Bucs Training Camp, Day 17 Practice Notes
August 20th, 2025
As Joe noted yesterday, training camp is no longer open, the bleachers were removed and stored until next summer. No fans are milling about the practice fields.
But what is open have been practices this week, and Joe’s taking advantage by taking notes for readers.
From what Joe has been told, Thursday will be the final practice open to the fourth estate. The next won’t be until spring for underwear football.
Today, like next spring, it was an underwear football practice at One Buc Palace.
* Tight end Payne Durham goes over the middle for a pass from Baker Mayfield but the ball was tipped on the second level high into the air and Will Brooks nearly had a pick.
* Running back Sean Tucker pulls in a Mayfield pass near the right sideline.
* Tucker runs off-tackle to the right.
* Undrafted free agent running back Josh Williams bobs and weaves his way through the middle.
* Williams up the middle.
* Trey Palmer goes high along the left sideline to pull in a Kyle Trask pass (the anti-Teddy Bridgewater crowd would refer to this pass as a “hospital pass”). Great leap to get the ball.
* Trask throws way behind camp meat tight end Tanner Taula along the left sideline and SirVocea Dennis nearly has a pick.
* Nagasaki! Baker Mayfield drops the bomb on Emeka Egbuka down the right sideline. Egbuka got way behind the defense.
* Mayfield is chased out of the pocket to the right so he runs for a few yards.
* This was cool: Mayfield fires a quick pass to Sterling Shepard along the left sideline and take a guess who raced to the sideline to lead a blocking convoy for Shepard? Mayfield.
* Trask to receiver Kameron Johnson along the right sideline.
* Tucker catches a short pass over the middle from Trask.
* Trask fires a quick pass to the right for undrafted free agent Garrett Greene, the former West Virginia quarterback. Good thing Trask was quick with the throw as Kaevon Merriweather was right on top of Trask.
* Williams catches a pass along to the right.
* Tez Johnson catches a short Trask pass over the middle. Shilo Sanders came up to stop any YAC from Johnson but Johnson slid past Sanders.
7-on-7 goal line
* Mayfield is flushed right but still finds Emeka Egbuka to link up for a score.
* Rachaad White runs between the left guard and tackle.
* Tucker tries to go up the middle and is stuffed.
* Bad snap! Kyle Trask looked like he was totally fooled by the snap. You know how someone sort of jumps when they don’t expect something? That’s what Trask looked like here. The snap was bad, chin-high. Still should have been caught but the way Trask snapped to attention when the ball was snapped, Joe is pretty sure Trask did not expect the snap. Trask did an excellent job of scooping up the ball and just throwing somewhere in the general vicinity of St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, high, high in the air.
* Williams jukes left.
* Williams runs inside left guard.
* SirVocea Dennis shows some hops. Mayfield targeted someone in the back of the end zone. Joe couldn’t see who the intended target was as he was screened but Joe sure did see an arm rise above the wall of players in front of Joe and the ball popped in the air. Sure looked like Dennis may have gotten his paw on the ball.
* Without bleachers, Joe is confined to the Bucs’ patio, which also serves as the media viewing area. As usual, Joe has to attempt to navigate a wall of humans, including players, coaches, suits and staffers. Think of trying to watch a game through a picket fence with the pickets sometimes only having maybe a foot of space in between. Joe has thought about bringing a stepladder (photographers will do that at times) but Joe is pretty confident that would surely trigger Bucs brass.
* Rachaad White is wide ass open along the left sideline in the end zone and Mayfield hits him for six.
* Teddy Bridgewater hits Tez Johnson along the right sideline.
* Oh, swell. The Bucs just had staffers stack trash cans onto flatbed carts (like you would have a stack of Solo cups) and place the carts right in the viewing path where there was no human picket fence. Guess Joe should take a hint, huh?
* Bridgewater tried to throw over the middle but had the pass broken up. Joe couldn’t tell the intended target — or who got their mitts on the ball. But Joe did see the ball fly up in the air. The stacked trash cans worked. 🙁
11-on-11
* This didn’t look so smooth but it worked! Mayfield throws to Durham near the right sideline and Durham’s footwork looked like Joe trying to leave Hooters after a full day of college football. Talk about some ugly footwork! But dang if Durham didn’t stumble badly but still was able to get his feet inbounds for the catch.
* Mayfield throws to Egbuka to the left and he gets a good chunk of YAC.
* Mayfield launches a bomb deep down the middle for Tez Johnson and the ball went right through Johnson’s arms. Coaches and suits will likely remember this 10 days from now when the Bucs whittle the roster down to 53. Roman Parodie was no joke as he had good defense on the play. Just about a perfect throw.
* Bucky ducks (Ducks?) into traffic up the middle for no gain.
* Shepard hauls in a pass from Mayfield on the right side.
* Mayfield tries to connect with Devin Culp to the right but it is incomplete. After a fast start to training camp, Culp has slowed down lately. Not the desired trajectory 10 days before The Turk visits.
* Trask is flushed to the right and, while on the run, connects with Tez Johnson near the right sideline.
* Ryan Miller catches back-to-back passes from Trask, one to the left and the second to the right.
* Mike Evans is still him: Picture if you can Jamal Mashburn of Kentucky with a one-handed slam in traffic in the Final Four against Michigan. Joe was transported back to that specific play, watching Mike Evans today. Near the end of practice, Baker Mayfield threw toward Evans where only Evans could catch the ball along the left sideline. Teddy Bridgewater haters would call this pass a “hospital pass.” Evans skied way, way, way high and with one hand reached up and caught the pass in midair, hauling it in for one of the better catches you will ever see. Every media person in attendance said out loud in unison, “Aaawww… “ witnessing this sick catch. It reminded Joe of a Mashburn one-hand baseline jam late in that semifinal overtime game against Michigan years ago.
* Mayfield throws to Evans to the right side and this time the pass was too long.
* Tez Johnson catches a Trask pass to the right and cuts inside for some good YAC.
Tomorrow, Joe was told, is the last fully open practice to the fourth estate for 2025. Of course, Joe will have notes afterwards.
Bucs practice Wednesday morning. pic.twitter.com/ROk2p8ZHMe
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) August 20, 2025
August 20th, 2025 at 2:44 pm
Can you confirm or deny that a football player has ever been hurt on a pass that was thrown by Kyle Trask?
August 20th, 2025 at 2:47 pm
“Guess Joe should take a hint, huh?”
100% sounds intentional, like we’ll let you watch what we want, but not every thing.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:48 pm
the bills back ups got thrashed 38-0, this game will be the kyle vs. teddy bowl who can throw the hospital ball to rakim jarrett… i like the term hospital ball Joe, qbs should try not to get their star receivers hurt… trey or tez bowl
August 20th, 2025 at 2:48 pm
Thanks, great update. Tez dropped a pass in the Steelers game that he should have caught also. Don’t think he should be anything but a practice squad player at best. He wilts under pressure and is slow for his position. Not sure what everyone sees in the guy, but I think he is not very good.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:51 pm
I am grateful for these updates. Thank you Joe(s).
August 20th, 2025 at 2:52 pm
Tez is too Jaelon Darden-y to me.
Except slower and smaller.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:57 pm
Jason LIGHT be like
Forget paying Saquon Barkley (last year)
Forget getting Jaylen Ramsey (this year)
Forget Micah Parsons (this year)
Forget drafting Sheduer sanders as a back up QB for Baker
Let’s sign Teddy Bridgewater so he can throw a medicine ball to Jalen McMillian and get him hurt in the preseason for 8 regular season games!!!
And who needs Micah Parsons when we can keep the pick and get a Braswell !!!
August 20th, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Jason LIGHT be like
Why go all in this year, when there is always NEXT YEAR
August 20th, 2025 at 3:07 pm
Still think Jason should look into Hendrickson and now after losing JMac , Amari Cooper. Maybe Roberts will be a big surprise, but another veteran like Hendrickson would help the Bucs get to the SB.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:09 pm
A lot of times the QB don’t intentionally throws high
The ball just sails on them
August 20th, 2025 at 3:19 pm
Reports say Otten out today? Any info there? Love the Hooter’s reference on the Durham catch, but the dude can catch the ball! Also, what’s going on with Culp? Saw a report he had a dehydration issue but was also being looked at lower leg. Tanner Taula got a chance for the 53?
August 20th, 2025 at 3:24 pm
Little Tezette showing why he doesn’t belong in the NFL.
NFL flag for the little guy.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:26 pm
great notes
GO BUCS!!!!
August 20th, 2025 at 3:27 pm
Yeah, but Joe doesn’t know if he got a rest or not. So Joe didn’t mention it. He played Saturday, practiced yesterday. Seemed just fine talking to reporters yesterday. Probably just got the day off.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:29 pm
Joe noted this yesterday. He was back at practice today.
As for Taula, it all depends on special teams. If he is a stud on special teams, he has a prayer.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:30 pm
One more day to report on practice Joe….I think you 2 Joes should go to Hooters afterward to celebrate, or if you dont feel like wings, stop by Mons Venus….nice work boys! Thank you.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:31 pm
Pops:
Hooters and beer is never a bad thing. 🙂
August 20th, 2025 at 3:34 pm
A sideline ball in practice isn’t a hospital ball. A hospital ball is throwing high over the middle where you’re going to get a guy killed if they make the catch / try to make the catch.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:40 pm
Try wearing platform shoes like Ira for a better view. Thanks for all the updates during training camp.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:41 pm
” Joe has thought about bringing a ladder (photographers will do that at times) but Joe is pretty confident that would surely trigger Bucs brass.”
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Just tell the other scrubs to get out of your way, that you’re THE Joe, and you’re there to do the job they’re too lazy and stupid to handle. I’ve found that strongly worded messages like that work like a slap in the face to the lower classes and lesser beings, and they usually fall in line once they realize they’re in the presence of greatness.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
Its like the bucs invite you over for dinner then make you eat in your car.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
Who is this Jason Light I keep reading about in the comments. Is he related professionally to Rod Cowles?
August 20th, 2025 at 4:14 pm
Great details, Joe! Feels like being there without having to deal with stacked trash cans. Trask sounding pretty good. Mike and Baker still going strong. Tez, Ryan, Bucky, and all of them. Cannot wait until our first game!
August 20th, 2025 at 4:28 pm
Tez did not look as bad as some of you yahoos act like he did. Another Bucs site says he’s lighting up practice today.
He screwed up 1 punt… But he also returned 1 for 35+ yards. He may have had a drop but he had several nice catches. Kid has the talent – he needs confidence. He’ll be fine if he can stay healthy.
August 20th, 2025 at 4:44 pm
People freaking out about a 7th rounder dropping one pass in practice. Another outlet wrote Tez had a very good practice today, catching almost everything, and getting wide open often making people miss after the catch. Evans is a GOAT, but I’ve seen passes fall through his hands too. Egbuka has had some drops in camp, they all do. Give the kid a break, he’s going to be fine.
August 20th, 2025 at 5:02 pm
@Joe – Nagasaki is super poor taste.
August 20th, 2025 at 5:41 pm
I am glad to read Rachaad White is playing and catching passes.
August 20th, 2025 at 6:06 pm
Anthony Says:
August 20th, 2025 at 5:02 pm
@Joe – Nagasaki is super poor taste.
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No it’s not, it’s descriptive, we all know it means he threw a bomb that connected.
August 20th, 2025 at 6:07 pm
Joe, thank you for the notes.
August 20th, 2025 at 6:13 pm
Bucky Ducks
#scoducks!!!!
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I find Trask failures to be mildly depressing at this point. I was rooting for him but it’s time to move on.
August 20th, 2025 at 6:39 pm
Evans was unable to talk to reporters after practice. He was still waiting on one of Teddy’s passes to arrive.
August 20th, 2025 at 7:55 pm
I remember one time listening to a Tom Brady interview and one of the key things he talked about is throwing two receivers and not letting them get blasted or hit. If you leave them to get hit you’re taking a chance of getting them nocked out for the season. I mean throwing the ball where they have to reach up and leaving their body unprotected
August 20th, 2025 at 9:24 pm
2 questions for you that I am curious about. I remember preparing for the football season and there was a lot of conditioning work and running sprints/etc to ensure we were in shape. Is that a thing of the past? Or is there a portion of practice the Bucs work on conditioning? I am also curious to know is there a portion of practice that you don’t see or discuss where the offense is learning new plays and getting down the playbook prior to them going live against the defense? I don’t hear talk of this but assume that’s a part of the process that goes on behind the scenes?
August 20th, 2025 at 11:11 pm
At practice? Yes. But players do conditioning, weight lifting, etc. in the building behind closed doors. They are on conditioning programs.
Well, “getting down the playbook” is what practices are for. The Bucs do have some closed practices where they have walk-throughs. Beginning next week, all practices the rest of the season other than first 30 minutes (which is when players warm up) will be closed.
August 20th, 2025 at 11:47 pm
Appreciate your insights.