:37 pm
Thank you, Joe
May 26th, 2026 at 5:37 pm
Stating observable facts = AI
May 26th, 2026 at 5:45 pm
What if AI has already taken over and we’re all just batteries being used to power it? Wow, man… I mean wow. If our AI overlords would kindly program the Bucs to win the next 10 Super Bowls in a row, I’ll happily give 110% in helping you weed out the evil people trying to stop you.
As for the notes, as you know I’m no Baker Boi, but chill out people – it’s practice 1 of underwear football.
Despite it being underwear football, did anyone look different from last year? Outside of Cody putting on muscle?
May 26th, 2026 at 5:48 pm
Egbuka has a little bit of the Mike Evans disease: catching the difficult ones and dropping the easy ones.
Hopefully he gets passed that and catches a higher percentage of throws this year.
May 26th, 2026 at 5:49 pm
I wish I could hoop like Allen Iverson.
Thanks for the notes Joe. Did you get a look at Trotter?
May 26th, 2026 at 5:50 pm
I’m wondering why only one catch from Ebuka? Different field?